Schumann solo piano music

[Florestan]

There is an amazing op. 17 by Catherine Collard on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op-W-amR1vU

The sound is less than ideal (which I don´t mind), but the performance is mindblowing. Passion, frenzy, despair, resignation, sadness and an overall mental imbalance to the point of desintegration --- it´s all there, in spades.

[El Chupacabra]

I'm a big fan of Schiff and I love Schumann's music, too; but curiously I have listened to almost anything of Schumann played by Schiff. So this conversation is a good stimulus to me. That said, your comment recalled me an old idea of mine. I love when Schumann isn't played "biographically." I mean when his music is simply played like great music and not as a sub product of an ill spirit. But obviously, it's just me.   

My intention was not a how it should be played imposition. I just don't think that using or throwing different names, with contextual approach differences, in the same context implies a healthy or informed approach...in terms of classicak music. If it was the taste, everything is surely acceptable.

[Mandryka]

I listened to Schiff playing op 11/i on ECM. Excellent sound quality.

I'm afraid that, unless this music is played in a torrid way, I just can't make head nor tail of it. The sort of approach which Schiff takes seems to me really misconceived. Arrau plays it rather like this, though in his case it has some partially redeeming qualities: wonderful burnished tone and an intense romantic lyricism. But in both cases the result isn't really very interesting to hear because the unexpected mood swings which give the music its singularity are pretty much ironed out.  This is just not a classical poised sonata.

I do not believe the torrid style of Wirssaladze or Gieseking or Gilels is necessarily allied to an attempt to show something about Schumann's life in the music, though it may contingently  have been partly inspired by it. Rather I think that the music demands the Wirssaladze style.

[Wakefield]

My intention was not a how it should be played imposition.

.. and, no doubt, your words didn't betray your intention.

It's crystal clear you were expressing a personal preference in a totally acceptable way. Sorry if my message gave a different impression. 

[Florestan]

My intention was not a how it should be played imposition. I just don't think that using or throwing different names, with contextual approach differences, in the same context implies a healthy or informed approach...in terms of classicak music. If it was the taste, everything is surely acceptable.

Frankly, I don´t quite get you. Are we not allowed to post our thoughts about this or that performance of Schumann´s Solo Piano Music, or to state our liking for this or that pianist? Or should we simply refrain from doing so just because we might not meet your criteria of a healthy or informed approach?

[Mandryka]

Are we not allowed to post our thoughts about this or that performance of Schumann´s Solo Piano Music, or to state our liking for this or that pianist?

No. I mean, why you like the pianist may be worth posting, or what aspects of the performance you like,  but just saying "I like it" -- don't bother.

[Florestan]

No. I mean, why you like the pianist may be worth posting, or what aspects of the performance you like,  but just saying "I like it" -- don't bother.

I like Alfred Cortot. 

[George]

I like Alfred Cortot. 

I like this post.

[Turner]

Würtz, a fine pianist, cf. her Mozart sonatas, has a Schumann Vol. II now (at least).

There´s a surprisingly good and cheap 5 CD set on EMI with various pianists playing many of the works, but of course it´s not complete:
http://www.amazon.com/Oeuvres-Pour-Piano-Collard-Ciccolini/dp/B000V1Z0GM

I had one of the Demus CDs, but found his playing uninteresting. I also have the old Frankel Vox Box LP set of the complete piano music, and many individual recordings. Frankel is usually OK, but not really exceptional, I think.

Some Würtz and Frankel is in the Brilliant 13 CD box of the complete piano music http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schumann-Complete-Piano-Works-Boxset/dp/B002VZ2MQC

[Pat B]

I am listening to Byron Janis's recording of Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff concertos on Mercury. One of the additional CD tracks is Schumann's Variations on a Theme by Clara Wieck ("Quasi Variazioni"). No catalog number is given. Is this the same piece as the op. 5 Impromptus on a Theme by Clara Wieck?

[Drasko]

I am listening to Byron Janis's recording of Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff concertos on Mercury. One of the additional CD tracks is Schumann's Variations on a Theme by Clara Wieck ("Quasi Variazioni"). No catalog number is given. Is this the same piece as the op. 5 Impromptus on a Theme by Clara Wieck?

No, it's the slow movement of Sonata op.14.

[Pat B]

No, it's the slow movement of Sonata op.14.

Thanks!

[71 dB]

Talking about bad Naxos discs the Schumann disc of Piano Sonatas 1 & 3 (Glemser) IS bad. There's a sniffing distortion that modulates with the piano sound. Perhaps not Glemser's fault, but the CD is not enjoyable. Pretty useless disc and I wonder if people at Naxos were deaf at the time since they released such junk. 

I have remained a "newbie" with Schumann. I have a half dozen Naxos discs of his music and th symphonies orch. Mahler on BIS. That's it. Reading messages on this board makes me feel so inferior. I don't know how you people get so smart with all the performances and stuff. Must take so much time, money and energy. Maybe you invest so much more on those things on classical music than i do?

[Jo498]

I don't know how you people get so smart with all the performances and stuff. Must take so much time, money and energy. Maybe you invest so much more on those things on classical music than i do?

Very probably. In addition, there are also people with a gift for writing eloquently  about all kinds of stuff, including music and performances.  The latter is not necessarily related to having great understanding or conveying useful information but sometimes it is and in any case it gives the appearance of being deeply familiar with a lot of music in a lot of performances.

I have another disc with Glemser (incl Sonata #2) and as far as I recall it is pretty good (collaboration with Swiss Radio). (Edit: I have Naxos 8.550715 with opp.22,23,18,32,7 and the original finale of op.22. Rec. August 1993 in Lugano.)

But the sonatas are not really Schumann's best music (maybe #1). Try the Fantasie op.17, Carnaval (this one and the "Toccata" might be the most obviously "brilliant" and also very accessible pieces), the Symphonic Etudes (one of the more "classical", less fancifully romantic pieces), Kreisleriana, Davidsbündlertänze and Fantasiestücke (the last three all very fanciful and romantic).
As you like baroque music you might try a few of his that were somewhat influenced by (mainly) Bach: Toccata op.7, Fughetten and especially the "canonic studies" op.56 for Pedal piano (there are arrangements for normal pianos).

If you like any Lieder, try Schumann's Dichterliebe and the op.39 Eichendorff-Lieder.

I also love a lot his chamber music; the most popular piece is the piano quintet but the piano quartet is as good (and more in a chamber style) and the trios, quartets and violin sonatas all worth listening to. Although I like his symphonies I am not sure they are his strongest pieces.

[Florestan]

there are also people with a gift for writing eloquently  about all kinds of stuff, including music and performances.  The latter is not necessarily related to having great understanding or conveying useful information but sometimes it is and in any case it gives the appearance of being deeply familiar with a lot of music in a lot of performances.

[71 dB]

I have another disc with Glemser (incl Sonata #2) and as far as I recall it is pretty good (collaboration with Swiss Radio).

Yes, the disc with Brahms' third. That's sonically better if I remember correctly. Recorded 3 and a half years earlier (the bad disc is Swiss Radio too).

But the sonatas are not really Schumann's best music (maybe #1).

I agree. The sonatas were a disappointment to me and the bad sonics didn't help appreciating the music. 

Try the Fantasie op.17, Carnaval (this one and the "Toccata" might be the most obviously "brilliant" and also very accessible pieces), the Symphonic Etudes (one of the more "classical", less fancifully romantic pieces), Kreisleriana, Davidsbündlertänze and Fantasiestücke (the last three all very fanciful and romantic).

Thanks for this list!    Out of these recommendations I have Kreisleriana, Davidsbündlertänze and Fantasiestücke.

As you like baroque music you might try a few of his that were somewhat influenced by (mainly) Bach: Toccata op.7, Fughetten and especially the "canonic studies" for Pedal piano (there are arrangements for normal pianos).

Sounds interesting! Anything influenced by Bach is interesting.

If you like any Lieder, try Schumann's Dichterliebe and the op.39 Eichendorff-Lieder.

Perhaps not my alley...

I also love a lot his chamber music; the most popular piece is the piano quintet but the piano quartet is as good (and more in a chamber style) and the trios, quartets and violin sonatas all worth listening to. Although I like his symphonies I am not sure they are his strongest pieces.

Yes, chamber music seems perhaps the most interesting part of his output and in fact about half of my Schumann collection is chamber music. But I don't have all of it.

So, Fantasie op.17, Carnaval, the Symphonic Etudes, Toccata op.7, Fughetten the "canonic studies" and rest of his chamber music is where to look next. 

[Pat B]

there are also people with a gift for writing eloquently  about all kinds of stuff, including music and performances.  The latter is not necessarily related to having great understanding or conveying useful information but sometimes it is and in any case it gives the appearance of being deeply familiar with a lot of music in a lot of performances.

Yes, I would say that an authoritative writing style does not necessarily indicate knowledge or discernment. And even someone who has all of those things may have wildly different taste than the reader.

ETA: I actually have not read this thread yet, was speaking generally.

[amw]

there are also people with a gift for writing eloquently  about all kinds of stuff, including music and performances.  The latter is not necessarily related to having great understanding or conveying useful information

@me next time

[Turner]

I´ve ordered the Le Sage complete piano works set, quite cheap at JPC.de currently, as a supplement to my other recordings. Judging from the samples, he seems to give a lot of life to the lesser known pieces as well, and his style suits my taste, so:  looking forward.

[Turner]

I´ve ordered the Le Sage complete piano works set, quite cheap at JPC.de currently, as a supplement to my other recordings. Judging from the samples, he seems to give a lot of life to the lesser known pieces as well, and his style suits my taste, so:  looking forward.

Unfortunately I can´t find the Arabeske opus 18 in this box set, which is supposed to be the complete piano works, and even though it is listed at JPC.de´s and Presto Classical´s lists of the content of the CD box
(https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Robert-Schumann-1810-1856-Das-Klavierwerk/hnum/1287680)
(http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/llf/-/Eric%2Ble%2BSage%2BSchumann/1)

The same possibly applies to the Geisterthema Variations.
CD 13 only has the 9 tracks of Waldszenen, and a playing time just around 20 mins.

Has anyone found it, or experienced the same problem? Is it hiding somewhere among the tracks, and thus missed by the booklet or CD covers listing the content? I know the piece, but haven´t heard all the discs or the many tracks yet ...