Some of Schubert’s finest music is to be found in his piano sonatas. These cover the full emotional gamut, from deep introspection to light-hearted frivolity. Schubert’s command of the keyboard is always fluent and ‘pianistic’, making this music both gratifying to play and highly satisfying to hear. The two sonatas included in this volume of the Naxos survey of Schubert’s piano sonatas are well contrasted. The Gasteiner Sonate is one of Schubert’s most exhilarating works, though both sonatas brim with the lyricism and unique musical colouring which have made Schubert one of the most popular composers for the piano.