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Masterclass: Schubert Arpeggione Sonata on viola, first movement

2024-09-27T08:57:00

Yuri Zhislin - cr Sasha Gusov

Yuri Zhislin illustrates the importance of colour and harmony in a work renowned for its lyricism and technicality

One of my favourite recordings of this piece is the one by Mstislav Rostropovich and Benjamin Britten. What a musician Britten was – his piano opening is just stunning, and when Rostropovich comes in and they play together, it’s amazing. I think Schubert would have approved of this work being performed on viola or cello, because both give so much more space for a variety of colours. The arpeggione is somewhat limited because it’s a fretted instrument, with a relatively small body, so there’s only so much you can do with colours and phrasings. There are a lot more possibilities on viola…

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