Schumann Symphonies Complete Set

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

interesting the vienna Phil seems not to be favoured in these works? [forgive my ignorance if you have already referred to them above ]

Interesting point: didn't Solti record the works with them? At the risk of invoking risible nationalist stereotypes, is it possible that Schumann's orchestral work need a more "Germanic" whoomff to them than the more easy-going grace of the Viennese?



D'you know - even as I wrote that, it occured to me that I was talking sphericals.

[formbyman]

I have always returned to the Szell recordings,being the first I bought years ago,also the Furtwangler fourth.

[amateur51]

I have always returned to the Szell recordings,being the first I bought years ago,also the Furtwangler fourth.

Triffic recommendations, formby!

[aeolium]

Interesting point: didn't Solti record the works with them?

Yes, ferney. I picked up a very cheap copy of that set a couple of years ago. I think they're pretty good performances, though I'd still prefer Sawallisch and Kubelik (and Furtwängler for no 4). I didn't notice too much easy-going grace but perhaps Solti had something to do with that The horns, as ever with the VPO, sound wonderful.

[Ferretfancy]

Sawallisch, Szell and Kubelik - Furtwangler in No 4

Furtwangler in No/4 -wonderful! The transition into the finale sounds like Bruckner, and is none the worse for that !

[Stanfordian]

just acquired the set by David Zinman with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from emusic [v good price] and currently listening to these mp3 downloads ... do boredees have favourite versions or views on Zinman?

Hiya Calum Da Jazbo,

I greatly admire the accounts of the Schumann symphonies from Berliner Philharmoniker under Rafael Kubelik on DG. It also includes the two overtures Genoveva and Manfred. Also with the Berliner Philharmoniker are the accounts of the symphonies and Manfred by James Levine on DG and the symphonies by Karajan also on DG. In addition I also highly rate the Mahler arrangements of the symphonies played by the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under Riccardo Chailly on Decca. Also I would not discount the set from Wolfgang Sawallisch and Staatskapelle Dresden on EMI.

[Arcades Project]

My complete sets would be

Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique / John Eliot Gardiner (Archiv)

Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie / Frank Beermann (CPO) using Joachim Draheim's Breitkopf & Haertel Urtext: the differences are not glaring, but the performances are good with a chamber-ish size orchestra

Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne / Christian Zacharias (MDG) - probably my favourite

Not to be missed in no. 2: Orchestra Mozart / Claudio Abbado (DG)

There's a fine, old school but with interesting stuff going on, no. 2 from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Giuseppe Sinopoli

I like Günter Wand's old school etc recordings of 3 & 4, though not his dismissal of 1 & 2 as the products of psychiatric disorder. But I suspect Wand was haunted by his friend, the great German composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann's fate & the statement wasn't as simply crass as it may seem.

[Tony Halstead]

Hanover Band / Roy Goodman

[verismissimo]

just acquired the set by David Zinman with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from emusic [v good price] and currently listening to these mp3 downloads ... do boredees have favourite versions or views on Zinman?

Can't see any answers to your question re Zinman, aka. I certainly haven't heard it. I've only ever had Karajan, which I like. But as others have written I think Furtwangler unsurpassed in No 4. One of the greatest performances ever recorded!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Furtwangler in No/4 -wonderful! The transition into the finale sounds like Bruckner!

I seem to have acquired the excellent Bernstein set with the VPO twice. I can never forget the 4th played by the same artists in the RAH in 1971.

[Andrew Preview]

I always, always, always come back to the Staatskapelle Dresden set under Sawallisch... one of those recordings that however many other performances one hears, seems 'just right'. (Haven't heard the Zinman, having said that).

Great value these days - £11.60 or less on a GROC double http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schumann-Sym...den+sawallisch

Pure magic

£8.99 from the grocer.

This is the only complete set I have, and it's terrific, but this thread is tempting me to try some others. Curse you all with your enthusiastic recommendations!

[Petrushka]

interesting the vienna Phil seems not to be favoured in these works? [forgive my ignorance if you have already referred to them above ]

I don't seem to have acquired the Furtwangler Schumann 4 but do have him with the VPO in a live 1951 performance of the 1st. I also have a live VPO/Karajan Symphony No 4.

[Nick Armstrong]

This is the only complete set I have, and it's terrific, but this thread is tempting me to try some others. Curse you all with your enthusiastic recommendations!

Last time this came up, I invested in the Szell. Still love the Sawallisch best...

Don't care for the sound on the Sawallisch set - much too overbearing.

I'm surprised you say that, Pet. It's the airy, natural sound that's one of its joys I think!

[Tony Halstead]

Szell.

Yes yes yes and yes again!

[Barbirollians]

I love the Kubelik DG but I think Caliban found the sound much too dry for his ears as I recall so a word of warning on that - it is true that my analogue cassette of the Spring Symphony sounds airier if hissier . The Sony performances are better recorded but a bt less interesting as I remember