Schumann's Shoebox

[aquablob]

One of my personal favorite composers. The epitome of Romanticism, perhaps, and I love him for it. The piano works in particular strike a chord with me:

Carnaval, Fantasiestücke, Davidsbündlertänze, the Fantasie, Kreisleriana, Symphonic Etudes, Waldszenen, Kinderszenen, the Novelettes, Gesänge der Frühe, Concert sans orchestre, the F# minor piano sonata, the G minor piano sonata, etc. etc. etc.

What wonderful music this madman left the world! I haven't even mentioned his orchestral, chamber, and vocal music -- all of which is superb. Schumann is a master of contrast and emotional extremes. What are some of your favorites?

[Harry]

His Symphonies, and SQ, and of course his piano music. Schumann has not composed that many things I dislike.
He is much under valued, I think, and without reason.

[Bogey]

[lukeottevanger]

The earlier piano music, the chamber music (G minor piano trio is a personal favourite) and - why are they always forgotten - his LIEDER! Of which I've always fallen for the hackneyed op 39 above all (now that is the absolute epitome of verdant forest-Romanticism at its finest), but there are many other stunners too, of course.

[Gurn Blanston]

Like with many other composers, I think the chamber works are grossly undervalued. The string quartets, of course, but the piano trios (try the BAT disk), piano quartet and quintet, and the violin sonatas, which are hidden gems. It goes without saying that the solo piano works are the piéce de resistance, but there is so much more to Schumann than that!

[Bogey]

........ It goes without saying that the solo piano works are the piéce de resistance, but there is so much more to Schumann than that!

Anything in HIP here Gurn?

[lukeottevanger]

It goes without saying that the solo piano works are the piéce de resistance

Solo piano works and the lieder Gurn!  These are his two main areas of activity and he excelled in both more than any other. I will not be kept quiet!!

[hornteacher]

The Piano Quintet.  Also the "Spring" Symphony, just because I played it in college orchestra and enjoyed it very much (especially the horn solo in the second movement).

[Gurn Blanston]

Anything in HIP here Gurn?

I haven't run across anything in solo keyboard, but one of my very favorite symphony cycles, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique/Gardiner, is totally HIP. They presented me with the first opportunity that I had to discover that a small orchestra and tight, precise playing, brought out the real genius of Schumann's orchestral abilities, which were all but obscured by huge, post-Romantic orchestral playing. The knock on him that he didn't know how to write for orchestra turns out to be totally without merit when you listen to an orchestra such as he actually did write for.

[Gurn Blanston]

Solo piano works and the lieder Gurn!  These are his two main areas of activity and he excelled in both more than any other. I will not be kept quiet!!

Shhhhhshh! Those are a secret, they must not be revealed!!  

[BachQ]

Carnaval, Fantasiestücke, Davidsbündlertänze, the Fantasie, Kreisleriana, Symphonic Etudes, Waldszenen, Kinderszenen, the Novelettes, Gesänge der Frühe, Concert sans orchestre, the F# minor piano sonata, the G minor piano sonata, etc. etc. etc.

Among those, the Symphonic Etudes is my fave . . . . . . . and I would also add the Toccata op. 7. 

But my favorite Schumann work is the A Minor Piano Concerto.

[Gurn Blanston]

Among those, the Symphonic Etudes is my fave . . . . . . . and I would also add the Toccata op. 7. 

But my favorite Schumann work is the A Minor Piano Concerto.

Rec, please. A Schumann specialist says Philadelphia / Ormandy  Rudolf Serkin, which is probably the way I'll go. I have CO of Europe / Harnoncourt Argerich and surprisingly I don't care for it, it hasn't sold the piece to me yet...

[bhodges]

I haven't run across anything in solo keyboard, but one of my very favorite symphony cycles, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique/Gardiner, is totally HIP. They presented me with the first opportunity that I had to discover that a small orchestra and tight, precise playing, brought out the real genius of Schumann's orchestral abilities, which were all but obscured by huge, post-Romantic orchestral playing. The knock on him that he didn't know how to write for orchestra turns out to be totally without merit when you listen to an orchestra such as he actually did write for.

I really need to hear these, since I am inclined to like HIP readings in general (and like Gardiner's work), and I like all four symphonies.  Most of the versions I've heard, including Alan Gilbert and the NY Philharmonic in the Third Symphony last week, are more pumped up, but I can well imagine that they'd be effective done much leaner.

--Bruce

[BachQ]

Rec, please. A Schumann specialist says Philadelphia / Ormandy  Rudolf Serkin, which is probably the way I'll go. I have CO of Europe / Harnoncourt Argerich and surprisingly I don't care for it, it hasn't sold the piece to me yet...

Rec's:

Zimerman / Karajan (BPO / DG) (with Grieg)
Lupu / Previn (LSO) (with Grieg)

Argerich's steely interpretation is not universally admired, but I like it (also on DVD  ).  I haven't heard the Serkin, but it's a super-budget CD, so I may soon! 

[karlhenning]

May or not be The Key for you, Gurn, but at the price, its risk::reward profile is attractive:

Jacqueline du Pré playing the Cello Concerto, Opus 129
Barenboim playing the Introduction & Allegro appassionato, Opus 92 & the Piano Concerto, Opus 54



(I haven't listened to the Opus 54 here yet;  but both the Cello Concerto and Intro & Allo app'to are molto bello.)

[Gurn Blanston]

Rec's:

Zimerman / Karajan (BPO / DG) (with Grieg)
Lupu / Previn (LSO) (with Grieg)

Argerich's steely interpretation is not universally admired, but I like it (also on DVD  ).  I haven't heard the Serkin, but it's a super-budget CD, so I may soon! 

Thanks, d, the Lupu looks quite tempting. Maybe that...

[Gurn Blanston]

May or not be The Key for you, Gurn, but at the price, its risk::reward profile is attractive:

Jacqueline du Pré playing the Cello Concerto, Opus 129
Barenboim playing the Introduction & Allegro appassionato, Opus 92 & the Piano Concerto, Opus 54



(I haven't listened to the Opus 54 here yet;  but both the Cello Concerto and Intro & Allo app'to are molto bello.)

Thanks, Karl. That disk would be a winner even if the piano concerto sucked, given that I have heard the DuPre concerto is really worth a listen.

[Harry]

Thanks, d, the Lupu looks quite tempting. Maybe that...

Somehow I always had a weakness for Radu Lupu, but I never went as far to buy anything with him.
Maybe I just did not know what to buy in those days.
Matter of fact I still don't !

[Haffner]

Anything in HIP here Gurn?

I've seen the Eroica Quartet doing 1 and 3 String Quartets, but haven't purchased it (yet!). I'd love to hear those SQs on vintage instruments!

[Haffner]

I've seen a cd advertising the Eroica Quartet doing 1 and 3 String Quartets, but haven't purchased it (yet!). I'd love to hear those SQs on vintage instruments!