Top 5 Favorite Schumann Works

[(poco) Sforzando]

On one hand, I enjoy each Schumann symphony as I am listening to it;  on the other, whether as a set or individually, they are unlikely ever to crack my "Top Ten Schumann Works" list.


Whether this is related or not:  Just my own experience, of course, but I have never been engaged by the Piano Concerto to the degree I was when part of a performance;  no listening experience after has had any fire.  (FWIW I feel much the same about Carmina burana and the Verdi Requiem.)

I find the Piano Concerto pretty dull myself. Not so the Verdi Requiem. But as an example of a work I gladly play but don't much like to listen to, the Schubert B-flat Sonata. (Especially when pianists take the first movement at a slower tempo than the slow movement.)

[zamyrabyrd]

On one hand, I enjoy each Schumann symphony as I am listening to it;  on the other, whether as a set or individually, they are unlikely ever to crack my "Top Ten Schumann Works" list.
Whether this is related or not:  Just my own experience, of course, but I have never been engaged by the Piano Concerto to the degree I was when part of a performance;  no listening experience after has had any fire.  (FWIW I feel much the same about Carmina burana and the Verdi Requiem.)

I have a hard time with "Top 5 Schumann Works" as it depends on whether I am into Schumann at the time. If I am practicing say the Symphonic Etudes or in a listening binge with the Kreisleriana or the Fantasie, then they are my current faves. With regard to the Piano Concerto I probably have over exposure to that, from the time I purchased Myra Hess' LP when I was 15 or so. I still regard her as one of the best players. Another woman who is famous for it, just bangs, in my opinion. Hess was probably the one who inherited Clara Schumann's mantle, not only for that piece by Schumann. The Symphonic Etudes were on the flip side of that record, also very good. I also enjoy the symphonies or the chamber works when listening to them.

These days I am not into Schumann too much and if asked to make a list, those with piano would trump those without. I could listen to the Verdi Requiem anytime, in fact once did it twice in a row. I would not do that with a symphony by Schumann.

[Karl Henning]

I have a hard time with "Top 5 Schumann Works" as it depends on whether I am into Schumann at the time. If I am practicing say the Symphonic Etudes or in a listening binge with the Kreisleriana or the Fantasie, then they are my current faves. With regard to the Piano Concerto I probably have over exposure to that, from the time I purchased Myra Hess' LP when I was 15 or so. I still regard her as one of the best players. Another woman who is famous for it, just bangs, in my opinion. Hess was probably the one who inherited Clara Schumann's mantle, not only for that piece by Schumann. The Symphonic Etudes were on the flip side of that record, also very good. I also enjoy the symphonies or the chamber works when listening to them.

These days I am not into Schumann too much and if asked to make a list, those with piano would trump those without. I could listen to the Verdi Requiem anytime, in fact once did it twice in a row. I would not do that with a symphony by Schumann.

Very interesting, thanks.  My feelings for Schumann would certainly be otherwise, if there were Schumann I periodically performed.

[zamyrabyrd]

Very interesting, thanks.  My feelings for Schumann would certainly be otherwise, if there were Schumann I periodically performed.

Over exposure does not mean a lack of regard. It just means the need to put certain pieces aside and be happily surprised by them at some time in the future.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Das Paradies und die Peri
Szenes aus Goethes Faust
Violin Concerto
Waldszenen
Piano quintet

[Cato]

I am amazed that nobody has yet mentioned:

https://www.youtube.com/v/9IHNT8sJ-VI

[kyjo]

Piano Quartet
Piano Quintet
Symphony no. 2
Symphony no. 3
Funf Stücke im Volkston

[amw]

slight update—again roughly in order

Davidsbündlertänze (Zacharias, Collard, & I've been trying to resist the hype for Ugorski but I guess he's good too)
Kreisleriana (Anda, Argerich)
Humoreske (Anderszewski, Florian Uhlig, and you'll laugh at me but Ashkenazy '71)
Fantasie Op.17 (Arrau '59, Fiorentino)
Andante & Variations WoO 10 (Martha Argerich et al., or Eric Le Sage et al.)
Dichterliebe (no preferred recording yet)
Eichendorff Liederkreis (Güra/Schultsz)
Carnaval (maybe Cortot '29)
Kerner Liederreihe (Goerne)
Sonata No. 1 Op. 11 (Pollini, Virsaladze)
Heine Liederkreis (Bostridge/Drake probably)
Novelletten (holding off on a decision until I can get hold of Block, Ciani and Demidenko)
Symphonic Studies (basically did not like this piece much until coming across Arrau '76)
Konzertstück (horn section of the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique w Gardiner)

I can't count to five

[Sammy]

Kreisleriana
Humoreske
Kinderszenen
Symphonic Etudes
Davidsbundlertanze

[SymphonicAddict]

Symphony No. 2
Piano quintet
Overture, Scherzo and Finale, op. 52
Romances for oboe and piano, op. 94
Fantasy for piano, op. 17

I don't know Das Paradies und die Peri yet (a masterpiece as many people have stated).

[Turner]

Piano Concerto /Argerich,Harnoncourt
4th Symphony /Sawallisch
Manfred Ouverture /Haitink
Piano Quintet /Rajna
Davidsbündlertänze /Ugorski

Maybe.

[RebLem]

Its impossible for me to limit it to 5.  I will accept, with reluctance, a limit of 10, as follows:

Kinderszenen
String Quartets (3)
Piano Quartet
Piano Quintet
Symphony 3 "Rhenish"
Piano Concerto
Cello Concerto
Das Paradies und die Peri

[Symphonic Addict]

The three string quartets
Fantasy in C for piano
Symphony No. 4
Violin Sonata No. 2
Piano Sonata No. 1

[Mandryka]

Really interesting approach to orchestral colour in his music. It is hard to find recordings which really do justice to his orchestral works. Most tend to try to make his music sound much more weighty than it needs to be.......from my perspective the weightiness comes from the emotional evocations triggered by his use of harmony and especially modulation. An amazing composer.

By coincidence I was listening to Tetzlaff etc play the op 110 trio and thinking that it sounds too heavy. The idea here is food for thought.

[LKB]

Top five, hmm...

In no particular order:

Dichterliebe
Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 3
Drei Romanzen for Oboe and Piano
Konzertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra

[Daverz]

Symphony No. 2
Piano Concerto
Piano Quintet
String Quartet No. 3

[coffee]

Dichterliebe
Fantasie
Frauenliebe und -leben
Kinderszenen
Kreisleriana

[Karl Henning]

Pf Quintet
Vc Cto
Sechs Fugen über den Namen BACH Opus 60
a minor Violin Sonata
d minor Violin Sonata

[Florestan]

Drei Romanzen for Oboe and Piano

Great to see some love for this magical littlle work. 

I particularly like No. 2, Einfach, innig, but I confess it has strong extra-musical associations for me.

[LKB]

Great to see some love for this magical littlle work. 

I particularly like No. 2, Einfach, innig, but I confess it has strong extra-musical associations for me.

I played the oboe for twenty years, until a medical situation forced me to stop. All oboists love this work, naturally.

Do you have Holliger's recording with Brendel, on Philips ca. 1980? If not try to find it, it's very special.