The Arpeggione Sonata must be played in transcription; nobody today plays the arpeggione (unsuccessful offspring of an unholy liaison of cello and guitar). But cellists and viola-players, hard up for classical repertoire, play Schubert's sonata (probably the only one) occasionally, showing it to be an innocent though rather long-winded piece. For the violin, the solo line needs substantial upward transposition; for the flute, present concern, even more. The piano contributes little other than accompaniment; thus all depends on this solo line. Galway's beautiful playing (and a good transcription) make the sonata sound convincing in this version; indeed make it sound quite workable, quite enjoyable for the listener as well as for the players (for the solo line player, anyway!).
The Trockne Blumen variations are naturally more idiomatically written for the flute, which during the nineteenth century spawned innumerable such sets among which this one takes a high place. Not only the flute-player is exercised; on this occasion the piano-player is too. And released from the Arpeggione, Philip Moll declares himself an excellent soloist as well as accompanist.
Yet neither sonata nor variations are really Schubert at his most heart-warming, and it may be the Serenade, which is most certainly heart-warming, whose simplicity in the end wins the day. It shares with the major works the same stellar quality of performance. The quality of recording is also very good. Even so, perhaps recommendation should be made primarily to admirers of Galway's playing (including his vibrato) rather than to admirers of Schubert's music.'