Schumann's Shoebox

[calyptorhynchus]

I've just been listening to the bis recording of the 3rd and 4th symphonies in the Mahler reorchestration.

I'm amazed by how much better they sound than the originals! (though I admit I am a great Mahler fan)

Any thoughts?

[Bogey]

Rolling out these two on a Columbia 6-eye mono lp.  Very nice indeed.

Disc of these performances here?

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=10915&name_role1=1&name_id2=1987&name_role2=2&bcorder=21&comp_id=696

[Mirror Image]

Am I the only one here that thinks that Schumann's Violin Concerto is highly underrated? I also really enjoy Schumann's Piano Concerto. I own several performances of this and I was listening to Argerich/Harnoncourt earlier this afternoon and really enjoyed. It had been quite some time since I heard it and the VC.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Am I the only one here that thinks that Schumann's Violin Concerto is highly underrated?

No. I agree with you, it is an awesome work. I posted about it a year ago.

[Wanderer]

Am I the only one here that thinks that Schumann's Violin Concerto is highly underrated?

God no, some of us have been praising the work for years. Since then, it's been really nice to see more recordings of it being made and released, so it's definitely less obscure now (nevertheless, not near as popular as it should be).

[madaboutmahler]

Just listened to the Violin Concerto for the first time, and what an incredibly gorgeous work it is. Very enjoyable. Matthew (my teacher, who suggested I should listen to it), was telling me the story of the work, and I just wonder, what one earth is there not to like about this work? It's absolutely lovely!

[Octave]

I just listened to Andreas Staier's Hommage à BACH album of Schumann music (Harmonia Mundi, 2008), and I'm trying to figure out how it's not going to be on endless repeat play for the remainder of May.  What a delight!  I'm not a total stranger to Schumann's solo piano music, but this is my first time hearing Staier's Schumann; and also my first encounter with it on a period piano (Érard 1837, quite pleasing to me after my gradually more and more positive experience with an 1855 model used by Patrick Cohen on his Glossa disc of Satie).  Even the usual hesitations hearing a new dialect or accent ("Stop rushing KINDERSZENEN!") kept giving way, yielding to surprise and pleasure; I think it will be one of my favorite recent discoveries among solo piano recording. 

A couple questions occasioned by this recording, and a more general third question.

1. Are there some recordings of Album [40 Clavierstücke] für die Jugend Op. 68?  I only know Staier's recording of eight of these pieces here, and also Homero Francesch's recording of (iirc) all of them.  Perhaps some selections by a few other hands, I cannot remember.

2. Same question for the Sieben Clavierstücke in Fughettenform, Op. 126. 

and something that I'm sure has been discussed: the overall and work-by-work quality of the various more-or-less complete sets of Schumann's solo piano music.  The two I've looked at the most (and sampled a bit) are the Brilliant set (various pianists) and the recent Eric Le Sage set from Alpha, each of these sets having 13 discs.  Any opinions on them would be appreciated.

Jeffrey Smith wrote about the Brilliant set early this year:

An excellent performance of Carnaval from the Brilliant "Schumann Complete Solo Piano Works" box,
by Wolfram Schmitt-Leonardy, a performer of whom I have never heard before.
I commented in another thread, after hearing the first few CDs of this set, that it was good to have for the lesser known works, but did not seem to contain anything threatening the general favorites for the better known works.  This Carnaval, however, does rate to stand with any of the more famous performances

and suggested a freestanding Brilliant 2cd of the WS-L contributions.

I have also looked at the Jörg Demus set, but the concern there is the sound quality.  Actually, I like Demus' playing and a few samples of things here seemed like they might grow on me....but 13 discs of rather substandard piano sound, it's hard to know if I'd be able to stand it.

I'm not obsessed with a complete set, but it would be nice to have access to all the published pieces for solo piano in at least decent performances; it seems like almost half of what's included in these complete series/boxes are pieces not recorded very often, perhaps I'm wrong.

EDIT: yeah, not so sure about the last item...I'm going to work my way through the 2/3 of this thread that I haven't looked at yet, but I'd appreciate some recommendations for essential Schumann solo piano recordings...it is probably much-hashed territory, but I'd like to move beyond the most-played repertoire.  My points of reference are still few: Argerich, Pollini, Andras Schiff, Richter, a little Cortot, some Ashkenazy, Kempff, a little Murray Perahia, a bit by Harold Bauer, by Michelangeli.  I am forgetting several.

EDIT EDIT: One relatively focused discussion at the Amazon Classical forum is here:
http://www.amazon.com/forum/classical%20music?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx2O5YQ79OVJBUQ&cdThread=Tx15HNTJ0TLB0UR

[Mandryka]

Well I stand by that list I posted on the amazon site. But check out the discussion here on Davidsbundlertanze too, and the recent ones I've been involved in on Davidsbundlertanze on rmcr. I've found some nice performances of that recently.

Re Op 126, I didn't mention anything on the amazon list because at the time I hadn't found a recommendable performance. But I've since been very interested by the Franz Vorraber plays them.

I've become very curious about Schumann's more contrapuntal music.

[kyjo]

I've never been a big Schumann fan, but there is one work of his which I find myself returning to often, which is, surprisingly for me, a chamber work: the Piano Quintet. I find more of a emotional connection to this work than any of his orchestral works (with the possible exception of the PC). This work exudes such a zest for life that I find thrilling. The funereal slow movement has an affecting simplicity that is quite haunting. My favorite recording of this, one of my very favorite chamber works, is undoubtedly the Beaux Arts' (+2, of course) on Philips. What do others think of this remarkable work?

[Klaze]

One of my all-time favourite works, but I have to say I am a Schumann fan.

Of course, the best Schumann is not found in the orchestral works, but in the solo piano works, chamber music and, according to people more knowledgeable than me, the Lieder (haven't started with those yet). That said, I think the symphonies are somewhat underappreciated, but that's another topic.

[kyjo]

One of my all-time favourite works, but I have to say I am a Schumann fan.

Of course, the best Schumann is not found in the orchestral works, but in the solo piano works, chamber music and, according to people more knowledgeable than me, the Lieder (haven't started with those yet). That said, I think the symphonies are somewhat underappreciated, but that's another topic.

Yeah, I don't agree with all the criticisms that are always flung at Schumann's symphonies, as I think they are fine and sometimes powerful works, if not the last word in orchestration, of course. I've never heard any of Schumann's lieder, either, as I'm not too keen on vocal music without orchestral accompaniment.

[mc ukrneal]

Yeah, I don't agree with all the criticisms that are always flung at Schumann's symphonies, as I think they are fine and sometimes powerful works, if not the last word in orchestration, of course. I've never heard any of Schumann's lieder, either, as I'm not too keen on vocal music without orchestral accompaniment.

I must say, for me, Dichteliebe is one of Schumann's greatest pieces. It is quite moving and mixes the words quite adeptly with the music. The moods that are evoked are also quite well done. If nothing else, most people seem to at least like the opening song. I highly recommend giving it a listen on youtube someday. The first song, Im wunderschönen Monat Mai, is less than 2 minutes.

[Mandryka]

You may enjoy Reinbart de Leeuw's creative reworkings of Dichterliebe and Schubert songs, sung on a CD by Barbara Sukowa. The CD's called Im wunderschönen Monat Mai. He uses an orchestra.

Uri Caine also worked with Dichterliebe, I haven't heard it.

[Madiel]

I've just been listening to Carnaval with a copy of the score in front of me. I've decided I find this quite helpful to keep track of what's happening in these early Schumann pieces that have so many separate little sections.

And my eyes opened wide when I got to the 'Chopin' section.  Yes yes, I know that Schumann 'musically depicted' Chopin. Every little reference on Carnaval says that.  But they don't say he downright quoted him. There's a half bar lifted from Chopin's Op.9/1 Nocturne in there!

[mjwal]

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I admit, when I saw this LP in college, I bought it due to the wonderful packaging.
Ariola/Eurodisc 201 084-366, recorded 1979, 1980.
The LP has a thick paper one-sided insert in English with notes by Kroher,
basically a repeat of the back cover, which is in German.
The pressing is better than Angel but not up to Philips/DG.
But it turned out to be a magnificent album.  I've seen a Jorg Demus/Vienna Chamber Ensemble CD for Mozart,
but as far as I could find, this one has not been issued on CD.

I don't know that but I have a very characterful version by Demus with the Barylli Quartet (from '56) which was reissued by MCA/Westminster in '96. The Andante cantabile of the Piano Quartet is perhaps the most heart-breaking music Schumann ever wrote.

[Brahmsian]

Having a ball listening to some brilliant, creative piano pieces from Schumann, with this delightful box set:

Currently listening to:

Variations on the name 'ABEGG' in F major, Op. 1
Three Romances, Op. 28

Jean-Philippe Collard


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[Brahmsian]

Now on to:

Impromptus on a Theme of Clara Wieck, Op. 5

Jean-Philippe Collard

Wow, such a beautiful, gorgeous piano work. 


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[kishnevi]

Those EMI sets, while hardly complete, make a handy grab bag and a good cross section of his work.

[Brahmsian]

Listening to more Schumann piano music:

Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 14 'Concerto without orchestra'

Jean-Philippe Collard

Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6
Kinderszenen, Op. 15

Christian Zacharias


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[Brahmsian]

Now listening to Elisso Wirssaladze.  Love especially the 1st piano sonata, and the Waldszenen.

Piano Sonata in F sharp minor, Op. 11  (she makes that Scherzo really dance!)
Piano Sonata in G minor, Op. 22
Waldszenen, Op. 82

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