When it comes to
Schubert's music for piano duet, there are the more and the less interesting works. And when it comes to
Christoph Eschenbach and
Justus Frantz's two volumes of
Schubert's music for piano duet, volume two -- this volume -- got the more interesting works. For one thing, it has far and away
Schubert's best piece for piano duet, the magnificent Fantasia in F minor. For another thing, it has far and away his most ambitious piece for piano duet, the enormous four-movement Grand Duo in C major. And, on top of that, it has his delightful Divertissement à la Française and his charming Divertissement à la Hongroise, plus his heartrending if not always entirely cogent "Lebensstürme" in A minor. Best of all, it has deeply committed and thoroughly dedicated performances by
Eschenbach and
Frantz, two superb soloists who appear to be having the time of their lives in the F minor Fantasie. All the works here receive performances of complete virtuosity and interpretations of unstinting sympathy. Although
Schubert fans will want to acquire both volumes in this series, this volume may get played more often. EMI's late stereo sound is warm, deep, round, and full.