Robert Schumann: Kreisleriana Op. 16/Carnaval Op. 9

On this CD:

1. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 Préambule
Composed by Robert Schumann
Performed by Miceal O'Rourke

2. Kreisleriana, 8 fantasies for piano, Op. 16
Composed by Robert Schumann
Performed by Miceal O'Rourke

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In E-flat Major, Op. 97: 'Rhenish' - Lebhaft
Andante And Variations In B-Flat Major
Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13
Toccata In C Major, Op. 7
Kreisleriana, Op. 16
Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54: Allegro Vivace
Carnaval, Op. 9
'Dedication', Op. 25/1
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120: Introduction - Vivace
Papilons, Op. 2
Op. 25-3: 'The Nut Tree'
Symphony No. 3 In E-flat Major, Op. 97: 'Rhenish' - Lebhaft-Schneller
Piano Quintet In E-flat Major, Op. 44: Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54: Allegro affettuoso
Carnaval, Op. 9: Waltz
Album For The Young, Op. 68: The Merry Farmer
Scenes From Childhood, Op. 15: Dreams
Cello Concerto In A Minor, Op. 129: Nicht au schnell
Symphony No. 3 In E-flat Major, Op. 97: 'Rhenish' - Feierlich
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, No 1
Lyric Suite, Op. 54-2: Norwegian Rustic Dance
Op. 12 No. 4: Elf Dance
Op. 35, No. 1: Norwegian Dances
Elegiac Melodies
Op. 64, No. 4: Symphonic Dances
Op. 35, No. 2: Norwegian Dances
Op. 5-3: 'I Love Thee'
Op. 43, No. 1: Butterfly
Op. 65, No. 6: Wedding Day At Troldhaugen
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, No. 3: Anitra's Dance
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op. 55, No. 4: Solveig's Song
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, No. 4: In The Hall Of The Mountain King
Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: Allegro moderato; Allegro marcato
Holberg Suite, Op. 40: Prelude: Allegro vivace
Lyric Suite, Op. 54, No. 3: Dance Of The Dwarfs
Homage To Chopin
Sigurd Jorsalfar Suite, Op. 56, No. 3: Homage March
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: Morning Mood
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: The Death Of Aase
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: Anitra's Dance
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: In The Hall Of The Mountain King
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op. 55: III The Return Of Peer Gynt
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op. 55: IV Solveig's Song

Average customer rating:

The facets of the lyricism!
Divine
To be avoided
aristocratic and heartfelt schumann
aristocratic and heartfelt schumann

Schumann: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Schubert: The Piano Sonatas
Scriabin: Complete Piano Sonatas
Haydn:Piano Sonatas (Hob. 32, 34, 44, 49)
Brahms: Works for Solo Piano
Liszt: The Two Piano Concertos; The Piano Sonata

ASIN: B000001GFJ
Release Date: 1992-02-11

Tracks:

Papillons Op. 2, Introduction. Moderato...
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 1. Lebhaft
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 2. Innig
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 3. Mit Humor (Etwas hahnbuchen)
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 4. Ungeduldig
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 5. Einfach
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 6. Sehr rasch (Sehr rasch und in sich hinein)
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 7. Nicht schnell (Mit ausserst starker Empfindung)
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 8. Frisch
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 9. Lebhaft
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 10. Balladenmassig. Sehr rasch
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 11. Einfach
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 12. Mit Humor
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 13. Wild und lustig
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 14. Zart und singen
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 15. Frisch
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 16. Mit gutem Humor
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 17. Wie aus der Ferne
Davidsbundlertanze Op. 6, (18 Charakterstucke) - 18. Nicht schnell
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 1. Preambule. Quasi maestoso - Piu moto - Animato - Vivo - Presto
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 2. Pierrot. Moderato
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 3. Arlequin. Vivo
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 4. Valso noble. Un poco maestoso
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 5. Eusebius. Adagio
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 6. Florestan. Passionato
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 7. Coquette. Vivo
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 8. Replique. L'istesso tempo - (Sphinxes)
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 9. Papillons. Prestissimo
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 10. A.S.C.H. - S.C.H.A. (Lettres dansantes). Presto
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 11. Chiarina. Passionato
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 12. Chopin. Agitato
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 13. Estrella. Con affetto
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 14. Reconnaissance. Animato
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 15. Pantalon et Colombine. Presto
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 16. Valse allemande. Molto vivace
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 17. Paganini. Intermezzo. Presto
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 18. Aveu. Passionato
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 19. Promenade. Comodo
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 20. Pause. Vivo
Carnaval Op. 9, Scenes mignonnes sur quatre notes - 21. Marche des (Davidsbundler) contre les Philistins. Non Allegro - Molto piu vivo - Animato - Vivo - Animato molto - Vivo - Piu stretto

Tracks:

Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Thema. Andante
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude I. Un poco piu vivo
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude II.
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude III. Vivace
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude IV.
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude V. Vivacissimo
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude VI. Agitato
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude VII. Allegro molto
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude VIII. Andante
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude IX. Presto possibile
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude X. Allegro
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude XI. Con espressione
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13 - Etude XII. Finale. Allegro brillante
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 1. Von fremden Landern und Menschen
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 2. Kuriose Geschichte
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 3. Hasche-Mann
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 4. Bittendes Kind
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 5. Gluckes genug
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 6. Wichtige Begebenheit
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 7. Traumerei
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 8. Am Kamin
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 9. Ritter vom Steckenpferd
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 10. Fast zu ernst
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 11. Furchtenmachen
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 12. Kind im Einschlummern
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 13. Der Dichter spricht
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 - Fantasien - 1. Ausserst bewegt
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 - Fantasien - 2. Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch - Intermezzo, Sehr lebhaft - Intermezzo II. Etwas bewegter - Lngsamer (erstes Tempo)
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 - Fantasien - 3. Sehr aufgeregt
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 - Fantasien - 4. Sehr langsam
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 - Fantasien - 5. Sehr lebhaft
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 - Fantasien - 6. Sehr langsam
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 - Fantasien - 7. Sehr rasch
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 - Fantasien - 8. Schnell und spielend

Tracks:

Fantasie C-dur, Op. 17 - 1. Durchaus phantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen - Im Legendenton - Tempo Primo
Fantasie C-dur, Op. 17 - 2. Massig. Durchaus energisch - Etwas langsamer - Viel bewegter
Fantasie C-dur, Op. 17 - 3. Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten - Etwas bewegter
Arabeske, Op. 18 - Leicht und zart - Minore I. Etwas langsamer - Minore II. Etwas langsamer - Zum Schluss (Coda). Langsamer
Humoreske, Op. 20 - Einfach - Sehr rasch und leicht - Noch rascher - Erstes Tempo - Wie im Anfang
Humoreske, Op. 20 - Hastig - Nach und nach immer lebhafter und starker - Wie vorher - Adagio
Humoreske, Op. 20 - Einfach und zart - Intermezzo - (Wie vorher -) Innig
Humoreske, Op. 20 - Sehr lebhaft - Mit einigem Pomp - Zum Beschluss - Allegro
Novelette No. 9 - aus: Bunte Blatter, Op. 99 - Lebhaft

Tracks:

Sonate Nr. 2 g-moll Op. 22 - 1. So rasch wie moglich
Sonate Nr. 2 g-moll Op. 22 - 2. Andantino. Getragen
Sonate Nr. 2 g-moll Op. 22 - 3. Scherzo. Sehr rasch und markiert - attacca:
Sonate Nr. 2 g-moll Op. 22 - 4. Rondo. Presto - Prestissimo. Quasi Cadenza
Nachtstucke, Op. 23 - 1. Mehr langsam, oft zuruckhaltend
Nachtstucke, Op. 23 - 2. Markiert und lebhaft
Nachtstucke, Op. 23 - 3. Mit grosser Lebhaftigkeit
Nachtstucke, Op. 23 - 4. Ad libitum - Einfach
Drei Romanzen, Op. 28 - 1. Sehr markiert
Drei Romanzen, Op. 28 - 2. Einfach
Drei Romanzen, Op. 28 - 3. Sehr markiert - Intermezzo I. Presto - Intermezzo II. Etwas langsamer - Wie vorherPresto - Inter
Waldszenen, Op. 82 - Neun Klavierstucke - 1. Eintritt. Nicht zu schnell
Waldszenen, Op. 82 - Neun Klavierstucke - 2. Jager auf der Lauer. Hochst lebhaft
Waldszenen, Op. 82 - Neun Klavierstucke - 3. Einsame Blumen. Einfach
Waldszenen, Op. 82 - Neun Klavierstucke - 4. Verrufene Stelle. Ziemlich langsam
Waldszenen, Op. 82 - Neun Klavierstucke - 5. Freundliche Landschaft. Schnell
Waldszenen, Op. 82 - Neun Klavierstucke - 6. Herberge. Massig
Waldszenen, Op. 82 - Neun Klavierstucke - 7. Vogel als Prophet. Langsam, sehr zart
Waldszenen, Op. 82 - Neun Klavierstucke - 8. Jagdlied. Rasch, kraftig
Waldszenen, Op. 82 - Neun Klavierstucke - 9. Abschied. Nicht zu schnell

Customer Reviews:

The facets of the lyricism!.......2006-05-30

Wilhelm Kempff made sing the piano as any other pianist ever born. But besides, his profound domain of the thematic material as well as his tune produced a Schumann so original, expressive and eloquent with sentiment but no sentimentality.

This album is a formidable and fundamental set of the most remarkable Schumann piano works. To create such atmosphere and interpretative freshness in this composer is not easy, but in Kempff hands we are talking about another dimension of pianism.

In this age, pitifully, you cannot count with many thinkers pianists; ones due the very adjusted schedule and the rest by unknown reasons seem to consider a matter of second priority to play with a determined conception. The technique seems to prevail under any other aspect. And that's not a good symptom.

That is why among other arguments you should acquire as soon as possible this extraordinary set.

Absorbing and rewarding in summon grade.

Divine.......2005-07-18

When I first read the reviews here on Amazon, I was a bit concerned about buying this set. I truely love Kempff and elegant performing style, but after having almost around 150 of his collections and cd's, I know that he can be dreadful when he is not on form. So I was worried about this set, but it was useless.

This 4-cd set contains some of the best performances that Kempff could offer considering his age. There are numerous highlights here: Papillons, Davidsbündlertänze, fantasy,..... All of them find him on top form. Although one might argue that there are studio recordings and who knows how many takes one recording must have to become perfect, but let me tell you, even in his live and extremely nerve breaking situations and venues such as the Salzburg festival, he was always on top form.

So Kempff's fan, buy this. It's worth it. In here you won't quite find the excitement that Richter put into his Schumann, but you will find the poetry, emotions and sensitivity that many others lack in their recordings.

To be avoided.......2003-11-22

Despite his reputation as one of the towering exponents of the 19th Germanic repetoire, Kempff acquits himself poorly in these recordings, made at the end of his life. Whether these weak performances are due to his advanced age or to more basic flaws in his training and capabilities is purely academic. They are among the poorest choices in the catalogue, perhaps the very worst. But please - don't take my word for it. Listen to the Etde IX in the op. 13, on disc 2. Kempff's attempt to pull this off is embarrassingly amateurish; he cannot even cover all the notes at "presto possibile", much less raise his playing to something approaching an interpretation. Elsewhere, you can expect the same. The op. 17 is played with little poetry, no finesse and palpable frustration in following Schumann's basic roadmap. You cannot run away from this mess fast enough.

aristocratic and heartfelt schumann.......2003-08-28

this compilation has the benefit of including most of schumann's important keyboard works (among excluded works are the toccata, first sonata, bunte blatter and fantasiestucke), under the hands of an extraordinary schumann interpreter.

recorded in the 1970's, when kempff was nearing 80, this is genuinely classic schumann. the virtuosic extremes of the symphonische etuden and kriesleriana are not quite fully exploited, but there is no flubbing, stumbling or cutting corners: kempff has things always under control. look to argerich, pollini or pogorelich for white hot schumann, kempff delivers him as a human being.

for the sheer poetry of schumann, kempff has never been bettered. his davidsbundlertanze, especially the last 5 movements, is without peer. the kinderszenen is delightful. the poetry of the fantasie in C is magnificent. there is a lifetime of musical experience and temperament in this playing.

aristocratic and heartfelt schumann.......2003-08-28

Customer Reviews:

Good for the rare pieces.....but..........2006-11-08

Overall, you will be hard up to find a more thoroughly complete two hand piano survey of Schumann's piano opus. However, for the more "popular" pieces such as the op 17, or the kinderszenen, these are decent to mediocre versions are best. They arent bad, Jorg Demus is a skilled pianist, though has always in my view been more successful in a supporting role, as evidenced by his masterful accompaniment in Dichterliebe and assorted Schubert lieder. If you are familiar with Richter's masterful Schumann interpretations-or Horowitz for many of the works, or Lupu, Argerich, these pale in comparison. If you are out for quantity-I would recommend the Ashkenazy set-though it is incomplete. Again, many of the works by schumann that you can only find here will only be of interest to the absolute Schumannaholic, which I am, but it is kind of a two way street because if you are a schumann madman, then you will know how third tier these performances truly are.

Mystery Solved.......2006-10-07

First off, thanks to WTA for his extremely thoughtful and comprehensive review, which helped me decide to purchase this Nuova Era set (his reasoning about the unlikelihood that Demus would record this huge corpus again was especially insightful).

I own the original 20-LP/6-volume Musical Heritage Society set issued between 1971 and 1973. Having seen the CD set in a store last year, I was puzzled about whether it was a transfer of these invaluable discs, which contain vast tracts of Schumann that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere (included, for instance, are several posthumously issued works and even a few pieces played from unpublished manuscripts). WTA's review gave me enough clues to suspect that these discs were exactly what I'd been waiting for.

Having just received them, I'm happy to confirm that they are indeed the MHS performances (minus most of the four-hand works, however; see below). I instantly recognized the character of the piano sound and the recording acoustic (both much improved on CD), and a quick check of rhetorical gestures in a sonata movement that I especially value in Demus's hands showed the CD and LP versions to be identical. MHS did not always provide track timings for individual sections of the big piano suites. But where such detail exists, respective CD and LP timings are consistently mere seconds apart -- easily the result of different engineering choices for silent lead-ins and lead-outs to each track.

A further clue comes from a small note on the jewel-box tray inserts, indicating a 1989 digital remastering. I can think of no fully digital (DDD) recording that would be getting remastered so early in CD history. Anything from the '80s would almost certainly be making its first appearance in the new storage medium. Moreover, the sound has none of the hallmarks of DDD recordings (as WTA notes, for instance, Demus's recordings have detectable [but nonintrusive] background hiss).

So for all these reasons, I feel confident in declaring that this set is basically the old MHS offering. There are two sad omissions, however:

(1) The CD set includes all the solo pieces in the LP set, as well as a short, posthumously published F-minor Scherzo on CD 12 that MHS seems to have left out. Nuova Era, alas, omits the vast majority of the often-delightful four-hand works, for which Norman Shetler joined Demus (most of these items appeared in MHS's five-disc finale). The Sketches for Pedal Piano, Opp. 56 & 58, are here (perhaps because they were originally conceived for a now-forgotten solo instrument that had a pedalboard [Alkan was said to have been its greatest master]; on a modern instrument, Schumann's pedal-piano music thus takes two pianists), but -- shame on Nuova Era! -- Shetler gets no credit as the second pianist. If you'd like a fine but inexpensive tour of the four-hand output, try the three-disc VoxBox ("Schumann Complete Works For Piano 4-Hands") featuring Peter Frankl, Andras Schiff, et al.

(2) The CD set lacks the superb MHS album notes by Douglas Townsend. Also missing is Demus's own illuminating statement about recording these works across a span of about three years. These are thoroughly digested interpretations: Demus not only memorized every note but also played every last work in concert. Complete recordings like this one are not necessarily commercial gimmicks, as some so carelessly assert. A serious and sensitive musician who takes on such a task will uncover secrets and interconnections that only exposure to a composer's full output in a given area can progressively disclose. As Demus explains (in Herman Adler's translation from the German), "Only by knowing Schumann's creative output in its totality has it been possible to uncover fresh facets in overfamiliar standard works. [. . .] In the music of no other composer do we find as many cross-relations and associations throughout his work. Schumann likes to quote himself as well as other composers, as did, later, his French brother-in-spirit, Claude Debussy. [. . .] Only knowledge of this entire universe will result in something I would call *Stilsicherheit* (stylistic assurance)."

But let's not dwell on what's *not* here. As WTA observes, this is a deeply rewarding collection that every serious Schumann-lover will want to explore. Are these performances the last word on Schumann's poetic realm? Of course not: no such "last word" exists. The essential thing is that throughout this enormous journey, Demus never falsifies the music, and he plays with an honesty that can be far more illuminating than flashier approaches.

So, Schumann-lovers, get this set as cheaply as you can -- but one way or another, get it while you can!

Mystery meat.......2006-04-10

I don't think I've ever before experienced such frustration in trying to assess a product. Here a well-regarded and fairly well-known pianist sits down and records all (even that's up for grabs) the piano music of a pretty well-known and well-regarded composer and barely a peep out there in Internet land.

What I did encounter after a lot of searching, and according to different reviewers who deigned to barely mention this bulky and hard-to-ignore boxed set, was this dopey basketful of professional opinions:

1) The recording quality was poor according to one guy
2) The piano was out of tune according to some editor who happened to also be a piano tuner
3) The music was criminally recorded using a piano with beat hammers and strings
4) Demus may or may not have recorded the set with a period instrument that also may have had beat hammers and strings
5) Nobody should record Schumann on a period instrument according to another expert (without really letting us know if this was the case here)
6) The interpretations were wooden
7) The interpretations were fabulous despite the crappy sound and beat up old out-of-tune piano
8) Nobody was sure if this was his complete Schumann recorded in the 1970s and released on Musical Heritage or these were new DDD recordings as listed

OK--as the notes with this set absolutely stink and no one out in Internet land seems to have any consistent and coherent thing to say about it, this then is my judgement, based on careful listening and a few intelligent guesses.

1) The interpretations are great, wonderful, really enjoyable, idiomatic--some might consider them slightly wooden because there's next-to-no pedal which leads me to believe it is a period instrument he's recorded on. This isn't Argerich slamming away at these so don't expect that. Yamaha fans will be disappointed. Demus clearly knows his Schumann and plays crisply and accurately.
2) The sound quality, while hardly SACD, is just fine and, again if this is a period instrument and I sure tend to think so, what I'm hearing would be about right. I rather like the engineering as the result is intimate and warm
3) Honestly, did Demus record all these in the 1970s without them getting any attention and then do it all over again in the 1980s just to get ignored again? I hear distinct tape hiss if I listen closely, this doesn't sound like a 1989 DDD recording (which the box claims it to be) which is probably why the recording has some warmth and (audible tape hiss)
4) Who am I to argue with an editor/piano tuner but if this piano is out of tune I'm not noticing it one zot. Also, didn't they tune pianos a little differently way back in 1850 or so?

SO--I'll guess this is the complete piano music of Robert Schumann (perhaps minus one small piece according to yet another miffed commentator, although he keeps talking about a 12 CD set and this has 13 discs!)recorded in the 1970s with Jorg Demus playing a piano built around 1850 or so with everything that implies. I'll also guess that a lot of reviewers out there, left to fend for themselves without some promotional sheet from the label, maybe without even free promo copies, were really reaching a bit. Even if I'm wrong I seem to be doing better than the second-guessing I found elsewhere and anyway the result is really enjoyable. I simply like this set a lot even if someday I may discover it is, in fact, Ernest Borgnine playing a badly tuned pool hall upright in 1953. Less than no stars to Nuovo Era for never seeming to get the presentation of this delightful set right--license it to Brilliant and they'll do it up properly for Pete's sake and maybe you'll actually sell a few. They might even be able to kick down that DDD tape hiss a bit. It's also too danged expensive given even the putative late recording date--it shouldn't be more than $120 under any circumstances. I got mine for less than $40 at a classical cut-outs and deletions place.

Conclusion: This whole situation is sad. Jorg Demus is a great pianist and he obviously loves Schumann. Schumann's piano music is worth the effort. This should be a well-known and highly-regarded set and I'm happier with this than with any other big box of piano I may own, short of a Brahms set.

Alfred Cortot Plays Chopin, Liszt, Ravel, Schumann

Average customer rating:

Best Chopin Etudes Ever! Wrong notes and all
A fine testament, but with some laboured playing
The Greatest Artist of the 20th Century!!

Alfred Cortot Plays Chopin, Liszt, Ravel, Schumann

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00000I93Y
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Etudes, Op.10: No.1 In C
Etudes, Op.10: No.2 In A Minor 'Chromatique'
Etudes, Op.10: No.3 In E 'Tristesse'
Etudes, Op.10: No.4 In C Sharp Minor
Etudes, Op.10: No.5 In G Flat 'Black Keys'
Etudes, Op.10: No.6 In E Flat Minor
Etudes, Op.10: No.7 In C
Etudes, Op.10: No.8 In F
Etudes, Op.10: No.9 In F Minor
Etudes, Op.10: No.10 In A Flat
Etudes, Op.10: No.11 In E Flat
Etudes, Op.10: No.12 In C Minor 'Revolutionary'
Etudes, Op.25: No.1 In A Flat 'Aeolian Harp'
Etudes, Op.25: No.2 In F Minor
Etudes, Op.25: No.3 In F
Etudes, Op.25: No.4 In A Minor
Etudes, Op.25: No.5 In E Minor
Etudes, Op.25: No.6 In G Sharp Minor
Etudes, Op.25: No.7 In C Sharp Minor
Etudes, Op.25: No.8 In D Flat
Etudes, Op.25: No.9 In G Flat 'Butterfly'
Etudes, Op.25: No.10 In B Minor 'Octave'
Etudes, Op.25: No.11 In A Minor 'Winter Wind'
Etudes, Op.25: No.12 In C Minor
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 In C Sharp Minor
Hungarian Rhapsody No.11 In A Minor
'Rigoletto' Paraphrase
Jeux d'eau

Tracks:

Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Symphonische Etuden, Op. 13
Carnaval, Op. 9: 1. Preambule
Carnaval, Op. 9: 2. Pierrot
Carnaval, Op. 9: 3. Arlequin
Carnaval, Op. 9: 4. Valse Noble
Carnaval, Op. 9: 5. Eusebius
Carnaval, Op. 9: 6. Florestan
Carnaval, Op. 9: 7. Coquette
Carnaval, Op. 9: 8a. Replique
Carnaval, Op. 9: 8b. Sphinxes
Carnaval, Op. 9: 9. Papillons
Carnaval, Op. 9: 10. A.S.C.H.-S.C.H.A. (Lettres dansantes)
Carnaval, Op. 9: 11. Chiarina
Carnaval, Op. 9: 12. Chopin
Carnaval, Op. 9: 13. Estrella
Carnaval, Op. 9: 14. Reconnaissance
Carnaval, Op. 9: 15. Pantalon e Colombine
Carnaval, Op. 9: 16a. Valse allemande
Carnaval, Op. 9: 16b. Intermezzo: Paganini - Valse allemande (Reprise)
Carnaval, Op. 9: 17. Aveu
Carnaval, Op. 9: 18. Promenade
Carnaval, Op. 9: 19. Pause
Carnaval, Op. 9: 20. Marche des 'Davidsbundler' contre les Philistins
Kreisleriana, Op. 18: 1. Ausserst bewegt
Kreisleriana, Op. 18: 2. Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch - Intermezzo I. Segr lebhaft - Tempo I - Intermezzo II. Etwas bewegter - Tempo I
Kreisleriana, Op. 18: 3. Sehr aufgeregt
Kreisleriana, Op. 18: 4. Segr langsam
Kreisleriana, Op. 18: 5. Sehr lebhaft
Kreisleriana, Op. 18: 6. Sehr langsam
Kreisleriana, Op. 18: 7. Sehr rasch
Kreisleriana, Op. 18: 8. Schnell und spielend

Customer Reviews:

Best Chopin Etudes Ever! Wrong notes and all.......2004-10-17

This set would be a great introduction to Alfred Cortot. His Etudes are the finest on disc, though new listeners will need to get used to the performing methods of the 30's. Cortot himself is an aquired taste, he often hits wrong notes and overuses rubato, something all pianists of the era did. If you are curious about historical pianists and need a place to start. there is no better disc than this, and give it a chance, if for some reason you prefer today's etudes to Cortot's know this, his teacher was Chopin's favourite pupil, and you will never be closer to hearing them the way they were meant to sound,

A fine testament, but with some laboured playing.......2004-07-04

This is a fine historical testament to the playing of the important legend Alfred Cortot: the program selection is thorough and attractive (save for that one campy interpretation of Liszt's 2nd Rhapsody, which belongs in the garbage).

Every aspiring pianist should listen to Cortot's recordings at least once, and Cortot's devoted fans like to boast of his limitless vision.Yet I find it partisan to say that he is consistently brilliant. I have nothing against wrong notes; yet his often-praised recording of the Chopin Etudes is, to my ears, laboured. I hear a lot of struggling in it, and in very many cases the technique seems to get in the way of the music. Take the strained first Etude, for example, the insecurity of his No. 23, or the choppy F major No. 8. Listening to Cortot's Chopin Etudes personally makes me irritable and I find myself only returning to a select few (in the flitting account of the F minor Etude, Op. 25, for example, Cortot's true genius shines through). I prefer, for example, the more gentle poetry of these etudes played by his near contemporary, Guiomar Novaes.

For all its tender whimsicality, Cortot's reading of Schumann's `Carnival' is too balmy for my taste; though I would never say that his vision were peccant. The two highlights of this disc, for me, are Cortot's savage and at times magical account of Schumann's `Symphonic Etudes' (a favorite interpretation of mine), and the passionate account of `Kreisleriana'.

I also removed a star because of the CD itself. The transferring is solid, but I don't like having 48 pieces crammed up on one CD, and would have preferred it had been divided into three Cds; also, the packaging, though visually very nice, is annoying: in order to emulate a LP record, the discs slip out from a very tight casing, which probably lets dust in and makes the discs easily scratched (my CD has already begun jumping, so I guess it scratched while trying to slide it out).

The Greatest Artist of the 20th Century!!.......1999-06-02

Cortot is, in my opinion, the greatest interpreter of piano music that this century has witnessed. True, he missed a lot of notes, but what energy! what passion! what freedom his interpretations convey. He represents the lost "Golden Age" of pianism- the age of artistic integrity and excessive rubato! Pay special attention to Schumann's Kreisleriana. Cortot's version has never been equaled, not even by Horowitz himself. His J'eaux D'eau is not only unabashedly sensuous but also one of the fastest versions ever recorded. His Chopin E'tudes, though quite a few notes are missing, are the most energetic ever recorded. Their tempestuousness shows Cortot at his best. What he lacks in accuracy, he more than makes up for with sheer force of energy and tonal beauty. Cortot, with perhaps the exception of Kempff, plays more beautifully than any other artist. His music-making is pure poetry. He was never afraid to make music his own, and this integrity makes his recordings the most rewarding that I've had the pleasure to hear. The spontaneity will delight those listeners tired of the overperfection and timidity of todays interpretations. One more recommendation. Though not on this album, Cortot's 1933 recording of Chopin's masterpiece, the 4th Ballade, is in my opinion the best recording of Chopin period. He does more with the musical structure of the piece than any other artist, and I've heard numerous other interpretations- Hoffman's, Horowitz's, Richter's, Ashkenazy's, Moisewitch's, etc.I would recommend also the 3-cd set of Cortot, Casals, and Thibaud playing various chamber pieces in trio ensemble. This set also gives one a taste of Cortot's conducting. In his lifetime, he was a noted conductor and premiered Wagner's Parsifal in Paris. Well, enough said. Bye it or miss out.

Average customer rating:

passionate pianism with lots of mistakes

Schumann: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Classica D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005OAJ7
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Tracks:

Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Carnaval, Op.9
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Pno Son No.1 in f#, Op.11: Intro-Un Poco Adagio-Allegro Vivace
Pno Son No.1 in f#, Op.11: Aria
Pno Son No.1 in f#, Op.11: Scherzo E Intermezzo: Allegrissimo
Pno Son No.1 in f#, Op.11: Finale: Allegro Un Poco Maestoso

Tracks:

Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Davidsbundlertanze, Op.6
Fant in C, Op.17: Il Tutto Fantastico Ed Appassionato-In Modo D'Una Leggenda
Fant in C, Op.17: Moderato Con Ergia-Poco Meno Mosso-Piu Animato
Fant in C, Op.17: Lento Sostenuto-Il Tutto Pno-Poco Piu Animato
Traumerei

Customer Reviews:

passionate pianism with lots of mistakes.......2005-03-24

Gieseking is best known for his Debussy. In these recordings, Gieseking plays pieces from an earlier epoch in Schumann. Most of the heavy-hitting pieces of Schumann are found. I found his playing to be very striking and original. He was definitely not simply just "going through the motions." The dynamics were accentuated quite heavily, and the tempos were also accentuated. In addition, I found that Gieseking has a very sensitive, colorful tone in Schumann that also made him famous in Debussy (in the lyrical sections). Gieseking also captures the white-hot Romanticism and emotionality of these works, displaying Schumann as one of the greatest, red-blooded poets of the Romantic period.

Despite these very good qualities, Gieseking makes tons of mistakes. They are present in every piece. They are little slips, missed notes, and faked chords. I dont know if these errors are due to the Gieseking Method of learning pieces (where one does not practice at the keyboard, but practices away from the keyboard), but they detract from his otherwise intense performance.

I hate to get into recording comparisons, but I would choose Gieseking over several other Schumann interpretations, including Rubinstein and Kissin.

The sound quality of the recordings has quite a lot to be desired. These audio cuts were made in the 1940's, and it shows.

Lastly, my own personal quibble is that Geiseking's breathing is quite audible in every piece. For example, in the Carnaval's Preambule, this breathing is used to count the off-beats between notes. It's an annoyingly small distraction but one nonetheless.

P.S. There is quite a lot of music for two CD's. It's a good buy considering the price.

Average customer rating:

Uchida is fierce and free in Schumann (shades of Argerich)
Schumann for Today

Schumann: Carnaval; Kreisleriana

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000041B2
Release Date: 1995-03-14

Tracks:

Kreisleriana Op.16: 1. Ausserst Bewegt/Agitatissimo
Kreisleriana Op.16: 2. Sehr Innig Und Nicht Zu Rasch/Con Molta Espressione, Non Troppo Presto...
Kreisleriana Op.16: 3. Sehr Aufgeregt/Molto Agitato
Kreisleriana Op.16: 4. Sehr Langsam/Lento Assai
Kreisleriana Op.16: 5. Sehr Lebhaft/Vivace Assai
Kreisleriana Op.16: 6. Sehr Langsam/Lento Assai
Kreisleriana Op.16: 7. Sehr Rasch/Molto Presto
Kreisleriana Op.16: 8. Schnell Und Spielend/Vivace E Scherzando
Carnaval Op.9: Preambule
Carnaval Op.9: Pierrot
Carnaval Op.9: Arlequin
Carnaval Op.9: Valse Noble
Carnaval Op.9: Eusebius
Carnaval Op.9: Florestan
Carnaval Op.9: Coquette
Carnaval Op.9: Replique
Carnaval Op.9: Sphinxes
Carnaval Op.9: Paipllons
Carnaval Op.9: A.S.C.H.-S.C.H.A. (Letres Dansantes)
Carnaval Op.9: Chiarina
Carnaval Op.9: Chopin
Carnaval Op.9: Estrella
Carnaval Op.9: Reconnaissance
Carnaval Op.9: Pantalon E Colombine
Carnaval Op.9: Valse Allemande-Intermezzo: Paganini
Carnaval Op.9: Aveu
Carnaval Op.9: Promenade
Carnaval Op.9: Pause
Carnaval Op.9: Marche Des 'Davidsbundler' Contre Les Philistins

Customer Reviews:

Uchida is fierce and free in Schumann (shades of Argerich).......2006-07-29

Mitsuko Uchida has shaken off any lingering image of her as a china-doll Mozart interpreter. Taking on the larger-scaled paino music of Schumann, she works hard not to be delicate. In some ways that's a shame, because while her Kreisleriana is suitably full of fierceness and freedom of expression, her Carnaval is joyless. She rushes and at times bangs, giving little scope for the lightness and humor of Schumann's fantasy. She's not helped by a shaollow, clangy piano sound that becomes grating very quickly.

Schumann for Today.......2003-02-28

Mitsuko Uchida deservedly ranks high among modern interpreters of Mozart and Schubert. Her Debussy "Douze Etudes" is flawless and her Beethoven "Emperor" a rousing and marvelous success. After hearing her "Keisleriana" and "Carnaval," however, I wonder why she has not recorded more Schumann? These are brilliant, articulate and wondrous readings. From the first bars of the "Kreisleriana," one of Schumann's dark and demanding collections of short pieces, which is closest in tone to his later "Humoreske," she sets the pieces ablaze with intellectual fire, powerfully evoking their rich emotional content and always with awe-inspiring technique. Uchida does not indulge the kind of mannered and oblique approach too many pianists (and others) adopt in approaching Schumann, as though he must be humored rather than enjoyed, as though he were mad first and a genius second. Few composers have been as thoroughly - and ineptly - compartmentalized and labeled as Schumann: he was trapped in the throes of a weird romantic, dualistic personality (Florestan and Eusebius), he mastered only short works for piano and could not handle long works, his later works are incomprehensible, etc. These and other shibboleths are being smashed by the dazzling recordings of Ms. Uchida, Vladimir Horowitz, John Eliot Gardiner, Wolfgang Sawallisch and, most recently, Barbara Bonney, Gidon Kremer and Arkady Volodos. See also John Daverio's excellent book, Robert Schumann: Herald of a "New Poetic Age." Among composers of lieder, Schumann has no peer. The legions who mindlessly venerate Schubert as the one great master of German song(and he plainly deserves to be venerated)have apparently never spent the time with Hermann Prey's or Barbara Bonney's gorgeous recordings of the lieder, to say nothing of the superb Hyperion set. But for me, the "Kreisleriana" and its cousins, "Carnaval," "Humoreske" and, say, "Bunte Blatter," will always remain among the most intellectually ravishing, intimate and masterful of all classical works for piano or otherwise. It is a credit to Ms. Uchida's artistry that this recording stands out among the numerous versions by such masters as Cortot, Horowitz, Rubinstein, Ashkenazy and Kempff, to say nothing of Argerich, O'Rourke, Cooper, Schiff, Demus, Lupu and many others. The sound is splendid and she plays the pieces as Schumann revised them, not in the original version, as Pollini in his recording does. She also includes the brief "Sphinxes" in "Carnaval." She was recently scheduled to perform the Fantasy, op. 17, in New York. I sincerely hope Ms. Uchida will add the entire Schumann piano repertoire to her recorded works once - or perhaps even while - she finishes propounding Schubert's piano music, and now, Schubert lieder, with Ian Bostridge. After this taste of what she can do, I want very much to hear more.

I have read the other review of this disc and I wonder at the description of the "Carnaval" as "joyless," and the piano as "shallow and clangy." I have listened to this CD again and concluded that I cannot agree with either criticism. The piano is very fine and the "Carnaval" is rendered with a good deal of Romantic brio and passion. I stand by my original comments.

Average customer rating:

Robert Schumann: Piano Works
Schumann , Haskil , Horowitz , and Rachmaninoff
Manufacturer: Andante
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000066TXL
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Romantique: Piano Works by Chopin, Liszt, Mendelssohn and Schumann

Average customer rating:

Romantique: Piano Works by Chopin, Liszt, Mendelssohn and Schumann

Manufacturer: Valois
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00014EJE8
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Tracks:

Prelude Op.28 N.16 Presto Con Fuoco - Grigory Sokolov
Prelude Op.28 N.8 Molto Agitato - Grigory Sokolov
Marche Funebre De - Grigory Sokolov
Etude Op.25 N.2 Presto - Grigory Sokolov
Etude Op.25 N.6 Allegro - Grigory Sokolov
Prelude Op.28 N.24 Allegro Appassionato - Grigory Sokolov
Nocturne In F Sharp Major Op.15 No.2 - Rafael Orozco
Mazurka Op.68 N.2 Lento - Janusz Olejniczac
Mazurka Op.17 N.4 Lento Ma Non Troppo - Janusz Olejniczac
Polonaise Op.40 N.1 Allegro Con Brio - Janusz Olejniczac
Polonaise Op.53 Maestoso - Janusz Olejniczac
Prelude Op.28 N.4 Largo - Grigory Sokolov
Prelude Op.28 N.1 Agitato - Grigory Sokolov
Prelude Op.28 N.20 Largo - Grigory Sokolov
Etude Op.25 N.12 Allegro Molto E Con Fuoco - Grigory Sokolov
Sonnet De Petrarque N.1 Preludio - Con Moto - Rafael Orozco
Feux Follets (Etude D'execution Transcendante N.5) - Rafael Orozco
Apres Une Lecture Du Dante - Rafael Orozco

Tracks:

Liebestraum (Nocturne N.3) - Rafael Orozco
Valse Oubliee N.1 - Philippe Cassard
Hungarian Rhapsody N.15 Rakoczy - Jeno Jando
Carnaval Op.9 Chiarina - Jeno Jando
Carnaval Op.9 Chopin - Jeno Jando
Kinderszenen Op.15 Von Fremden Landern Und Menschen - Jeno Jando
Kinderszenen Op.15 Traumerei - Jeno Jando
Kreisleriana Op.16 AuBert Bewegt - Laurent Cabasso
Kreisleriana Op.16 Sehr Aufgeregt - Laurent Cabasso
Waldszenen Op.82 Vogel Als Prophet - Paul Gulda
Fantasiestucke Op.12 Aufschwung - Laurent Cabasso
Fantasiestucke Op.12 Traumes Wirren - Laurent Cabasso
Gesange Der Fruhe Op.133 Bewegt - Laurent Cabasso
Nachtstucke Op.23 Mit GroBer Lebhaftigkeit - Laurent Cabasso
Arabeske Op.18 - Rafael Orozco
Phantasiestucke Op.111 Kraftig Und Sehr Markiert - Karl Engel
Op.62 N.6 - Peter Nagy
Op.67 N.4 - Peter Nagy
Op.30 N.6 - Peter Nagy
Op.19 N.2 - Peter Nagy
Op.62 N.3 - Peter Nagy
Rondo Capriccioso Op.14 - Danielle Laval
Canzonetta - Daniel Laval

Schumann: Carnaval Op9; Symphonic Etudes Op13

Average customer rating:

Among the finest interpretations of Carnaval (and Kreisleriana)!

Schumann: Carnaval Op9; Symphonic Etudes Op13

Manufacturer: Testament
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000003XJA
Release Date: 1996-06-10

Tracks:

Carnaval, Op.9: 1. Prld
Carnaval, Op.9: 2. Pierrot
Carnaval, Op.9: 3. Arlequin
Carnaval, Op.9: 4. Valse Noble
Carnaval, Op.9: 5. Eusebius
Carnaval, Op.9: 6. Florestan
Carnaval, Op.9: 7. Coquette
Carnaval, Op.9: 8. Replique
Carnaval, Op.9: 9. Papillons
Carnaval, Op.9: 10. A. S. C. H..-S. C. H. A. (Letters Dansantes)
Carnaval, Op.9: 11. Chiarina
Carnaval, Op.9: 12. Chopin
Carnaval, Op.9: 13. Estrella
Carnaval, Op.9: 14. Reconnaissance
Carnaval, Op.9: 15. Pantalon Et Colombine
Carnaval, Op.9: 16. Valse Allemande
Carnaval, Op.9: 17. Paganini
Carnaval, Op.9: 18. Aveu
Carnaval, Op.9: 19. Promenade
Carnaval, Op.9: 20. Pause
Carnaval, Op.9: 21. Marche Des 'Davidbundler' Contre Les Philistins
Etused Syms, Op.13: Thema (Andante)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 1 (Var 1)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 2 (Var 2)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 3 (Vivace)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 4 (Var 3)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 5 (Var 4) (Vivacissimo)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 6 (Var 5) (Agitato)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Posthumous Var 4
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 7 (Var 6) (Allegro Molto)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 8 (Var 7) (Andante)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Posthumous Var 5
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 9 (Presto Possibile)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 10 (Var 8) (Allegro)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 11 (Var 9) (Andante)
Etused Syms, Op.13: Etude 12 (Finale) (Allegro Brillante)
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 1. Ausserst Bewegt
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 2. Sehr Innig Und Nicht Zu Rasch
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 2. Sehr Innig Und Nicht Zu Rasch: Intermezzo I (Sehr Lebhaft)-Erstes Tempo
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 2. Sehr Innig Und Nicht Zu Rasch Intermezzo II (Etwas Bewebter)...
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 3. Sehr Aufgeregt
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 4. Sehr Langsam
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 5. Sehr Lebhaft
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 6. Sehr Langsam
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 7. Sehr Lebhaft
Kreisleriana, Op.16: 8. Schnell Und Spielend

Customer Reviews:

Among the finest interpretations of Carnaval (and Kreisleriana)!.......2006-12-13

I own dozens of recordings of Carnaval, plus a handful each of the Symphonic Etudes and Kreisleriana. I won't go into detail, but do yourself a favour and listen through the entire track samples here: this Carnaval and Kreisleriana (both in fine 1955 mono) speak for themselves. I'd not known these interpretations until a few months ago, but would rank Anda's Carnaval as one of my top handful favourites, along with the "obvious" other three reference versions:

Schumann/Rachmaninoff: Carnaval Op. 9 (1929) - Philips, Brilliant Classics etc.
Schumann/Cortot: Carnaval Op. 9 (1928) - HMV/Philips, Enterprise, Music&Arts etc.
Schumann/Arrau: Carnaval Op. 9 (1939) - Parlophone-Odeon/EMI, Enterprise, Marston, Pearl

followed by addtional recommendations (there is no such things a THE perfect Carnaval!):

Schumann/Arrau: Carnaval Op. 9 (1966) - Philips
Schumann/Michelangeli: Carnaval Op. 9 - DG
Schumann/Hess: Carnaval Op. 9 (1938) - EMI/Philips, Enterprise etc.
Schumann/Rubinstein: Carnaval Op. 9 (1962/63) - RCA
Schumann/Freire: Carnaval Op. 9 (2002) - Decca
Schumann/Katchen: Carnaval Op. 9 - Decca
Schumann/Ashkenazy: Carnaval Op. 9 (1986) - Decca

As to Anda's Kreisleriana, it's often slow, pensive, songful and lyrical in contrast to the more tumultous and quixotic Horowitz (the earlier 1969 reference recording on Columbia/Sony, of course), and yet so different from the also poetic, earlier 1956 Kempff recording on DG (where I tend to like the slow movements best). Again, I'd not place Anda above Cortot and the above as a Schumann interpreter, but like what he has to say equally as well and certainly would not want to be without it, its mood changes increasingly growing on me the more often I listen to it.

As to Anda's 1953 Symphonic Etudes here, his playing is impressively orchestral in places, a feat in itself, no doubt, but the composition as a whole, long lines rather than a succession of etudes, continues to speak to me most through the recordings by Cortot (the London live recording from 1929 on e.g. Philips Great Pianists of the Century) and Richter (1971 Olympia/Regis).

In a nutshell: whereas the 1953 Symphonic Etudes here may not be of primary concern, you must hear Anda's 1955 recordings of Carnaval and Kreisleriana. Remastering quality, as usual on Testament, is most impressive.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.