Walter Klien Plays Schubert
The Viennese pianist Walter Klien (1928 --1991) recorded prolifically on the Vox/Turnabout labels, particularly in the music of Mozart, Schubert, and Brahms. I remember fondly listening to many recordings of Klien in the 1970s together with those of his better-known and longer-lived contemporary, Alfred Brendel. Over the years, I have grown to love the piano sonatas of Franz Schubert. Klien recorded the Schubert sonatas in their entirety in the early 70s. For many years, Schubert's sonatas were not highly regarded or well-known and even today they may be an acquired taste with their length, wandering structure and lyricism. Still, many outstanding pianists have recorded the sonatas, and Klien's performances remain beautiful, personal, and idiomatic.
This 2-CD set of Klien's Schubert was released on LP in 1974 and includes six sonatas from different parts of Schubert's short life: the sonata in C minor, D. 958, sonata in G major, D. 978, sonata in E minor, D. 566, Sonata in A minor, D. 845, Sonata in B major, opus 147. Sonata in C major, "Reliquie", D.840. The recording is still available on CD.
I was moved to hear Klien's recordings following years of familiarity with many other readings. He plays with a lightness of touch and with a lyricism that somehow is Viennese to the heart. Many recordings of Schubert emphasize the depths and profundity of the music while possibly downplaying its lyricism. Klien's Schubert shows that lightness and song may also be profound.
The sonatas on this CD include my two favorite Schubert sonatas which I have tried to learn for myself on the piano. The G major sonata is a beautiful work to hear when one is alone. Klien takes the lengthy first movement at a faster pace than many other pianists without losing the reflective character of the work. The "Reliquie" sonata consists of only two movements and was left unfinished. Klien's recording captures the passion of the opening movement and the lyricism of the second.
The C minor sonata is one of Schubert's three late posthumous works and combines its length and reflective character with strong themes of lyricism. The A minor sonata also is dark and tragic in its opening while managing to be flowing, songful, and light as it progresses. I also enjoyed Klien's performances of the two earlier works, which are sometimes slighted, the B major and the unfinished E minor sonatas.
Music critic Allen Hughes offered a contemporary review of Klien's Schubert in an August 11, 1974 "New York Times" article titled "From Schubert to Chopin -- 35 Fantastic Musical Years" and praised it highly. Hughes wrote: "There is a general lightness of spirit and lyrical quality about Klien's playing that seems, to this listener, to go well with Schubert's music, and if the utmost profundity is not projected, it means, at least, that Klien is not trying to endow every measure with transcendental significance." In a much later review, "Walter Klien's Great Schubert Sonatas" dated August 26, 2020, critic Lynn Rene Bailey glowing praised Schubert's sonatas and Klien's recordings. She concluded: "In the end, I think that what separates KlienÃ?Æ'Ã?'Ã?â? 'Ã?Æ'ââ?¬Å¡Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ'Ã?'Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â?¦Ã?¡Ã?Æ'ââ?¬Å¡Ã?â??Ã?¬Ã?Æ'Ã?'Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â?¦Ã?¾Ã?Æ'ââ?¬Å¡Ã?â??Ã?¢s Schubert from everyone elseÃ?Æ'Ã?'Ã?â? 'Ã?Æ'ââ?¬Å¡Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ'Ã?'Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â?¦Ã?¡Ã?Æ'ââ?¬Å¡Ã?â??Ã?¬Ã?Æ'Ã?'Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â?¦Ã?¾Ã?Æ'ââ?¬Å¡Ã?â??Ã?¢s is that the others all sound as if they are Giving a Performance. Klien sounds like heÃ?Æ'Ã?'Ã?â? 'Ã?Æ'ââ?¬Å¡Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ'Ã?'Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â?¦Ã?¡Ã?Æ'ââ?¬Å¡Ã?â??Ã?¬Ã?Æ'Ã?'Ã?â??Ã?¢Ã?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â?¦Ã?¾Ã?Æ'ââ?¬Å¡Ã?â??Ã?¢s just playing for himself, and you happen to be privileged enough to be listening in."
I loved these recordings and felt fortunate that they remain accessible. Listeners who love the Schubert piano sonatas will want to hear these recordings by Walter Klien.
Total Time: Two Hours and Thirty-six Minutes
Robin Friedman
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