Schubert’s late works for piano four hands have attracted some starry pairings over the years, from Benjamin Britten and Sviatoslav Richter to Radu Lupu and Murray Perahia. Pulling them off requires an affinity for the composer’s distinctively private soundworld and a willingness to share a single instrument, often requiring a different way of thinking about the mechanics of making music.
Leif Ove Andsnes and Bertrand Chamayou are thoughtful musicians, and it’s immediately apparent from these affectionately searching accounts that they possess an emotional synergy. The great F minor Fantasia finds the Norwegian spinning seamless lyrical lines over the Frenchman’s cushioned bass. Dynamics are impeccably sculpted; the central Largo is weighty with perfectly balanced trills throughout. They can be playful, too, though their instincts turn inwards, probing the music’s spirit. The return of the poignant main theme is a heart-stopper.
The A minor Allegro, issued posthumously with the title Lebensstürme (storms of life), is full of dramatic urgency, Chamayou tearing into the primo part. Andsnes goes with him cheek by jowl amid a torrent of turbulent runs and pianistic fanfares. The Norwegian is back on top for the A major Rondo, a conversational account full of good-natured bonhomie. Recorded sound is warmly realistic.
