The Complete Pre-War Schumann Recordings

On this CD:

1. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9
Composed by Robert Schumann
Performed by Dame Myra Hess

2. Waldszenen No. 7 ("Vogel als Prophet"), for piano, Op. 82/7 Vogel als Prophet
Composed by Robert Schumann
Performed by Dame Myra Hess

3. Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54
Composed by Robert Schumann
Performed by Dame Myra Hess
Conducted by Walter Goehr

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Originally recorded between 1931 and 1938, this reissue shows its age in both sound and playing style. The piano tone is tinny and doesn't sustain, especially in the solos, but one soon ignores that because the playing is so fine. Myra Hess was always the epitome of a noble restraint, finesse, subtlety, and elegance--a combination rarely heard today. Her phrasing and rubatos have wonderful poise, every note has character and expression, and she plays with tenderness, delicacy, and plenty of romantic ardor, but there is never a moment of exaggeration or sentimentality.

Her Carnaval is a pure delight, and in the Concerto, where the piano sounds better, she brings out all the wistful, dreamy poetry and vigorous affirmation. However, the orchestra (unidentified, perhaps for good reason) is woefully inadequate though conducted by the estimable Walter Goehr. The winds sound strident, the strings thin and out of tune, as if there were too few of them; there are some shaky moments between soloist and accompaniment, as if they had not rehearsed enough. How any record company could have given such a poor backup band to so renowned a soloist and conductor is a mystery and a disgrace. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Preambule: Quasi Maestoso - Piu Moto...
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Pierrot: Moderato
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Arlequin: Vivo
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Valse Noble: Un Poco Maestoso
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Eusebius: Adagio
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Florestan: Passionato
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Coquette: Vivo
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Replique: L'istesso Tempo
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Papillons: Prestissimo
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: A.S.C.H.-S.C.H.A. (Letteres Dansantes)...
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Chiarina: Passionato
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Agitato
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Estrella: Con Affetto
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Reconnaissance: Animato
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Pantalon Et Colombine: Presto
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Valse Allemande: Molto Vivace
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Paganini: Intermezzo. Presto
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Aveu: Passionato
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Promenade: Comodo
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Pause: Vivo
Carnaval ('Scenes Mignonnes Sur Quatre Notes'), Op.9: Marche Des 'Davidsbundler' Contre Les...
Bird As Prophet (from Waldszenen, Op.82 No.7): Langsam, Sehr Zart
Con in a, Op.54: I. Allegro Affettuoso
Con in a, Op.54: II. Intermezzo. Andantino Grazioso
Con in a, Op.54: III. Allegro Vivace

Amazon.com

Originally recorded between 1931 and 1938, this reissue shows its age in both sound and playing style. The piano tone is tinny and doesn't sustain, especially in the solos, but one soon ignores that because the playing is so fine. Myra Hess was always the epitome of a noble restraint, finesse, subtlety, and elegance--a combination rarely heard today. Her phrasing and rubatos have wonderful poise, every note has character and expression, and she plays with tenderness, delicacy, and plenty of romantic ardor, but there is never a moment of exaggeration or sentimentality.

Her Carnaval is a pure delight, and in the Concerto, where the piano sounds better, she brings out all the wistful, dreamy poetry and vigorous affirmation. However, the orchestra (unidentified, perhaps for good reason) is woefully inadequate though conducted by the estimable Walter Goehr. The winds sound strident, the strings thin and out of tune, as if there were too few of them; there are some shaky moments between soloist and accompaniment, as if they had not rehearsed enough. How any record company could have given such a poor backup band to so renowned a soloist and conductor is a mystery and a disgrace. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Impeccable musical taste is not enough.......2003-12-16

Dame Myra Hess was one of the most beloved pianists of the first half of the twentieth-century, not only as a soloist but also as a chamber music collaborator with such greats as cellist Pablo Casals. She represents an ideal of refinement, good taste and elegance that seems very remote today.

On the evidence of this Schumann recording it would seem that Dame Myra's primary appeal to today's listeners might be as a chamber musician. There is nothing wrong with her traversal of Schumann's Carnaval except that it simply is not exciting enough; it does not capture the composer's essential spirit of fantasy and eccentricity. Many indicated repeats are omitted, which compromises the composer's concept more than the occasional spot of untidy playing.

The same virtues and faults are apparent in the other pieces on this CD. The Concerto, being cast in a more standard classical form, responds better to Hess's approach and there are many beautiful moments within what again winds up as a rather sedate interpretation. She is not helped here by a second-rate and poorly recorded orchestra. Indeed, the sound throughout is very dated, boxy and congested at dynamic climaxes. The engineers did their best with the material they had, but there is a limit to how much transfers from 78rpm discs can be enhanced. To appreciate Dame Myra's art one first of all needs to hear it more clearly than it is heard here.

A Lyrical Schumann.......2003-09-16

This CD consists of three historic performances of the music of Robert Schumann by the great pianist Myra Hess. The works were recorded in 1931, 1937, and 1938. The recordings are not up to modern standards but the sound is acceptable. This CD is valuable for its music and for Myra Hess' pianism.

The disc includes Schumann's early suite "Carnival", op.9. This is the music of a young man, both impulsive and reflective. The music is full of the fervor of early romanticism with its programme celebrating art and imagination and opposing materialism and "philistinism". The work is in 21 short, titled movements, each of which is derived from the same four-note motto.

Hess gives Carnival a beautiful, lyrical reading. Her tempos are fast, but they have the rhythmic freedom this music demands. Her performance does not have the clangor or bravura that many pianists bring to this great score. Rather, it is a subdued, somewhat classical reading of Carnival emphasizing song and reflection. It is a legitimate interpretation of a great work of the romantic piano literature.

The second major work on the album is Schumann's piano concerto in a minor, op.54., recorded in 1938 with an unidentified orchestra conducted by Walter Goehr. Myra Hess gives a lyrical, impassioned performance of this great concerto. The orchestral playing is less good and the recorded sound is not of high quality. Nevertheless, this piece is worth hearing for the intimate quality of Hess's playing.

The third work on the CD is a short selection "the prophet bird" from Schumann's "Waldszenen", op.82. Ms Hess gives the work a haunting performance.

Amazon.com

The young Claudio Arrau here exuberantly demonstrates the ease with which he could play such demanding works as Balakirev's Islamey. But the plush tone and intellectual integrity that informed his later work is here too, joined to overt virtuosity. So Arrau's later Philips issue of Schumann's Carnaval, fine though it is, must yield to this 1939 Parlophone, which also probes beneath the surface but is more incisive, more vivid in its contrasts, and fleeter of foot. It's difficult to isolate the high points on these two well-filled discs because there are so many--the energy of the Liszt etudes, the full-bodied Debussy, and the robust Chopin yield nothing to the later, more self-consciously profound Arrau. Despite their age, the recordings convey every pianistic nuance, thanks to Marston's typically superb transfers. Not to be missed! --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

A revelation.......2005-11-10

To the "bitter disappointment" critic, you need to listen to the playing, through the less than less than perfect sound. I remember the first time i heard an old old recording, i had a similar reaction. But in the end this helped me, i began to listen to the playing instead of what the engineer's wanted me to hear. In this age of robot super virtuosoism, these aged discs, despite their sound, are a breath of fresh air, you are essentially listening to a performance with little to no editing(beside the reduction of background noise.) If what you want is simply the music, go buy a discount disc of some no name pianist playing what you want, but you seem to care who is playing and that makes me wonder if you can really hear what makes a great pianist. Maybe you should stop listening to those people who told you so and think for yourself. The funny thing is, the sound on this isnt even that bad by historical standards. If you cant get over this, you are going to be depriving yourself of a lot of great playing i.e Cortot, Moiseiwitsch, Furtwangler, early Richter, etc. Open your ears, pal.

A complete, definitive, superb collection.......2002-05-19

At last, here is what any serious Arrau collector could have always wished for. Never before we had the chance of listening in the same compilation to Arrau's only recording of Liszt's Valse melancolique, or Arrrau's forgotten Vocalion recordings, or Arrau's 2 recordings of Chopin's Etude Op.10 No.4 made in 1928 and 1929. Completion has a merit and value of its own. Sound engineering is superb. Deeply felt congratulations are due to Marston. I only wish Marston would release Arrau's 1940s recordings with the same professional zeal as applied to these pre-1940s recordings.

bitter disappointment.......2000-12-04

Unless you are a musicologist who is a specialist in piano technique with an ability to completely ignore the noisy background of ancient recordings, this set of Cds is not for you. I am a lover of Mr.Arrau's lyrical style and when I saw this set I jumped at the opportunity and purchased it. To my bitter dismay these recordings have not been cleaned up at all and paying $33 for Cds I cannot listen to on my modern equipment is not something I am happy about. Some might say I should have known better, but I have purchased Cds of older recordings that have been upgraded for todays' critically sensitive equipment. I was very pleased with them. A little noise I can respect but Cds that are this poorly produced and expensive I cannot. These belong in the realm of professional pianists or musicologist who dote on any historically informative source regardless of production quality and not for the general buying public who simply want to enjoy a master. BEWARE you lovers of great music with great equipment and little interest in the academics of piano technique. Bitter Mislead Buyer in NY

Claudio Arrau - Picked from the Tree.......2000-07-13

Claudio Arrau was among the last of a group of pianists who were trained in the European style. It is sad to see that many of today's pianists seem to forego the music's interpretation. Which is why I highly recommend these recordings. It proves that a prodigy such as Arrau, after suffering the loss of his mentor, Martin Krause, can grow out of his "prodigy egg" and create a unique style of musical ideas and interpretation. His 1921 recordings of the Chopin F major Waltz and Schubert's f minor Moment Musicaux are the first recordings I've heard right after Arrau was "picked from the tree". At 18, I can hear his unique sound come out from those works. I have also enjoyed his other recordings included in these recordings, including an incredible performance of his "Islamey" of Balakirev. His Busoni recording of the Elegy #5 is interesting. It has been recorded that Arrau was a big admire of Busoni and played his works with much enthusiasm.

I sincerely hope that this is the first of many releases of his early recordings because it is a testimonial to his unique interpretation to these composers

Music Track:

Music Track

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