Between March 2004 and May 2006 András Schiff performed the complete cycle of Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas at the Tonhalle, Zürich, recorded and released by ECM New Series. This collection presents the encores from these concerts. What does one play after Beethoven sonatas? András Schiff: “For me it's essential not to seek entertainment but rather to look for pieces that are closely related to the previously heard sonatas.” The pianist explores links to Schubert, Mozart, Haydn and Bach. For all the interconnecting strands of musical history, András Schiff’s selection of encores also adds up to a thoroughly enjoyable ‘recital’ disc in its own right.

Sound/Video

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Schubert - Allegro assai in E flat minor from Three Piano Pieces D946
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Schubert - Allegretto in C minor D915
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Mozart - Eine kleine Gigue in G major KV574
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Haydn - Keyboard Sonata in G minor Hob.XVI:44 - Moderato
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Haydn - Keyboard Sonata in G minor Hob.XVI:44 - Allegretto
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Schubert - Hungarian Melody in B minor D817
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Beethoven - Andante favori in F major WoO57
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Bach - Menuets I & II from Partita no.1 in B flat major BWV825
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Bach - Gigue from Partita no.1 in B flat major BWV825
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Bach - Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor from The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1 - Prelude
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Bach - Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor from The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1 - Fugue

Europadisc Review

There’s a lovely reminiscence in the booklet to this new disc from ECM about the time a young András Schiff was ticked off by the eminent Hungarian conductor János Ferencsik for following a performance of Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto with a fast movement from a Haydn sonata: ‘“Young man,” he said, “mark my words. There is nothing worse than a prematurely given encore.”’ We can take it that due consideration was given to the items on the present CD, ‘Encores after Beethoven’, each performed at the end of live concerts in Schiff’s Beethoven Sonata Cycle of 2004-06 in Zurich’s Tonhalle. The repertoire itself speaks volumes for the pianist’s thoughtfulness, only straying from the Viennese classics with the inclusion of some Bach, and each work carefully chosen to complement and illuminate the preceding programme. Yet, combined as they are here, they also work splendidly as a self-standing recital programme. Only in two instances does the music verge on the showy, with Mozart’s fugal Eine kleine Gigue, K574 (itself a tribute to Handel’s F minor Keyboard Suite), and the Gigue from Bach’s B flat major Partita, BWV825, but even these pieces are played with such intelligence and finesse that the underlying seriousness of purpose is barely ruffled.

Right from the very first encore (the E flat minor Allegro assai from Schubert’s Three Piano Pieces, D946) it is evident that this is a pianist who combines formidable intellect with musical sensitivity and a gift for exploiting the most subtle shades of colour: an artist at the peak of his game. Schubert’s Hungarian Melody, D817, and Beethoven’s Andante favori, WoO57 (originally intended as the second movement of the ‘Waldstein’ Sonata), are the most striking instances of Schiff’s feeling for colour, the Schubert imbued with delicate folk hues, the Beethoven a performance of unassuming depth.

While the Mozart Gigue is the shortest of the encores (at less than two minutes), by far the longest is Haydn’s G minor Sonata, Hob. XVI:44: both movements, running to almost 14 minutes! Not so much an encore-and-a-half as a double helping. Bulking out a concert that consisted of Beethoven’s opp.14, 22 and 49 sonatas, that would have been an event to relish, the Haydn straddling the worlds of mature Classicism and Sturm und Drang anxiety. For the later Beethoven sonatas (opp.54 to 106), Bach seems the ideal choice. The aforementioned Gigue is preceded by a vivid yet always graceful account of the Menuets from the same Partita, while the last encore (to opp.90, 101 and 106) is the Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor from Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier, a wondrously reflective performance with supreme delicacy of touch and crystalline voicing of the various lines.

As Schiff himself explains, nothing could possibly have followed Beethoven’s last three sonatas, the only one of the original concerts to do without an encore of any kind. But all the others are gathered here for us to savour, and it makes for an immensely rewarding disc. If you’ve been collecting the individual Beethoven sonatas as they have appeared, you’ll certainly want this handsome adjunct, and it is also available as part of the newly-issued complete set (ECM 4812908). Or you can just enjoy it on its own, as a delightful collection of masterly keyboard miniatures played with consummate and penetrating artistry. The Swiss audience is, of course, immaculately behaved throughout, the applause warmly appreciative but never intrusive.

Reviews

If you think of encores as lightweight, think again. These composers wrote many characteristic pieces that are less ambitious than full-dress sonatas but are not to be dismissed as miniatures. Shorter compositions, yes, but with long thoughts behind them. Stephen Plaistow

Gramophone February 2017

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Condition	Description
New	Brand new item, only ever sourced from the official UK distributor. Usually seal-wrapped, although a minority of labels do not use seal-wrap.
Used - Mint	Used item in excellent condition. Not usually seal-wrapped.
Used - Good	Used item with some minor signs of wear and tear. Never seal-wrapped.
Used - Acceptable	Used item with obvious scuffs or cosmetic damage to the case or booklet. Never seal-wrapped.

Condition	Description
New	Brand new item, only ever sourced from the official UK distributor. Usually seal-wrapped, although a minority of labels do not use seal-wrap.
Used - Mint	Used item in excellent condition. Not usually seal-wrapped.
Used - Good	Used item with some minor signs of wear and tear. Never seal-wrapped.
Used - Acceptable	Used item with obvious scuffs or cosmetic damage to the case or booklet. Never seal-wrapped.

Encores after Beethoven

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Europadisc Review

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