Less than a year after the release of his recording of Schubert’s *Impromptus* (BIS-2614), Ronald Brautigam now presents two of Franz Schubert’s late masterpieces: the Sonatas D 959 and D 960. These are performed on a fortepiano built by Paul McNulty, modeled after an instrument from around 1819 by the Viennese maker Conrad Graf, likely similar to the one Schubert himself used for composition.
While it may be tempting to view Schubert’s final works as the testament of a doomed artist sensing his approaching end, the reality is quite different. The composer exhibited vitality, optimism, and an extraordinary capacity for work. His last two sonatas also reflect his having reached a new level of artistic independence, successfully liberating himself from the Beethovenian model.
These sonatas took time to gain recognition, partly due to their length, which initially puzzled both music lovers and pianists. Today, however, they are regarded as some of Schubert’s finest works, alongside others from his final years, such as the String Quintet in C major and the song cycle *Winterreise*. These compositions seemed to herald a future filled with creative promise. Sadly, Schubert’s untimely death not only buried a rich legacy but also extinguished even greater hopes for what might have been.
