My colleague Jed Distler found some of Mitsuko Uchida’s cloying mannerisms rather distracting and artificial in this release of Schubert piano works (type Q5040 in Search Reviews), but nevertheless found the sound quality quite satisfying. As is generally the case, this hybrid SACD version in stereo improves on the audio quality only slightly; however, in multi-channel the piano sonorities really blossom, creating a staggering sense of realism. Originally encoded as a six-channel DSD recording, this SACD captures the nuances of Uchida’s playing to maximum effect, and what is Uchida really known for anyway besides her phenomenal gift for nuance, coloration, and sensitive touch? In the gentler sections of the Sonata (especially in the Menuetto) and the various Moments Musicaux, Uchida unveils several grades of dynamic contrast, made all the more palpable through the subtle surround mix.
Uchida’s inclination to micro-manage the dynamics can seem overdone at times, but audiophiles will swoon at the precision with which the sonic decay and timbral accuracy are rendered. Some multi-channel recordings tend to enlarge solo instruments way beyond their natural size, especially if too much information is fed to the surround speakers. Here, the piano is presented firmly in front, with more of the ambient hall sounds in the rear speakers. True, a large mega-system (mainly designed for home theater use) likely will exaggerate the effects herein, so this disc is best auditioned at medium volume or on a more intimately-sized setup.
