SCHUBERT: WORKS FOR FORTEPIANO, VOL. III: Jan Vermeulen (2 CDs)

A rediscovery of Schubert’s piano music, that is what Jan Vermeulen and the Nannette Streicher fortepiano offer the listener. Vermeulen has great affinity with Schubert and a thorough knowledge and understanding of the period. His Schubert is more surly, more dramatic and brittle and yet more funny, hilarious even. Fortepianist Jan Vermeulen wants to interpret the classical, romantic and impressionistic repertoire in a historically grounded and well-considered way. As a result, piano music is interpreted on period instruments that mostly belong to his own private collection, which now consists of seven fortepianos. His performances are marked by a constant search for authenticity. What makes Vermeulen's performance remarkable is that he zeroes in on the passages where Schubert broke free of Beethovenian models and uses the unique qualities of the piano to highlight them. Nowhere is this more true than in the Andantino second movement of the Piano Sonata in A major, D. 959. The explosion of passion in the middle of this movement has no parallel in Beethoven, and Vermeulen pushes the fortepiano to its limits in an absolutely riveting performance.

Sonata in A minor D845
1 Moderato 11:00
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
2 Andante, Poco mosso 12:42
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
3 Scherzo, Allegro vivace 07:45
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
4 Rondo, Allegro vivace 05:38
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
Sonata in E major D459
5 Allegro moderato 06:55
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
6 Scherzo, Allegro 05:04
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
7 Adagio 06:15
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
8 Scherzo con Trio, Allegro 03:20
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
9 Allegro patetico 06:59
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
CD 2 - Works for fortepiano - Volume 3
Sonata in B flat major D960
1 Molto moderato 21:32
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
2 Andante sostenuto 09:27
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
3 Scherzo, Allegro vivace con delicatezz 04:01
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
4 Allegro ma non troppo 07:47
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
Sonata in B major D575
5 Allegro ma non troppo 07:58
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
6 Andante 05:10
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
7 Scherzo, Allegretto 05:13
artists: 'Jan Vermeulen'
composers: 'Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)'
8 Allegro giusto 05:48