Andras Schiff, Wigmore Hall, classical review: A revelatory fortepiano recital

From the meditative opening onwards in the Sonata in G D894 we were in a tenderly intimate sound-world

Andras Schiff (Nadia F Romanini)

Andras Schiff is a recent convert to the fortepiano, and his recital of two late Schubert sonatas on an instrument from the composer’s own time was a revelation. Made by Brodmann in 1820, this beautiful fortepiano had been owned by the Austro-Hungarian royal family, and restoration had revived all its original strengths.

As Schiff observed in a post-concert talk, Schubert did not compose with the top-to-bottom uniform timbre of a modern grand in mind: his instrument had a transparent, bassoon-like bass which never covered the delicate treble, and its sustaining pedal created a smoky aura; he could paint sound-pictures of a sort unattainable on a Steinway.

From the meditative opening onwards in the Sonata in G D894 we were in a tenderly intimate sound-world, and the journey this work took us on really felt like an exploration.

After a pit-stop for tuning, Schiff created arresting effects with the Scherzo and Trio of the valedictory Sonata D960, and for the first time in my experience the bare octaves of its Allegro, which usually stick out like signposts, made complete sense.

Only with the poetry and terror of the D959 Andantino, which Schiff played as an encore, did I miss what a Steinway could do. The rest of his fortepiano season should be fascinating.