Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 20 & Piano duets with Cédric Pescia Philippe Cassard & Cédric Pescia

• Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828): Piano Sonata no.20 in A major, D959
• 1I. Allegro11:02
• 2II. Andantino08:11
• 3III. Scherzo: allegro vivace05:28
• 4IV. Rondo: allegretto12:28
• Rondo in A Major, D. 951
• 5Rondo in A Major, D. 95111:27
• Allegro en la mineur, D947 « Lebensstürme »
• 6Allegro in A Minor Lebensstürme, D. 94711:18
• Fantasy in F Minor, D. 940
• 7Fantasy in F Minor, D. 94018:04
• Waltz No. 35, D. 365
• 8Waltz No. 35, D. 36500:57
• Waltz No. 36, D. 365
• 9Waltz No. 36, D. 36501:42
• Total Runtime01:20:37

Info for Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 20 & Piano duets with Cédric Pescia

The a major tonality of the rondo makes me think of two other late masterpieces, the clarinet works of Mozart’s final years (the Quintet and the concerto). Of these three four-hands pieces, it’s the one that moves me most. The main theme is one of schubert’s most perfect melodies, unbearably melancholic right up to the closing bars (which are somewhat reminiscent of the end of the Fantasy in F minor, but in a more resigned, tragic mode), during which schubert takes leave of his theme and can never quite bring himself to come to a close . . .

In Lebensstürme we see schubert the visionary: passionate, tumultuous, breathless. Beethoven is never far away, and there’s a pre-echo of Bruckner (the second theme!).

the Fantasy is an imposing structure that shows many different facets of schubert: the sadness of the first theme, which goes through so many varied perspectives and keys (and where it’s impossible to say which of the two modes, major or minor, is the more poignant); the peremptory, capricious aspect of the largo (with trills foreshadowing those of Mahler’s third symphony); the dance (a sort of valse noble et sentimentale) of the third movement; and finally the big (double) fugue, which stops abruptly on the dominant, before the final, heartrending, hopeless statement of the theme.

Philippe Cassard, piano
Cédric Pescia, piano

Philippe Cassard
has established an international reputation as concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician since giving a joint recital with Christa Ludwig in Paris in 1985. The same year he was finalist at the Clara Haskil Competition and in 1988 he won the First Prize at the Dublin International Piano Competition.

His concerto appearances include performances with the London Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic and BBC Wales, Orchestre National de France... He has worked with many conductors including Sir Neville Marriner, Jeffrey Tate, Vladimir Fedossejev, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Raymond Leppard, Charles Dutoit, Armin Jordan, Marek Janowski, Emmanuel Krivine, Thierry Fischer…

His performance of the complete piano works of Debussy (four recitals in a single day) received extremely enthusiastic press and media coverage. He has presented the cycle in London Wigmore Hall, Dublin, Paris, Lisbon, Sydney, Singapore and Tokyo. His Debussy's recordings published by Decca have been awarded Grand Prix du Disque Français in 1994. He also visits China, Australia, South America and Canada regulary.

Philippe plays also a huge repertoire of chamber music, and he appearead with such artists as Natalie Dessay, Angelika Kirchschlager, Wolfgang Holzmair, Cédric Pescia, Paul Meyer, David Grimal, Anne Gastinel, Matt Haimovitz, Isabelle Faust, the Ebene, Modigliani, Takacs, Auryn, Vanbrugh, Danish and Chilingirian string quartets.

His recording of Schumann’s Humoresque and Fantasiestücke op.12 was awarded Gramophone Editor’s Choice and FM Magazine « Best Buy » (2005). Philippe Cassard's releases (Schubert 8 Impromptus, Brahms op.116 to 119) have been received very warmly.

Philippe joins soprano Natalie Dessay in 2012 for a Debussy Songs programme (Erato) and a Poulenc, Fauré, Duparc and Chausson recital in 2015. His recent release of a Schubert programme (Sonata D959 and four hands piano music with Swiss pianist Cédric Pescia) for La Dolce Volta, has been awarded "Choc 2014" by Classica magazine.

Philippe Cassard has been artistic director of the festival « Nuits Romantiques du Lac du Bourget » (1999-2008), and since 2005, he has presented 430 live weekly programmes on France Musique Radio dedicated to piano interpretation (awarded Prix SCAM in 2007 as "Best radio programme"). He has written an essay on Schubert and a book on cinema and music links.

Booklet for Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 20 & Piano duets with Cédric Pescia