Dmitri Bashkirov was one of the Soviet Union's finest pianists, a generation-defining interpreter of the Romantic repertoire. Here he approaches Schubert's late sonatas with the introspection they demand. The A Major Sonata D 664 offers Schubert at his most lyrical, a 22-minute journey through intimacy and restraint. The monumental D Major Sonata D 850, recorded here at nearly 40 minutes, stands among his greatest late works—structurally ambitious and emotionally overwhelming. Bashkirov's playing captures the tension between Classical form and Romantic expression that defines these pieces. Erato's 1992 recording has warmth and clarity, allowing the pianist's considerable skill and deeply considered interpretations to come through.