Schumann's Shoebox

Started by aquablob, April 07, 2007, 08:11:59 AM

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Drasko

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 25, 2007, 06:08:42 AM
This does sounds interesting (odd combination of instruments),  I would have never guessed it was by Schumann. Do you know if there are any recordings available? I tried JPC and came up with nothing.

Sarge

http://www.amazon.com/Schumann-Quintet-Variations-Fantasiestucke-Argerich/dp/B00005YW4L

http://www.amazon.com/Schumann-Chamber-Music-Mischa-Maisky/dp/B000002RVK

quintett op.57

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 25, 2007, 06:08:42 AM
This does sounds interesting (odd combination of instruments),  I would have never guessed it was by Schumann. Do you know if there are any recordings available? I tried JPC and came up with nothing.

Sarge
I have one CD but I'm not entirely satisfied with the sound.
Nevertheless, it's an interesting one, with Marta Argerich, my favourite Schumann pianist so far. I also remember Maisky is one of the cellists. 

I'm probably going to purchase this one in the coming months :


The link I posted is the 3rd & last mvt of this. It's very unusual. Not only the ensemble is strange.

quintett op.57

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 25, 2007, 06:08:42 AM
This does sounds interesting (odd combination of instruments),  I would have never guessed it was by Schumann.
I don't know if I would have guessed, but I think we can hear the same kind of inspiration (which is far beyond the potential of our poor limited minds) in other works like the SQ 2&3 and one of his romances for piano.

SonicMan46

#43
Klára Würtz playing Robert Schumann - another great 3-CD bargin from Brilliant - labelled as Vol. 1, so hopefully others will appear shortly; I've only listened to the first disc, but the playing is beautiful & poetic (loved her in the Mozart Sonatas - another fantastic bargin) - CLICK on the image for some excellent reviews from the Amazonians, esp. high appraisal from our own Scott Morrison - sounds like the 'Schumann Box Set' of the year!  :D

[img=http://www.amazon.com/Schumann-Piano-Works-Vol-1/dp/B0000713AD/ref=sr_1_1/102-2794145-4418506?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1183658396&sr=1-1[/img]http://

Kiddiarni

Since no one has mentioned it, I like his 3 Romances for Oboe + Piano a lot.

Probably because I play the oboe...
Quote from: Oscar WildeThere is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

karlhenning

Hmmm . . . "The Romantic Oboe" . . . .

Sergeant Rock

#46
Quote from: Drasko on June 25, 2007, 11:14:10 AM
http://www.amazon.com/Schumann-Quintet-Variations-Fantasiestucke-Argerich/dp/B00005YW4L

http://www.amazon.com/Schumann-Chamber-Music-Mischa-Maisky/dp/B000002RVK

Quote from: quintett op.57 on June 25, 2007, 03:17:35 PM
I have one CD but I'm not entirely satisfied with the sound.
Nevertheless, it's an interesting one, with Marta Argerich, my favourite Schumann pianist so far. I also remember Maisky is one of the cellists.The link I posted is the 3rd & last mvt of this. It's very unusual. Not only the ensemble is strange.


Thanks guys. I found another one, too, performed by the Guarneri Trio Prague on the Praga label

Now I just have to decide which to buy. The Praga looks interesting because it has other works of Schumann I don't have in my collection.

Sarge

the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Don

Quote from: SonicMan on July 05, 2007, 10:13:47 AM
Klára Würtz playing Robert Schumann - another great 3-CD bargin from Brilliant - labelled as Vol. 1, so hopefully others will appear shortly; I've only listened to the first disc, but the playing is beautiful & poetic (loved her in the Mozart Sonatas - another fantastic bargin) - CLICK on the image for some excellent reviews from the Amazonians, esp. high appraisal from our own Scott Morrison - sounds like the 'Schumann Box Set' of the year!  :D



It's been a long time since Vol. 1 was released.  I think Wurtz may have passed away.

SonicMan46

Quote from: karlhenning on July 05, 2007, 10:59:41 AM
Hmmm . . . "The Romantic Oboe" . . . .

Karl - nothing wrong w/ a BIG stick & Romaticism!  ;) ;D :)

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: Don on July 05, 2007, 01:26:54 PM
It's been a long time since Vol. 1 was released.  I think Wurtz may have passed away.

She'd only be 42 this year. Are you sure she's dead? Or are the reports greatly exaggerated? There's a Dutch website still promoting her recitals for the 2007/08 season.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

SonicMan46

Quote from: Don on July 05, 2007, 01:26:54 PM
It's been a long time since Vol. 1 was released.  I think Wurtz may have passed away.

Don - I'm assuming that's a 'tongue in cheek' comment, but I did check the dates on that Vol. 1 set - 2001 - one would think Vol. 2 should have appeared by now!  I'd certainly be curious as to her future plans w/ Schumann & her health at this point!  ;D  Dave

Kiddiarni

Quote from: SonicMan on July 05, 2007, 02:27:44 PM
Karl - nothing wrong w/ a BIG stick & Romaticism!  ;) ;D :)

Hey!

It's not a stick, and definitely not a big one!

Quote from: Oscar WildeThere is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

SonicMan46

Quote from: Kiddiarni on July 05, 2007, 03:06:38 PM
Hey!

It's not a stick, and definitely not a big one!

Kiddiarni - hard to determine your response w/o the use of emoticons!  My response to Karl was obviously in jest - I love the oboe and own dozens of discs of oboe music - I hope that you are taking this response similarly; if not, then I apologize, and hope that you will continue to enjoy the forum -  :)

Kiddiarni

Of course I take it like humor  :D

Will use emoticons next time...
Quote from: Oscar WildeThere is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

Topaz

#54
I'm not sure that Schumann is still under-rated.  The more I dig around in this area the more fans I discover. As someone greatly interested in Schumann's works, I'd like to add a few comments:

For the symphonies, I consider the Sawallisch/Staatskapelle Dresden set the best of the lot.  Next the Zinman/Tonhalle set. The Harnoncourt set is good too.

Schumann's many piano solo works are of course mostly outstanding.  Based on a number of different versions that I have, I find the Ashkenazy boxed set as good as any.  In one or two areas Richter is slightly better (eg Op 26), but there's usually a bit background noise, whereas the Ashkenazy set is very clean.  Another superb interpretor is Horowitz (eg Ops 14, 19) . Rubinstein has a nice touch (eg Op 18).  Other favourites include Berezovski, Le Sage, Thibaudet.  My overall favourite piece is Op 17 Fantasie by Catherine Collard.  These solo pieces, as a whole, are a match for anyone's!!!

The Piano Concerto has of course been recorded umpteen times, very often matched with the Grieg PC for some strange reason.  My favourite version is by Murray Perahia/Sir Colin Davis.  Another is by Curzon.

Dichterliebe. The recording by Fritz Wunderlich is superb.  One of the best tenors ever.

Paradies und de Peri is an inspired work which Schumann was very proud of. My version is by Joshard Daus.

The Piano Quintet is one of the best chamber pieces in my opinion.  I'd say the version by Argerich is the best.

Various orchestral pieces like Op 70, 73, 92, 134 are treasures worth seeking out.  Versions with Murray Perahia are always very good.

There's a good overtures CD by Lior Shambadal that's worth getting.

The Cello Concerto is superb.  In my view the Isserlis version slightly pips the Du Pre, but both are superb.

All the above works are of course well known.  A less well known piece, which is truly wonderful, is the Violin Concerto WoO 23. My version of this is by Kremer, Ricardo Muti. 

Yet another less well-known piece is the Mass, Op 147.  The "offertorium" of this Mass is divine!









Bogey

Ok, I am in the market for a Schumann Symphony Cycle.  Here are my final candidates after sampling hard and heavy:


Like this one because it sounds like Schumann and just not Szell.  ;D


Not too shabby.....the sound seems a bit hollow though, but for the price!


Really enjoyed this one, but the price on the used market seems a bit steep even for 3 cds.


A nice surprise here....possibly my front runner, though the opening to No. 1 may be a bit weak, the slow/softer movements sampled very well.


This one has my attention as well.
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

J.Z. Herrenberg

Cello Concerto, Manfred Overture, Second Symphony, the Liederkreis op. 39 - these are some of my firm favourites.

Schumann's music is so warm and painfully beautiful, it's almost unbearable to listen to sometimes.
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

Harry

It is really a question of your taste. Both Zinman and Gardiner are good choices.
Gardiner is the winner for me, because he is more consequent in tempi, and they are fast, but not to fast for me. Zinman is good and very detailed, and has also a keen ear for tempi, internal as external, but he tempi slacken somewhat in the 3th and 4th, not a major point but it irritated me a bit. The recording by Simon Eadon is very good and not hollow at all. A good deep soundstage, but that depends on your equipment.
Sawallish is very good, if you like your Schumann romantic and fullblooded, but he is to traditional for me.
Eschenbach I think is a cold approach, and adds nothing to say, Sawallish. Eccentricities abound with Eschenbach. Not my choice.
Szell I do not know.
Hope this helps.

dtwilbanks

Okay. I am confused. I thought we talk about recordings on the Great Recordings board, not in here...  ???

George

Quote from: Bogey on September 20, 2007, 07:39:28 PM
Ok, I am in the market for a Schumann Symphony Cycle.  Here are my final candidates after sampling hard and heavy:


Like this one because it sounds like Schumann and just not Szell.  ;D


If, or rather when, I pursue a second Schumann cycle. (Sat that three times fast)  ;D  Szell will be the one that I go with.  :)