Music Reviews : Brendel’s 2nd Schubert Recital at Pavilion

By any measure, Franz Schubert was a long-winded composer. It was therefore to be expected that the second of Alfred Brendel’s four recitals of Schubert’s piano music in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Tuesday night should run to immoderate lengths, embracing two sonatas (in A minor and E major) and the four Impromptus of Opus 90.

Brendel’s reverential approach to Schubert is not one to minimize time spans. Not that his tempos lag unduly or that he wastes time along the way. But with all his meticulous attention to detail, matters often seem to get weighted down and momentum becomes chancy.

That may be inevitable in this situation, for the overall view must be panoramic and precedence must be given to form and shape in preference to nuance.

Such rigid control can also lead to what can only be termed preciousness. It does not allow much leeway for spontaneity or impulsiveness nor for much personal opinion on the matters under discussion. Therefore what one receives from Brendel’s Schubert is more an objective survey than a deeply personal reaction.

In most instances, that suffices. The sonatas were set forth with alert regard for their sprawling architecture. Every inflection, every pause and every accent contributed to their shapeliness and to the appropriate balance of detail. Brendel seems frankly to acknowledge that there is a certain amount of excess baggage in Schubert and he faces the issue honestly; he is willing to linger over the special details and to dispose of the padding without apology.

Thus one hears the obvious beauties expounded with affection and often with charm and the inflated dramatic episodes are left to their own devices. It is a viable approach and it produced Schubert of tenderness and strength and direct communication.

The large audience was, of course, appreciative and at the end, the pianist relaxed to the extent of adding three German Dances for an encore.