PRE-ORDER: Schubert + Lachenmann [CD]

The ongoing Schubert+ series has won Can Çakmur critical acclaim and confirmed his status as an exceptional Schubertian. Now in it's seventh instalment, the series juxtaposes Schubert's works with those of composers he inspired. Delve into the 19th-century fascination with mortality through two profoundly contrasting masterpieces by Franz Schubert. This recording pairs the Piano Sonatas in A minor, D 784 and D 845, revealing the composer's evolving relationship with death. D 784, composed shortly after Schubert's devastating syphilis diagnosis, is a deeply personal, raw outcry. It's outer movements evoke a ruthless funeral march and a terrifying danse macabre. In stark contrast, D 845 stands as a majestic public statement. Schubert's first published sonata weaves the death motif from an earlier song into an intellectually rigorous, Shakespearean tragedy that pays homage to Beethoven and Mozart. Rounding out the programme is Helmut Lachenmann's inventive Five Variations based upon a Theme by Franz Schubert. Written by the 21-year-old composer, this striking work deconstructs Schubert's musical language, moving rapidly away from tonality. Experience a dramatic journey from unadulterated emotion to masterful classical architecture in this captivating exploration of life, death and musical legacy.