I’m afraid that I can find little to commend this disc. Schubert’s duets are a rich source, but 65 minutes of Grand marches lack variety. All six marches are in binary form with repeats, with a Trio also in binary form with repeats. These are not among Schubert’s most inventive pieces for the medium – they do not approach his truly great works, the F minor Fantasie (D940) or the C major Grand Duo (D812) – and to put them together on one volume makes for a rather dull and repetitive disc. Beyer and Dagul, on their survey of the duets (eight discs on Four Hands Music), sensibly spread these six marches across three volumes, and generally create more varied and interesting programmes for each disc.
Eden and Tamir are an experienced partnership, yet they fail to lift the music above a fairly mundane level. Although they are technically capable (despite the occasional uncertainty), they rarely breathe sufficient rhythmic life into the music. Surely the allusions to trumpets and drums in No. 4 should be more strongly projected; and despite some passages of gentle expressiveness, No. 5 (at 18'14'' the longest piece on the disc) never really escapes the merely routine. Overall, there is insufficient vitality and character, sluggish articulation and a lack of orchestral colour. The recording is spacious although it seems a little restricted at forte level. Unless you specifically want these pieces on one disc, I wouldn’t recommend this issue.'