01 January 2011
Gramophone
Jeremy Nicholas

Comparing the "excellent" 1993 Fuzeau facsimile edition of the Arpeggione Sonata with modern Urtext editions has, writes Henning Kraggerud, " been a bit depressing, one of the ‘Urtexts' in particular containing several hundred inaccuracies". In addition to using as their source a text in Schubert's own handwriting, the duo, in modifying the work for the viola, have "tried to imagine how Schubert would have written for that instrument" and have added various appoggiaturas, trills and ornaments at their discretion (especially in repeated sections) as well as adding short improvised passages to the rondo theme. Is their laudable musical scholarship reflected in their performance? Yes. Expressive, genial and exuberant by turns, their playing has a freshness and spontaneity for enormous charm.

The simplicity and approach and intimate sound picture is maintained in Gimse's affectionate reading of Kinderszenen. Sometimes he can be danger of over-complicating matters (the exaggerated rubato in "Träumerei", for instance, and the schneller sections of "Fürtenmachen" which are so schnell that the dancing left-hand figuration goes for nothing), but otherwise, Schumann's playfulness and innocence are acutely characterised throughout with particularly touching accounts of "Kind im Einschlummern" and "Der Dichter spricht".

After these two essentially sunny, optimistic works, Schubert's A minor Sonata (the earlier of the two, from 1823-25) takes us into a dark place "filled with fear and desolation" (booklet). A further contribution from the excellent Henning Kraggerud would have made a more balanced programme but Gimse is as fine a colourist as he is a dramatist and makes the most of the small rays of sunshine that filter through the score from time to time.