Track Listing

1. Impromptu No. 1, Allegro molto moderato
2. Impromptu No. 2, Allegro
3. Impromptu No. 3, Andante
4. Impromptu No. 4, Allegretto
5. Impromptu No. 1, Allegro moderato
6. Impromptu No. 2, Allegretto
7. Impromptu No. 3, Theme, Andante
8. Impromptu No. 4, Allegro scherzando
9. Book 1, Moment musicaux No. 2, Moderato
10. Book 1, Moment musicaux No. 2, Andantino
11. Book 1, Moment musicaux No. 3, Allegro moderato
12. Book 2, Moment musicaux No. 4, Moderato
13. Book 2, Moment musicaux No. 5, Allegro vivace
14. Book 2, Moment musicaux No. 6, Allegretto

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #436470 in Music
• Released on: 1998-05-12
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import

Amazon.com
Edwin Fischer's sense of flow and proportion is at its most effortless here, and his broader-than-usual pacing in the Impromptus pays expressive dividends. Too bad he plays the bowlderized G Major text for the G Flat Impromptu. Testament's transfers for the Impropmptus are more realistic in timbre and quieter in background noise than the very fine ones from Pearl and APR. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews

Unequalled
Fischer transforms the music; this is not a set of piano impromptus anymore, but a promenade into novel sensibilities. Generally, no one has seen through this music as deeply as Fischer; Brendel comes close, but seems to lack a touch of magic. It may be that the otherworldliness of this recording comes parlty from the slightly etheral sound, just as beauty in a black-and-white photograph may stem partly from the abstraction afforded by the medium. Regardless, the pianism is breathtaking. For instance, the transition into the middle section of Op.90 #4 is sheer magic; the middle section itself is as tearing as Brahms' fourth symphony in the hands of Furtwangler. Listen also to the phrasing and rythmicity of op.142 #3. The piano is a beautiful Steinway of the 30's. The recording, even though remarkable for the time (1938), lacks bass. But the musical experience is unique.

A Miracle
A Miracle of simplicity and Natural. My prefered recording of the impromptus even if the last one seems to lack some 'techinic' to sustain the speed.
Magic, a true Desert Island CD.
Seconf in my taste is zimmerman (for those who like very good sound). I was never found of Brendel. Radu lupu is a goodchoice as well, altough not as 'simple' and Obvious than Edwin Fischer.