It is pianist Andrs Schiff's near total identification with Jancek's idiom that makes these performances so special. This affinity is felt immediately in his reading of , in which Schiff is able to evoke the tranquility of the second movement as easily as he captures the folklike simplicity of the third. The date 1.X.1905 in the title of the Piano Sonata refers to the date of the shooting of a Czech worker by Hapsburg troops. The first movement, marked "Presentiment," is spookily atmospheric, while the chilling second movement, "The Death," leaves a powerful impression. Schiff demonstrates exemplary control, so that the effect is peaceful rather than meandering. is Jancek at his most concentrated: in particular, the very Czech lachrymose quality of "In Tears" is all the more powerful for its simplicity. Jancek's chosen range of keyboard sonorities is remarkably wide, and Schiff manages to use these to convey the full emotional spectrum. Although these performances do not displace Firkusny's for DG, they certainly offer an entirely convincing alternative viewpoint. ECM's exemplary recording sets the seal on this recommendation.

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Recollection - CD