Horowitz's Schumann

[LeMartinPecheur]

Help please! I've just snapped up a charity-shop copy of Horowitz Vol 1 in the Great Pianists of the 20th Century twofer series, and didn't spot that the central booklet is missing I'm now trying to work out exactly which of his many Schumann recordings are featured. From online stuff and LPs/CDs already on my shelves I've got this far:

Disc 1
Tr 1. Toccata in C Op 7 (suggestion it's from 1932 but is this the standard HMV usually dated 12/5/34?)

2 Arabeske in C Op 18. No clue. (Is it again the 1930s - 12/5/34? -HMV?)

3 Traumeswirren. (Fantasiestucke Op 12). No clue. Maybe the 1930s - 15/11/32? - HMV??

4. Presto passionato (rejected finale of Sonata No 2 Op 22) No clue. Maybe the 1930s - ?/11/32 - HMV??

5-12 Kreisleriana Op 16. (DG 1985?)

13-23 Humoreske Op 20. No clues at all!

--------------------------------------
Disc 2
Tr 1-4 Concerto sans orchestre (Sonata in F min Op 14) (1976?)

5 Novelette in F Op 21/1 (1986 DG?)

6-8 Fantasiestucke Op 111 (1980?)

9-21 Kinderszenen Op 15 (1987 Vienna live, DG?)


Would be really grateful for any hard info

[makropulos]

Original release details form the Gramophone review:
Toccata: rec. 1934
Arabeske: HMV, 2/1935
Traumes Wirren: HMV, 6/1934
Presto passionato HMV, 6/1933
Kreisleriana DG 6/1986
Humoreske RCA 4/1980
Concerto without orchestra RCA 12/1976
Novelette No. 1, DG 5/1986
Fantasiestücke RCA 7/1981
Kinderszenen DG 10/1991 (rec. Vienna 1987)

[LeMartinPecheur]

Original release details form the Gramophone review:
Toccata: rec. 1934
Arabeske: HMV, 2/1935
Traumes Wirren: HMV, 6/1934
Presto passionato HMV, 6/1933
Kreisleriana DG 6/1986
Humoreske RCA 4/1980
Concerto without orchestra RCA 12/1976
Novelette No. 1, DG 5/1986
Fantasiestücke RCA 7/1981
Kinderszenen DG 10/1991 (rec. Vienna 1987)

makropoulos: many thanks, I'm much obliged to you

Is there anything in the fact that this set includes none of H's many CBS (Sony) Schumann recordings? Didn't Sony play ball with this series?

[gradus]

Its a wonderful collection of performances. Have you checked out his performance of Arabesque on You tube - pure magic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO-p8YKfSD4

[richardfinegold]

makropoulos: many thanks, I'm much obliged to you

Is there anything in the fact that this set includes none of H's many CBS (Sony) Schumann recordings? Didn't Sony play ball with this series?

I remember reading a couple of articles when that series was launched. There was a panel that decided which material to include and it included several prominent Piantists, Brendel figuring very significantly amongst them. There was a deliberate attempt to use recordings of 1) were repetoire with which the Pianist in question was not commonly associated, and 2) recordings that were unfamiliar to the listening public, including many that at that time were not available on CD or had actually ever been issued (Curzon's set contained many recordings that he didn't approve for release, the general consensus being that he was hypercritical and that the opportunity to release them had arrived).
The producers of the series didn't want to just have another "greatest hits" release but were attempting to expand our understanding of their Artistry.
At the time, the series generally lauded, but criticized for a couple of reasons: The first being the choice of pianists--Andre Previn yes, Annie Fischer no, etc--
and the second for the deliberate inclusion of out of the way recordings, some of which involved Pirates, home equipment taping, etc. Many people were dissapointed that the "greatest hits" forumula wasn't used. Also, when I listen to some of these volumes now, the state of the historical (78 rpm) doesn't compare to current standards of digital restoration
From the vantage point of 20 (?) years on, I think the series was a resounding success in achieving it's goals. Given the explosion of recordings available today, anyone who wants the Artists Greatest Hits can easily obtain them. This series was different.
LMP, I would definitely try to obtain the booklet. The essays were always illuminating, never just fluffy promo material, and imo essential to the experience.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Is there anything in the fact that this set includes none of H's many CBS (Sony) Schumann recordings? Didn't Sony play ball with this series?

Slightly answering my own question, the back of this Horowitz set carries the trademarks of BMG, EMI, Philips and DG.

The only one other in this series on my shelves, an Argerich, has Philips and DG trademarks, so I'm still curious - did Sony contribute or not?

[richardfinegold]

Slightly answering my own question, the back of this Horowitz set carries the trademarks of BMG, EMI, Philips and DG.

The only one other in this series on my shelves, an Argerich, has Philips and DG trademarks, so I'm still curious - did Sony contribute or not?

Yes, they did. Many discs featured artists that had been exclusively Sony (Columbia) artists. Serkin, Fleischer and many others

[LeMartinPecheur]

Thanks Richard. Good to see you're doing plenty here - keep smiling and getting better!