Schubert’s piano sonatas span his creative life, from the No.1 D157 of 1815 to the three great sonatas of 1828 - D958, 959 and 960. Schubert’s sonatas are a world away from Beethoven’s dramatic statements, and from the overtly virtuosic sonatas of Hummel and Weber. They contain some of his most profound music, the world of song never being far away. Drawing out the ever present patina of sadness, even in what sounds like ‘happy’ music is essential if the performer is to understand this music. Some of his best loved works are for solo piano, and the Impromptus D899 and D935 are miniature masterworks, full of passion, drama, reflection and, above all, supreme lyricism.

Recordings made by Denon in the 1990s.

‘How good, then, to be able to hail [Dalberto’s] spring-like imaginative vitality and spontaneity - not least in the main work, the D major Sonata of 1825. He conveys all the youthful eagerness of the opening Allegro vivace with a stylish lightness and clarity. In the second movement, allowed a liquid, con moto flow, he opened my ears anew to its magical textural felicities and tonal contrasts. (In the) not fully completed F minor Sonata - an arresting portrait of the 21year-old Schubert not yet wholly reconciled to the procrustean demands of sonata form while plainly overwhelmed by the drama of Beethoven's Appassionata. Here again Dalberto draws delectable contrasts of colour from his instrument while constantly savouring the unpredictability that contributes so much to even the immature Schubert's genius.’ - Gramophone, April 1996

Contents:
CD 1 [67’11]
· Sonata in A minor D485
· Sonata in E D157
· Valses sentimentales D770

CD 2 [57’29]
· Moments musicaux D780
· Sonata in A minor D537
· 8 Ecossaises D529

CD 3 [57’38]
· Sonata in C D840 ‘Relique’
· 10 Variations in F D156
· 2 Deutsche D841

CD 4 [76’39]
· Sonata in G D894 ‘Fantasie-Sonate’
· 12 Walzer D969 ‘Valses nobles’
· 2 Walzer D980
· Sonata in C D279

CD 5 [69’35]
· 4 Impromptus D899
· Sonata in E D459
· 3 Menuette mit je zwei Trios D380

CD 6 [61’59]
· 4 Impromptus D935
· Sonata in A flat D557
· 13 Variations on a Theme by Anselm
· Hüttenbrenner D576

CD 7 [76’18]
· Sonata in A minor D784
· 12 Deutsche D790
· Sonata in E minor D566
· 2 Scherzi D593
· 11 Ecossaisen D781

CD 8 [69’51]
· Sonata in B D575
· Adagio in G D178
· 6 Ecossaisen D421
· Sonata in A D664
· from Originaltänze D365

CD 9 [55’17]
· Fantasie in C D760 ‘Wandererfantasie’
· 16 Deutsche und 2 Ecossaisen D783
· Kupelwieser-Walzer
· Sonata in C D613
· March in E D606

CD 10 [65’05]
· Sonata in F minor D625
· Galopp und 8 Ecossaisen D735
· Sonata in D D850

CD 11 [59’22]
· Ungarische Melodie D817
· Sonata in F sharp minor
· Drei Deutsche Tänze D971
· Sonata in E flat D568

CD 12 [62’37]
· 3 Klavierstücke D946
· Sonata in C minor D958

CD 13 [42’47]
· Sonata in A D959

CD 14 [42’53]
· Sonata in B flat D960