Search - Arnold Schoenberg, Arnold Schonberg, Daniel Barenboim :: Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4; Five Orchestral Pieces Op. 16; Piano Pieces, Op. 11 and 19

I've grown to like this record

DH Dixon | England | 08/03/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When I first bought this I felt that the playing was a little staid, but having bought the splendid Decca twofer of Schoenberg orchestral works I've taken a liking to this too. There are three obvious strengths. They are the recording, which is very colourful and fine, and there is the selection of works, which is of the most approachable and most essential of Schoenberg's orchestral and piano works, with the inclusion of a rare curio, and there is the unusual look of the record, with Klimt being used as the cover artist, and it works. I do not care for the packaging, which has a fat booklet outside the disc case and only a card insert within, with a card sleeve housing this. I still think that the Six Piano Pieces lack the diamond-like concentration that they might have, but I like this music and think the issue is good for an alternative version of these works. It may even be worth five stars."