Robert Schumann – Fantasie C Major Op.17
1.    Durchaus phantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen
 - Im Legendenton - Erstes Tempo - Adagio - Im Tempo
2.    Mässig. Durchaus energisch. 
- Etwas bewegter. - Viel bewegter
3.    Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten.
 - Etwas bewegter. - Nach und nach bewegter und schneller. – Adagio

Sergey Prokofiev - Romeo & Juliet Op.75
4. Romeo & Juliet before parting

Rodion Shchedrin
5. Prelude No.16, Basso Ostinato

Dmitri Bashkirov – piano

Robert Schumann’s piano works include many unrecognised beauties. One of these is his Fantasie in C major, partly derived from moments in Ludwig van Beethoven’s An die ferne Geliebte. It is uncharacteristically unique in that it depicts Schumann at his most well rooted position within his developing style, before he would turn to a much more standard flow within later works. Naturally, like all other composers, he has moments of distinction and moments of indifference for separation from original musical techniques. His Fantasie stands at each end of the scale for being both confidently conventional, and tentatively experimental.

The work begins with a piece that translates to “Absolutely fantastic and passionate presentation” – a note for the recitalist to avidly maintain whilst performing. In three sections the piece (which itself solely resembles fantasy form) hails through rough landscapes of dense notation, rolling descends in the left with distant melodic accompaniment in the right. It moves into the minor later on, which is much more timely and measured in appearance, with nebulous clouds of chords decaying amongst the romantic melodic line. And finally continues out of sadness and into an area which resembles the manic construction of the first section. It won’t be held up as one of the most recognisable pieces ever composed, but for Schumann is it certainly one of his finest moments in composition.

The other two movements however are more conservative in structure, and rather bland in contrast to the initiator. Part of this arrives at the fact that they are actually compositions which were added on to the original proposition. It’s unclear as to why he did this, because they are musically very foreign to the current formula. The “Massig” begins with much promise behind arpeggiated chords reminiscent of what Modest Mussorgsky later went on to demonstrate in “The Great Gate of Kiev”, but quickly changes into a innocent tone that gallops over the rhythmic waltz like feel. Such a piece feels much more suited for his Kinderszenen (scenes from childhood) suite, and only detracts further from the next movement which again means well in its opening facets, but keeps a constant distance from the well endowed first movement through a similar pattern of melodic and chordal ideas.

Keep in mind though, that while the initiator is much more impressive upon the first listen, the other two movements that make up the better half of the work, do after time make a niche within the listener's area for appreciation. It weevils down to one thing in the end: density. His dense initial ideas that introduce the scheme tip toe around what seems to be a reluctance to show a different form, and yet it is arguably one of his finest moments despite this. And then there are the less dense moments (II, III) that take more time to understand completely within the context, but still have a place is his catalogue and would-be listener. Context aside though, those who cite Schumann’s Fantasie in C, really are alluding to the true essence of the work, which is predominantly to be found in the dreamy landscape of the first movement, making it well worth consideration. --- Jake C. Taylor, sputnikmusic.com

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1 Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in A minor opus 129 	29:30 	
2 Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra opus 33 	22:50 	
3 Kol Nidrei opus 47 	11:01 	

France Springuel - cello
I Fiamminghi (Orchestra)
Rudolf Werthen - conductor

The Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129, by Robert Schumann was completed in a period of only two weeks, between 10 October and 24 October 1850, shortly after Schumann became the music director at Düsseldorf. The concerto was never played in Schumann's lifetime. It was premiered on 9 June 1860, four years after his death, at the Leipzig Conservatory in a concert in honour of the 50th anniversary of Schumann's birth, with Ludwig Ebert as soloist.

The concerto is considered one of his more daring and adventurous works, due to the length of the exposition and the transcendental quality of the opening. On the autographed score, Schumann gave the title Konzertstück (concert piece) rather than Konzert (concerto), which suggested he intended to depart from the traditional conventions of a concerto from the very beginning.

The Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33, for cello and orchestra was the closest Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ever came to writing a full concerto for cello and orchestra. The style was inspired by Mozart, Tchaikovsky's role model, and makes it clear that Tchaikovsky admired the Classical style very much. However, the Thema is not Rococo in origin, but actually an original theme in the Rococo style.

Tchaikovsky wrote this piece for and with the help of Wilhelm Fitzenhagen, a German cellist and fellow-professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Fitzenhagen gave the premiere in Moscow on November 30, 1877, with Nikolai Rubinstein conducting. This was perhaps the only hearing of the Variations as Tchaikovsky wrote the piece until 1941, when it was played in Moscow without Fitzenhagen's by-then-standard emendations.

Kol Nidrei, Op. 47, is a composition for cello and orchestra written by Max Bruch. Bruch completed the composition in Liverpool, England, before it was first published in Berlin in 1881.

It is styled as an Adagio on 2 Hebrew Melodies for Cello and Orchestra with Harp and consists of a series of variations on two main themes of Jewish origin. The first theme, which also lends the piece its title, comes from the Kol Nidre prayer which is recited during the evening service on Yom Kippur. In Bruch's setting of the melody, the cello imitates the rhapsodic voice of the hazzan who chants the liturgy in the synagogue. The second subject of the piece is quoted from the middle section of Isaac Nathan's arrangement of "O Weep for Those that Wept on Babel's Stream", a lyric which was penned by Lord Byron in a collection called Hebrew Melodies.

Bruch was a Protestant and first became acquainted with the Kol Nidre melody when his teacher Ferdinand Hiller introduced him to the Lichtenstein family, the head of which served as the cantor-in-chief of Berlin. Cantor Abraham Jacob Lichtenstein was known to have cordial relations with many Christian musicians and supported Bruch's interest in Jewish folk music. While some commentators have criticized the dearth of Jewish sentiment in Bruch's concert-hall Kol Nidrei, Bruch never presumed to write Jewish music. He only wished to incorporate Jewish inspirations into his own compositions. ---wikipedia

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Symphonic Studies, Op.13 Version 1852 with Etudes from 1837 version
1. Theme. Andante	1:35	
2. Variation I. Un poco più vivo	1:32
3. Variation II. Marcato il canto	2:59	
4. Etude III. Vivace	1:21	
5. Variation III	0:56
6. Variation IV	1:07
7. Variation V. Agitato	0:49
8. Variation VI. Allegro molto	0:52	
9. Variation VII	2:26
10. Appendix (1st published 1873) - Variation V		2:49	
11. Appendix (1st published 1873) - Variation I	1:13
12. Etude IX. Presto possibile	0:39
13. Variation IX. Con espressione	3:04
14. Finale. Allegro brillante	6:40	 

Fantasie in C, Op.17
15. 1. Durchaus fantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen - Im Legenden-Ton	14:42	
16. 2. Mäßig. Durchaus energisch - Etwas langsamer - Vielbewegter	7:56	
17. 3. Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten - Etwas bewegter	10:35	

Bunte Blätter, Op.99
18. Albumblätter I: Ziemlich langsam, sehr gesangvoll	1:50
19. Albumblätter II: Schnell	0:44	
20. Albumblätter III: Ziemlich langsam, sehr gesangvoll	1:41	
21. Albumblätter IV. Sehr langsam	2:31	
22. Albumblätter V. Langsam	1:36

23. Schumann: Arabeske in C, Op.18	6:36

Mikhail Pletnev, piano

Mikhail Pletnev is a phenomenal pianist. His technique is truly stunning and as effortless as brushing a feather-duster across the keyboard. His tone is beguilingly beautiful, smooth as silk and velvet; he seems to caress the keys, coaxing from them entire layers of sonorities and an endless variety of colors, nuances and dynamics. Gold Medalist at the Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, his repertoire ranges far and wide; his award-winning recordings include music by Scarlatti, C.P.E. Bach, Grieg, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, and, being a conductor and composer as well, his own works and transcriptions. Musically, he must be one of the most individualistic and original performers before the public. This disc shows that Schumann, the quintessential romantic, has found a kindred spirit, but one whose approach is very much his own. Pletnev does not hesitate to bring out changes of mood, dynamics and character with quite drastic shifts of tempo, heralded by big ritardandos and long pauses. Thus, his playing is extraordinarily free, yet simple, lesiurely, comfortable and without fuss. And though all the liberties are obviously carefully thought out (and might at times seem a bit excessive), they have an almost improvisatory spontaneity that gives them a feeling of being freshly experienced, as if he were making everything up on the spot. He underlines the contrasts between the variations of the Symphonic Etudes (and replaces a variation of the work's later, standard version with two from the earlier one); the Fantasie is truly fantastic, rhapsodic, heroic, passionate, deeply felt. Of the five rather unfamiliar "Album Leaves" (or Colored Leaves), four are slow and singing, one is a wispy witches' dance, and the Arabesque is all tenderness, ardor and charm. ---Edith Eisler, amazon.com

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1. Allegro. Nicht Zu Schnell
2. Adagio. Langsam                              
3. Finale. Vivace. Sehr Lebhaft

Johannes Moser - cello 
Berliner Philharmoniker
Zubin Mehta - conductor 

Recorded at the Berlin Philharmonie, 2 October 2011

Robert Schumann wrote no fewer than seven concertante works, among which only the Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 (1841) and the Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 (1850) find regular representation on concert programs and recordings. The Cello Concerto, composed during the early days of Schumann's ultimately unhappy stay in Düsseldorf, has long been a favorite among performers, especially given the relative paucity of great nineteenth century concerti for that instrument.

Schumann considered calling the work a "Concert piece for cello with orchestral accompaniment"; indeed, the orchestral writing in the concerto is far more transparent and unobtrusive than is normally associated with Schumann's concert works. It is a little-known fact that the composer learned to play cello as a child, and that after damaging his right hand during the early 1830s he intended to return to the cello in an effort to better his understanding of chamber and orchestral music. Nevertheless, the unfortunate idea that the Cello Concerto is poorly written for the instrument persists even to the present. Such a notion may result in part from the work's lack of flashy virtuosity typically associated with instrumental concertos, a feature found in Schumann's Piano Concerto.

Four lean bars -- three of them quiet pizzicato chords, one outlining a pianistic accompaniment figure -- introduce the cello's broad opening theme. The passionate second theme, with its chromatic inflections and upward minor-seventh leaps, is almost archetypal in its use of the cello. A comparison of the concerto with both earlier and later cello concertos demonstrates Schumann's palpable influence on the way composers came to write for the instrument. The development, more Classical in tone, ventures into stormier territory and utilizes a triplet motive. Encouraged by the horn, the cello attempts a recapitulation of the initial theme; the orchestra, however, rejects the soloist's choice of F sharp minor and recommences its agitated passagework. The recapitulation proper is stunning and unexpected; characteristically, Schumann makes very little change in the exposition material as it reappears. The coda is interrupted by a recitative for the soloist that prepares a modulation to F major for the second movement.

The second movement, marked Langsam, is essentially a tender song. The soloist's rich melody floats on a sea of gently pulsating pizzicato triplets, while the passionate double-stopped outburst in the middle of the movement is a golden moment in the cellist's repertory. A brief recollection of the first movement interrupts the flow; the solo line, growing ever more excited, paves the way into the finale. While the two contrasting themes of the last movement -- one rather bold, the other more intimate -- are attractive enough, the level of inspiration in the finale falls short of that in the first two movements, particularly in the development. More successful, however, is the accompanied cadenza that precedes the final coda. The substitution by some players of flashier cadenzas (written by less insightful cellists) for Schumann's more musically convincing one seems, happily, to be a thing of the past. --- Blair Johnston, Rovi

Praised for his rich, gorgeous tone and playing that can range from lovely and elegant, to vigorous with head-banging, rock star energy, German-Canadian cellist Johannes Moser has been hailed by Gramophone Magazine as “one of the finest among the astonishing gallery of young virtuoso cellists.” --- imgartists.com

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1. Teil 1.1
2. Teil 1.2
3. Teil 2.1
4. Teil 2.2
5. Teil 3.1
6. Teil 3.2

Dorothea Röschmann, Sopran (Peri)
Malin Hartelius, Sopran
Rebecca Martin, Mezzosopran
Bernarda Fink, Mezzosopran
Werner Güra, Tenor
Christoph Strehl, Tenor
Christian Gerhaher, Bariton
Gerald Häußler, Bass
 
Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
 
Nikolaus Harnoncourt - director

21. Oktober 2005
München, Herkulessaal der Residenz

Schumann's Das Paradies und die Peri, written when he was 33, contains some immensely appealing music, so it's unfortunate it's so rarely performed or recorded. The secular Romantic oratorio is a genre that's not much in style, so it's especially nice to have such a fine performance available on this RCA SACD. Nikolaus Harnoncourt, whose use of original instruments and careful attention to appropriate period-performance practice, which he first applied to the Baroque, is steadily progressing forward to encompass middle Romantic works such as this one (and he has even moved beyond it into the twentieth century with a recording of Bartók). It may surprise listeners who are used to Harnoncourt's de-Romanticized Bach that his reading of Schumann is so sumptuously Romantic, but his approach certainly supports his reputation for a commitment to period authenticity, regardless of where it takes him. Harnoncourt's performance has a broad Romantic sweep and a nearly operatic sense of dramatic intensity and momentum. The use of original instruments is most noticeable with the brass, which sound considerably lighter than their contemporary counterparts. Sinfonieorchester und Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks play and sing with warmth, passion, and tremendous energy. Harnoncourt has assembled a terrific team of soloists. The most prominent part is that of the Peri, sung radiantly by soprano Dorothea Röschmann. She negotiates the wide range and emotional heights and depths of the role with intense expressivity and soaring tone; she only falters in her final phrase of the work, where an exposed stratospheric sustained note veers perilously out of focus. Tenor Werner Güra has nearly as extensive a part, and he sings with beautiful phrasing and clean, bright tone. Bernarda Fink, taking the contralto rather than the mezzo-soprano role, sounds less fresh in tone than her usual stellar best, but even so, the warmth of her performance is compelling. In some luxury casting, Christian Gerhaher sings the small baritone part with stirring conviction. The sound is clean, but warm and atmospheric. Overall, this SACD makes an excellent introduction to a neglected masterpiece that contains some of the composer's most deeply felt music. ---Stephen Eddins, Rovi

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ERSTER TEIL / PREMIÉRE PARTIE / FIRST PART 

[1]  Die Frühlingslüfte bringen (S1, S2, A2)                           2'30 
[2]  Johannis war gekommen (T)                                         1'32 
[3]  Elfenreigen: Wir tanzen, wir tanzen (Chor der Elfen)              1'11 
[4]  Und wie sie sangen (T, Rose, Fürstin der Elfen, Chor der Elfen)   4'34 
[5]  So sangen sie (T, Rose)                                           2'56 
[6]  Bin ein armes Waisenkind (Rose, Marthe)                           1'03 
[7]  Es war der Rose erster Schmerz! (T, Rose, Totengräber)            3'29 
[8]  Wie Blätter am Baum (A, Chor, Rose, Totengräber)                  3'55 
[9]  Die letzte Scholl' hinunterrollt (T, Totengräber, Rose)           4'40 
[10] Gebet: Dank, Herr, dir dort im Sternenland (Rose, Chor der Elfen) 3'16 

ZWEITER TEIL / SECONDE PARTIE / SECOND PART 

[11] Ins Haus des Totengräbers (T, Rose, Totengräber)                  2'18 
[12] Zwischen grünen Bäumen (S2, Al)                                   0'43 
[13] Von dem Greis geleitet (T, Totengräber, Rose, Müller, Müllerin)   2'10 
[14] Bald hat das neue Töchterlein (T)                                 1'54 
[15] Bist du im Wald gewandelt (Chor)                                  3'00 
[16] Im Wald, gelehnt am Stamme (A)                                    1'38 
[17] Der Abendschlummer (S1, A1, T, Rose)                              3'51 
[18] O sel'ge Zeit (Chor)                                              2'46 
[19] Wer kommt am Sonntagsmorgen (B)                                   1'15 
[20] Ei Mühle, liebe Mühle (S2, A1)                                    1'47 
[21] Was klingen denn die Hörner (Chor, S1)                            2'05 
[22] Im Hause des Müllers (Chor)                                       2'35 
[23] Und wie ein Jahr verronnen ist (T, Rose)                          4'45 
[24] Röslein! (Engelstimmen)                                           2'21 

TOTALE                                                                62'27

Rose                           Christiane Oelze, soprano
Fürsten der Elfen, Marthe      Birgit Remmert, alto
Müllerin, alto solo (A)
Ténor solo (T)                 Werner Güra, ténor
Totengräber, basse solo (B)    Hanno Müller-Brachmann, basse
Müller                         Klaus Thiem, baryton
Sopranos                       Inčs Villanueva (S1), Dagmar Wietschorke (S2)
Altos                          Ulrike Andersen (A1), Ulrike Bartsch (A2)


Philip Mayers, pianoforte Streicher c.1850, collection Edwin Beunk 

RIAS-Kammerchor                Direction Marcus Creed 


Enregistrement Mai 1998, Christuskirche, Berlin-Oberschöneweide

Robert Schumann's choral works are rarely performed and recorded, but here Harmonia Mundi offers a second recording in less than a year (the first was Philippe Herreweghe's recording of Szenen aus Goethes Faust') to rectify that situation. 'Der Rose Pilgerfahrt' was written in 1851, Schumann's first major work since moving to Düsseldorf the year before and assuming responsibility for some choral-orchestral portions of the Niederrheinisches Musikfest.

As the oratorio stood at the time, 'Der Rose Pilgerfahrt' is somewhat of an anti-oratorio. For the two preceding centuries the oratorio had primarily been a biblical drama, with rollicking choruses and set-pieces for the soloists. Schumann's oratorio here has a tighter dramatic flow, with the soloists integrated more into the fabric of the work. Gone is the stop-start, aria/chorus alternation of the traditional oratorio. Marcus Creed and the RIAS-Kammerchor capture the intimacy of this work, which was premiered in the music room of Schumann's Düsseldorf townhouse with his wife Clara at the piano. The singing is excellent throughout, and Philip Mayers' fortepiano accompaniment enhances the performance nicely. ---arkivmusic.com

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1. Des Abends	 
2. Aufschwung 
3. Warum 
5. In Der Nacht 
7. Traumes Wirren	
8. Ende Von Lied

Svyatoslav Richter – piano

Schumann's Eight Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 (1837), together constitute one of the composer's finest and most representative works. Intended to be played as an intact group, the set retains enough typical dance forms to be regarded as a sort of dance suite, though the pieces are longer and more complex than those of "true" dance suites like Carnaval, Op. 9 (1833-1835), and Davidsbündlertanze, Op. 6 (1837). Most of the pieces are constructed in novel permutations of rounded binary and ternary forms; nearly all have contrasting, trio-like middle sections.

The first of the pieces, "Des Abends" (Evening), is a lyrical nocturne that makes interesting use of cross-rhythms. "Aufschwung" (Soaring) probably, the best-known member of the set, contrasts an aggressive opening with a fluent, lyrical "finger" passage; the central section, which employs longer rhythms, is more lyrical yet. "Warum?" (Why?) is simple and straightforward, in Schumann's most lyrical "Eusebius" style. In "Grillen" (Whims), Schumann demonstrates his ability to use rhythm to convey subtle humor; the central section employs a striking, almost archaic, chorale-like style. "In der Nacht" (In the Night), an impassioned, etude-like tone poem, is among the loveliest of the pieces. The one member of the set that eschews dance form is "Fabel" (Fable); here Schumann contrasts a slow introduction with faster episodic passages. "Traumes Wirren" (Restless Dreams) is also etude-like, but is light and buoyant in mood. The final piece, "Ende vom Lied" (End of the Song), has, despite its brevity, a certain epic quality. The coda almost seems like an afterthought, intended as an ending for the whole set rather than for this movement in particular. After the composer's death, an additional piece, "Feurigst" (Fiery), was added to the set. Though it is authentically by Schumann, it is generally considered a mismatch with the other pieces and is rarely performed with them. ---Steven Coburn, Rovi

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Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26
01 - I. Allegro
02 - II. Romanze
03 - III. Scherzino
04 - IV. Intermezzo
05 - V. Final

Fantasie, Op. 17
06 - I. Durchaus phantastisch und leidenscaftlich vorzutragen
07 - II. Massig - Durchaus energisch
08 - III. Langsam getragen - Durchweg leise zu halten

09 Papillons, Op. 2

Sviatoslav Richter - piano

Tracks 1-5 Live recording, 1962
Tracks 6-9 Studio recording, 1961

Robert Schumann, born in Zwickau in 1810, died in an asylum in Endenich in 1856 totally insane. Most likely he was bipolar and as there was no lithium treatment in his day the manic-depressive condition was lumped in with all the other lunacies. His bipolar condition had a great effect on his music and also his personal life.

As an 18 year old he enrolled in Leipzig University and at the same time commenced piano lessons with Freidrich Wieck. It was there that he met Wieck's daughter Clara and as she grew into a lovely young woman they fell in love. Wieck, sensing Schumann's mental instability, did his best to end the affair and they had to wait until 1840 until they could legally marry without Wieck's consent.

Much of Schumann's early music is about his affair with Clara and the C major Fantasy is the epitome of this. The rest of Schumann's life is well known. He followed what is a typical path for the manic depressive at the time; reliance on alcohol, times of high mania and low depression until his eventual confinement, when Clara could no longer look after him. The Fantasy in C major is all about Clara and also reflects Schumann's mood swings. At the time of its composition in 1836 he and Clara had been forcibly separated by her father and the first movement is both a passionate railing against fate and desperate outpouring of his love for her. It's interesting that the leitmotif used for the first movement comes from Beethoven's song cycle "To the Distant Beloved" - no coincidence methinks.

The second part of the Fantasy is in the form of a march and Clara herself described it as a "triumphal pageant of warriors returning from battle". Schumann had defeated the demons of depression and was returning to claim his prize. The Finale is one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces in the piano literature. Is this Clara and Robert reunited and as one?

The Fassingsschwank is Schumann's impressions of a carnival he attended in Vienna in 1838. It contains some of his most brilliant and witty writing and is in turns exciting and reflective. The scintillating scherzino is a real finger breaker for pianists and the finale is reminiscent of the last work in the Op 12 Fantasiestucke.

Papillons is an early work (1832) and is a warm up for Carnaval Op 9. Indeed you can hear one of its the themes early on in Op 2. All the 12 movements are in dance form, mainly waltzes and ends with the famous 17th century "Grandfather Dance" As usual, Schumann mixes the tempo and the mood to great effect. Sviatoslav Richter was arguably the greatest pianist of the twentieth century. Born in Zhitomir in the Ukraine in 1915 he was largely self taught despite the fact that his father was a concert pianist and music teacher. Getting the job as repetiteur at the Odessa Opera at age 15 he finally gave his first solo recital of works by Chopin for his friends in his 19th year.

He never looked back. Later, he came under the guidance of Heinrich Neuhaus at the Moscow Conservatory who also had Emil Gilels in his group . Neuhaus realised that technically he had nothing to teach Richter but in his role as mentor he helped him change his sound. Neuhaus was also a legendary performer of Schumann and Richter obviously learnt much from his father figure and the fact that Richter was one of the great Schumann interpreters is probably due to Neuhaus' influence. Richter's repertoire and his technique are legendary we hear him at his peak on this CD. He died in Moscow in 1997.

This is one of the absolute gems in the recorded archives of the piano. The Fantasy was recorded in Abbey Road studios in 1961. It is a peerless performance by Richter whose sensitivity to tempo, tonal colour and changes of mood are inspirational. The desperation of the opening movement is wonderfully captured by Richter who reveals Schumann's torment at the separation from Clara. The triumphal march then leads into the nocturne-like finale where Richter at his most tender and reflective, the final chords quietly dying away.

Fassingsschwank is a piece I never really liked until I heard Richter play it. It 's the way that he contrasts the separate pieces along with his prodigious technique that makes it work such a wonderful performance. He makes some of the passge work sound so easy and natural where other pianists tend to lumber along trying to make their fingers catch up with the music.

His Papillons is no less inspired and once again it is Richter's ability to make a set of seemingly disparate short pieces become one coherent whole. Both these works were recorded live in Italy in 1962.

This is a budget priced disc and why EMI never made it part of their Great Recordings of the Century series is beyond me. So, EMI's loss is definitely our gain. This is a must for all pianophiles. Some rate Ricter's live Prague Fantasy from 1956 as slightly better but the difference is minimal. However the sound of the EMI is infinitely superior and is the obvious choice. ---Holden, good-music-guide.com

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Vol.1
1. Dichterliebe Op.48: 1. Im Wunderschonen Monat Mai
2. Dichterliebe Op.48: 2. Aus Meinen Tranen Spriessen
3. Dichterliebe Op.48: 3. Die Rose, Die Lilie, Die Taube
4. Dichterliebe Op.48: 4. Wenn Ich In Deine Augen Seh'
5. Dichterliebe Op.48: 5. Ich Will Meine Seele Tauchen
6. Dichterliebe Op.48: 6. Im Rhein, Im Heiligen Strome
7. Dichterliebe Op.48: 7. Ich Grolle Nicht
8. Dichterliebe Op.48: 8. Und Wussten's Die Blumen, Die Kleinen
9. Dichterliebe Op.48: 9. Das Ist Ein Floten Und Geigen
10. Dichterliebe Op.48: 10. Hor Ich Das Liedchen Klingen
11. Dichterliebe Op.48: 11. Ein Jungling Liebt Ein Madchen
12. Dichterliebe Op.48: 12. Am Leuchtenden Sommermorgen
13. Dichterliebe Op.48: 13. Ich Hab' Im Traum Geweinet
14. Dichterliebe Op.48: 14. Allnachtlich Im Traume
15. Dichterliebe Op.48: 15. Aus Alten Marchen
16. Dichterliebe Op.48: 16. Die Alten, Bosen Lieder
17. Liederkreis Op.24: 1. Morgens Steh' Ich Auf Und Frage
18. Liederkreis Op.24: 2. Es Treibt Mich Hin
19. Liederkreis Op.24: 3. Ich Wandelte Unter Den Baumen
20. Liederkreis Op.24: 4. Lieb' Liebchen, Leg's Handchen
21. Liederkreis Op.24: 5. Schone Wiege Meiner Leiden
22. Liederkreis Op.24: 6. Warte, Warte, Wilder Schiffmann
23. Liederkreis Op.24: 7. Berg' Und Burgen Schaun Herunter
24. Liederkreis Op.24: 8. Anfangs Wollt' Ich Fast Verzagen
25. Liederkreis Op.24: 9. Mit Myrten Und Rosen
26. Die Lotosblume Op.25 No.7
27. Was Will Die Einsame Trane Op.25 No.21
28. Du Bist Wie Eine Blume Op.25 No.24
29. Dein Angesicht, So Lieb Und Schon Op.127 No.2
30. Lehn Deine Wang' An Meine Wang' Op.142 No.2
31. Mein Wagen Rollet Langsam Op.142 No.4
32. Der Arme Peter Op.53 Nr.3: 1. Der Hans Und Die Grete Tanzen Herum/2. In Meiner Brust, Da Sitzt Ein.

Vol.2
1. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 1. In der Fremde (In Foreign Parts) 	2:10
2. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 2. Intermezzo 	2:03
3. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 3. Waldesgesprach (Colloquy in the Forest) 	2:16
4. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 4. Die Stille (Quietness) 	1:34
5. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 5. Mondnacht (Moonlit Night) 	4:28
6. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 6. Schone Fremde (Fair Foreign Land) 	1:21
7. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 7. Auf einer Burg (On a Fortress) 	2:46
8. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 8. In der Fremde (In Foreign Parts) 	1:32
9. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 9. Wehmut (Melancholy) 	2:22
10. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 10. Zwielicht (Twilight) 3:04
11. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 11. Im Walde (In the Forest) 	1:32
12. Liederkreis, Op. 39: No. 12. Fruhlingsnacht (Spring Night) 	1:17
13. Romanzen und Balladen, Book 1, Op. 45: Romanzen und Balladen, Book 1, Op. 45: No. 2. Fruhlingsfahrt 	3:08
14. 6 Gedichte, Op. 36: 6 Gedichte, Op. 36: No. 2. Standchen 	1:31
15. Lieder und Gesange, Book 1, Op. 27: Lieder und Gesange, Book 1, Op. 27: No. 5. Nur ein lachelnder Blick 	2:32
16. 6 Gedichte, Op. 36: 6 Gedichte, Op. 36: No. 4. An den Sonnenschein 	1:32
17. Lieder und Gesänge, ii, Op. 51: No. 3. Ich wandre nicht: Lieder und Gesange, Book 2, Op. 51: No. 3. Ich wandre nicht 	2:04
18. Lieder und Gesange, Book 3, Op. 77: Lieder und Gesange, Book 3, Op. 77: No. 1. Der frohe Wandersmann 	2:05
19. 3 Gesänge, Op. 83: No. 3. Der Einsiedler: 3 Gesange, Op. 83: No. 3. Der Einsiedler 	3:10
20. 3 Gedichte, Op. 30: No. 1. Der knabe mit dem Wunderhorn 		2:16
21. 3 Gedichte, Op. 30: No. 2. Der Page 		3:08
22. 3 Gedichte, Op. 30: No. 3. Der Hidalgo 	2:56
23. Lieder und Gesänge, Book 2, Op. 51: No. 1. Sehnsucht: Lieder und Gesange, Book 2, Op. 51: No. 1. Sehnsucht 	2:43
24. Spanisches Liederspiel, Op. 74: Spanisches Liederspiel, Op. 74: No. 7. Gestandnis 	1:34
25. Spanische Liebeslieder, Op. 138: No. 3. O wie liebich ist das Madchen (Tenor) 	2:13
26. Spanische Liebeslieder, Op. 138: No. 7. Weh, wie zornig ist das Madchen (Tenor) 	1:29
27. Spanische Liebeslieder, Op. 138: No. 5. Flutenreicher Ebro (Baritone) 	3:23
28. Lieder-Album fur die Jugend, Op. 79: No. 7. Zigeunerliedchen 	0:56
29. Lieder-Album fur die Jugend, Op. 79: No. 8. Jedwn Morgen, in der Fruhe 	1:33

Vol.3
1. Widmung op. 25 Nr. 1
2. Aus den ostlichen Rosen op. 25 Nr. 25
3. Jasminenstrauch op. 27 Nr. 4
4. Der Nussbaum op. 25 Nr. 3
5. Freisinn op. 25 Nr. 2
6. Lieder aus dem Schenkenbuch im Divan: Nr. 1 Sitz' ich allein op.25 Nr. 5
7. Lieder aus dem Schenkenbuch im Divan: Nr. 2 Setze mir nicht, du Grobian op. 25 Nr. 6
8. Lieder aus dem Schenkenbuch im Divan: Talismane op. 25 Nr. 8
9. Lieder aus dem Schenkenbuch im Divan: Nachtlied op. 96 Nr. 1
10. Funf Lieder op. 40: 1. Marzveilchen
11. Funf Lieder op. 40: 2. Muttertraum
12. Funf Lieder op. 40: 3. Der Soldat
13. Funf Lieder op. 40: 4. Der Spielmann
14. Funf Lieder op. 40: 5. Verratene Liebe
15. Funf Lieder op. 40: An den Mond op. 95 Nr. 2
16. Funf Lieder op. 40: Geisternahe op. 77 Nr. 3
17. Funf Lieder op. 40: Madchen-Schwermut op. 142 Nr. 3
18. Funf Lieder op. 40: Lorelei op. 53 Nr. 2
19. Funf Lieder op. 40: Auftrage op. 77 Nr. 5
20. Zwei Venezianische Lieder: 1. Leis' rudern hier op. 25 Nr. 17
21. Zwei Venezianische Lieder: 2. Wenn durch die Piazetta die Abendluft weht op. 25 Nr. 18
22. Zwei Venezianische Lieder: Fruhlingsgruss op. 79 Nr. 4
23. Zwei Venezianische Lieder: Marienwurmchen op. 79 Nr. 14
24. Gedichte aus Friedrich Ruckerts - Liebesfruhling - op. 37: 1. Der Himmel hat eine Trane geweint
25. Gedichte aus Friedrich Ruckerts - Liebesfruhling - op. 37: 5. Ich hab' in mich gesogen
26. Gedichte aus Friedrich Ruckerts - Liebesfruhling - op. 37: 8. Flugel! Flugel! um zu fliegen
27. Gedichte aus Friedrich Ruckerts - Liebesfruhling - op. 37: Meine Tone still und heiter op. 101 Nr. 1
28. Gedichte aus Friedrich Ruckerts - Liebesfruhling - op. 37: Mein schoner Stern op. 101 Nr. 4
29. Gedichte aus Friedrich Ruckerts - Liebesfruhling - op. 37: Zum Schluss op. 25 Nr. 26

Vol.4
1. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 1. Lust Der Sturmnacht
2. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 2. Stirb, Lieb' Und Freud'!
3. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 3. Wanderlied
4. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 4. Erstes Grun
5. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 5. Sehnsucht Nach Der Waldgegend
6. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 6. Auf Das Trinkglas Eines Verstorbenen Freundes
7. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 7. Wanderung
8. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 8. Stille Liebe
9. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 9. Frage
10. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 10. Stille Tranen
11. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 11. Wer Machte Dich So Krank
12. Zwolf Gedichte Von Justinus Kerner, Op.35: 12. Alte Laute
13. Sangers Trost, Op.127 No.1: Weint Auch Einst Kein Liebchen
14. Schneeglockchen, Op.96 No.2: Die Sonne Sah Die Erde An
15. Ihre Stimme, Op.96 No.3:lass Tief In Dir Mich Lesen
16. Sechs Gedichte Von Nikolaus Lenau Und Requiem (Altkatholisches Gedicht) Op.90: 1. Lied Eines...
17. Sechs Gedichte Von Nikolaus Lenau Und Requiem (Altkatholisches Gedicht) Op.90: 2. Meine Rose
18. Sechs Gedichte Von Nikolaus Lenau Und Requiem (Altkatholisches Gedicht) Op.90: 3. Kommen Und...
19. Sechs Gedichte Von Nikolaus Lenau Und Requiem (Altkatholisches Gedicht) Op.90: 4. Die Sennin
20. Sechs Gedichte Von Nikolaus Lenau Und Requiem (Altkatholisches Gedicht) Op.90: 5. Einsamkeit
21. Sechs Gedichte Von Nikolaus Lenau Und Requiem (Altkatholisches Gedicht) Op.90: 6. Der Schwere Abend
22. Sechs Gedichte Von Nikolaus Lenau Und Requiem (Altkatholisches Gedicht) Op.90: 7. Requiem

Peter Schreier (tenor)
Norman Shetler (piano)

Now let’s face it, chaps, you’ve been mollycoddled far too long. Think of all those great big Hyperion editions of lieder, mélodie and song which are gradually covering practically every composer who wrote a song worth hearing. Get those and you’re getting, not just a CD and a list of titles, you get opus numbers, texts, translations, the names of the poets, dates, and a mammoth essay by Graham Johnson (or Roger Vignoles or somebody equally expert) giving you practically the sum of present-day human knowledge about each song. Even dirt cheap Naxos, though they’ve taken to sending you to their website for the words, still give you plentiful documentation and a detailed essay. It takes away all the fun of hunting the facts up for yourself.

Well, if you do agree with that, here’s the set for you. Faithful, perhaps, to the Spartan ideals of the erstwhile German Democratic Republic in which it was made, it’s the musical equivalent of a children’s summer camp. You get four discs containing about half Schumann’’s song output ‘ practically all those suited to a tenor. You get titles, you get most of the opus numbers, you get texts in German ‘ well, that’s better than nothing ‘ and Bob’s your-uncle.

So this is where you have to team up and do projects. On Disc 1, for example, at the end of ‘Liederkreis’, there are six songs without any opus numbers given. You could begin by looking those up. Oh dammit, I’ve already done that for you, in the header ‘ oh, I could kill myself. Then you could look for translations, you could look up the dates, you could find out who the poets were ‘ unless they’re actually in Schumann’s title ‘ Berlin Classics don’t let on. You could try to puzzle out why the programmes have been put together the way they have. You could even try to answer the riddle of why just under half the ‘Myrthen’ cycle op.25 is presented higgledy-piggledy over two discs. I’m telling you the cycle’s called ‘Myrthen’, by the way, they aren’t. For texts, poets, translations and dates, incidentally, your first port of call is likely to be Emily Ezust’s wonderful lieder site.

The question of who the poets were would be important in any case, but if I’ve understood anything, they are actually the basis behind the way the programmes are chosen. CD 1, in fact, is entirely dedicated to Heine. That’s what three of the ‘Myrthen’ songs are doing here ‘ it’s a composite cycle, setting a number of poets. So your next project might be to work out what struck Schumann particularly about Heine, leading to ‘Dichterliebe’, generally acknowledged as his greatest cycle. But he didn’t only choose lovelorn lyrics about the ‘wonderful month of May’ and the ‘Lotus bloom’ ‘ the range extends to the bizarre mini-cycle about ‘Poor Peter’. In Hyperion’s Volume 5 Graham Johnson draws a chilling parallel between Poor Peter’s madness and Schumann’s fears at the time ‘ ultimately justified ‘about his own growing insanity. Just to give you an idea of the wealth of material available, by the way, that Hyperion disc, beautifully sung by Christopher Maltman, is also dedicated to Heine settings and the programmes are by no means parallel.

CD2 begins with the more famous of the two cycles entitled ‘Liederkreis’ and here the poet is named in Schumann’s title ‘ Joseph von Eichendorff. This is a name that crops up again and again in the lieder repertoire. A website tells me that no poet has been more frequently set to music on account of his lyric, almost folk-like simplicity. A singer of spring and nightingales and ‘Waldeinsamkeit’, he inspired Schumann’s most warmly romantic cycle. Eichendorff also frames the selection of seven songs which follows – his poems appear in the first and in the last two. In between are various poets, including Reinick whom we also meet in Brahms. I suppose the idea is to show that they all belong to the same school.

The short Geibel set is followed by another five settings of the same poet. Here the mood is quite different ‘ I get the idea that these very decently-filled CDs may be grouping together a larger number of tightly-programmed if ungenerous LPs. Geibel, at least in this selection, is concerned with picturesque characters and strong colour. Four of the pieces are based on Spanish poems and the three op. 138 songs are from Schumann’s ‘Spanische Liebeslieder’. I suppose ‘character’ and ‘colour’ are also the justification for rounding off the disc with two Gypsy songs from Schumann’s ‘Lieder-Album für die Jugend’.

CD 3 apparently lets the cat out of the bag by telling you it contains ‘Lieder nach Rückert und Goethe’ This, however, is just a trap set for the unwary. First of all, apart from the three op.37 settings which have Rückert’s name in the title, we’re not actually told which poet wrote which poem. And when you do follow this up, you’ll find that more than half the songs are not settings of either of them ‘

I had never particularly associated Rückert with Goethe, not that I’m anything of an expert on German poetry. Schumann seems to find them quite different too, adopting an intimate, gentle tone for Rückert and a more grandly assertive one for Goethe.

Of the other poets, we get a full set ‘op. 40’ from Chamisso, well known as the author of the poems for Schumanns great female-voice cycle Frauenliebe und Leben. Here, however, he is providing German versions of poems by Hans Christian Andersen which, at least as set by Schumann, are far removed from the fairy-tale world by which we normally know him. You might guess the grim “Der Soldat” was by Mahler. Also included on this disc is a poem by Byron and two Venetian songs by Thomas Moore – set in German translations of course.

CD 4 is a very serious affair. The Kerner set is a bleak, austere piece of work, more so at times than the poems seem to demand. It reaches its climax with Stille Tränen, a song of quite extraordinary intensity. Elsewhere I often felt the need for some helpful guidance, Graham Johnson-style, as to what Schumann was trying to do. Is it a question of familiarity? I asked myself, if I had known op. 35 all my life and was coming new to Dichterliebe, would my reactions be the other way round? I think not; this really does seem one of the hardest Schumannesque nuts to crack.

Op. 35 is followed by three further songs, of which the first again has a text by Kerner. Sängers Trost immediately gives the lie to the generalization that higher opus numbers in Schumann are likely to contain less inspired music than lower ones. So, too, does the Lenau cycle which concludes the disc. Though all the songs are slow and introspective, it has a poetic glow which op. 35 seems deliberately to be avoiding. The second song, Meine Rose, is an epitome of all we love most in Schumann and it is surprising it is not excerpted more often.

But what about the performances? I suppose a kinder-hearted critic might have started here, for they’re just about perfect. All the more reason to be seriously concerned that the sparse documentation might limit their circulation to specialists.

In the early 1970s Peter Schreiers career was completing its first decade. His artistry was in its first maturity, his vocal equipment still retained its wondrous youthful sheen. There is not a note here which is not inherently beautiful, except perhaps in op. 35 where a whisker of huskiness seems intentional. He can sail up to an unstrained high B flat and is one of the few who can take the higher alternatives in ‘Ich grolle nicht’ without making you wish he hadn’t. It is not a ‘big’ voice and he has never claimed it to be so. But bigness is relative to what is around it and in this context he achieves high drama when necessary while at the other end of the scale he can fine down to an almost whispered, honeyed pianissimo. He rises to passionate heights at the climax of ‘Stille Tränen’. Every word is beautifully weighted in the context of the phrase. It might be called non-interventionist singing which nevertheless intervenes enough to characterize the music. Everything here is deeply considered, from the well-known ‘Dichterliebe’ to the rarer songs. And Norman Shetler is always supportive and present without ever hogging the stage. Many of these songs were new to me, but as each one started the tempo taken and the mood created always sounded exactly right.

You will be thinking, might there be just a hint in all this of a laid-back, academic manner? Is it all too perfect? Well, when Peter Schreier took up conducting the results sometimes seemed more safe than exciting, but as a singer, at any rate at this stage in his career, he always communicates spontaneity and involvement, however much hard work may have gone into it. There are too many fine ‘Dichterliebe’ performances around to claim first place for any of them but this matches any on my shelves and I can’t imagine a better guide to the less well-known songs.

And what about Schumann himself? Well, in one sense the feeling is confirmed that, if you don’t know any Schumann lieder, the essential works are ‘Frauenliebe und Leben’’ not here for obvious reasons ‘ and ‘Dichterliebe’, with the second ‘Liederkreis’ cycle not far behind. On the other hand, Schumann’s range is shown to be wider than one supposed, even though he always remains true to his unmistakeable melodic and harmonic style. While a few of the later songs suggest tiring inspiration there are also many, many beautiful surprises to be found among them.

The voice is excellently recorded throughout. The piano hasn’t quite the bloom and resonance of more recent recordings but I barely noticed this. I’ve said that you get just titles and words in the booklet, but there’s one thing more: a curious inversion of roles gives us a 1993 essay by Gerard Felber on ‘Peter Schreier as a lieder singer’. I agree with every fulsome word he says. But I thought it was my job to say these things. His job ‘ or somebody’s at Berlin Classics ‘ was to give you all the information I’ve put at the beginning of this review.

So there you are. If you’re willing to do all the necessary spade-work you’ll find your Schumann holiday camp endlessly rewarding. You couldn’t expect a better guide than Big-Chief Schreier. But don’t stint on your projects, that’s all. ---Christopher Howell, musicweb-international.com

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1. Piano Quintet in E flat, Op.44 - 1. Allegro brillante	8:56
2. Piano Quintet in E flat, Op.44 - 2. In modo d'una marcia (Un poco largamente) 8:54
3. Piano Quintet in E flat, Op.44 - 3. Scherzo (Molto vivace)	4:48
4. Piano Quintet in E flat, Op.44 - 4. Allegro, ma non troppo	7:24
5. Piano Quartet in E flat, Op.47 - 1. Sostenuto assai - Allegro ma non troppo 8:45
6. Piano Quartet in E flat, Op.47 - 2. Scherzo (Molto vivace)	3:38
7. Piano Quartet in E flat, Op.47 - 3. Andante cantabile	7:12
8. Piano Quartet in E flat, Op.47 - 4. Finale (Vivace)	7:45

Emerson String Quartet 
Menahem Pressler (Piano)

Schumann's Piano Quintet is one of the world's (and my) favorite pieces of chamber music. But the less-outgoing Piano Quartet eventually reveals its secrets, too, and it's another wonderful piece. These are fascinating performances. Menaham Pressler, on leave from the Beaux Arts Trio, blends his Old World charm with the New World energy of the Emerson Quartet. The result is a near-ideal balance of power and grace, and there is even some old-fashioned portamento (sliding between notes) to be heard in the strings. It's hard to think of anyone whose taste extends beyond the Baroque era who won't be pleased and moved by this disc. --Leslie Gerber

This is a magnificent collaboration between pianist Menachem Pressler and the Emerson String Quartet; an exceptional synthesis between his Old World graceful playing and the Emerson's New World brashness. Pressler shows his usual warm, introspective playing, which fans of the Beaux Arts Trio have come to expect. Meanwhile, the Emerson String Quartet plays with much empathy and lyricism in both scores. I doubt I have heard a better collaboration between a pianist and a string quartet; certainly there's none that's been as exquisitely recorded as this CD. Those looking for a definitive performance of these Schumann scores should look no further. –John Kwok

“Technically speaking the Emerson String Quartet are unimpeachable, with meticulous internal balance and intonation sustained at all times, remarkable tonal matching between the instruments and precision phrasing and dynamics. There is a beguiling transparency about their sound-world that allows every voice to register with the kind of resonance-free clarity . . . ” International Record Review, London, July 2008

The Emerson String Quartet was formed at the Juilliard School in 1976. It takes its name from the great American poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882). Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer have shared the responsibilities of first and second violin since the Quartet’s inception, with Lawrence Dutton becoming the ESQ violist in 1977, and David Finckel becoming the ensemble’s cellist in 1979. Ever since the quartet’s first appearances at the Vermont Music Festival in 1977 it has been acclaimed for its insightful performances, dynamic artistry and technical mastery, winning numerous awards, including the prestigious Naumburg Award (USA) for Chamber Music in 1978, eight Grammy awards, and three Gramophone awards.

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