BaL 29.03.25 - Schumann: Carnaval

[Darloboy]

Am I right in thinking that no fortepiano recordings were mentioned?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes you’re right.
I’m wondering what fortepiano Schumann played in 1834 ? Ah it is was an Andreas Stein now restored and in his house.
Off thread I went to an extraordinary Winterreise on Friday night at the Wigmore Hall . Sung magnificently by Joyce DiDonato it was accompanied no less superbly by Maxim Emelyanychev on one of the best fortepianos I’ve ever heard, It really worked…

[MickyD]

... thanks very much for flagging that up : I have found Daniel Grimwood to be revelatory in other recordings, so look forward to getting this one!

.

I echo that sentiment. I have Grimwood doing Chopin and the Liszt Années de Pèlerinage but wasn't aware of the Schumann.

[Pulcinella]

Yes you’re right.
I’m wondering what fortepiano Schumann played in 1834 ? Ah it is was an Andreas Stein now restored and in his house.
Off thread I went to an extraordinary Winterreise on Friday night at the Wigmore Hall . Sung magnificently by Joyce DiDonato it was accompanied no less superbly by Maxim Emelyanychev on one of the best fortepianos I’ve ever heard, It really worked…

Neil Fisher of The Times was not so keen on her Winterreise:

https://www.thetimes.com/article/05760498-e72c-4005-be6d-b5765135b814?shareToken=6de06bb1d72123fc1f92ec6641dcac2b

[gurnemanz]

Neil Fisher of The Times was not so keen on her Winterreise:

https://www.thetimes.com/article/05760498-e72c-4005-be6d-b5765135b814?shareToken=6de06bb1d72123fc1f92ec6641dcac2b

Guardian was positive. I like Joyce DiDonato and would happily have gone along. We recently enjoyed Ian Bostridge's staged Winterreise at Ustinov Theatre, Bath.

Back to Carnaval - the BaL (not yet listened) sent me back to going through the various versions I already have. Just greatly enjoyed Sergio Fiorentino on Berlin Recordings collection.

[Barbirollians]

Looks like the 1952 Solomon that was on Testament has disappeared . As I understand it once the pressed copies Of Testament CDs sell out they won’t make any more.

[gradus]

If you enjoy fast-paced performances try Robert Casadesus - must have had a train to catch.

[JWillsMusicFan]

Hello all. Just signed up here, and enjoying some listening on my day off at home. Just listening to last weekend's Record Review with Andrew McGregor and much enjoying the variety of recommended new releases - Charles Wood, Dvorak (yes, I hear the nightingale too, which I'd not thought before!), Florence Price. Liza Lehmann next.

[french frank]

Hello all. Just signed up here, and enjoying some listening on my day off at home. Just listening to last weekend's Record Review with Andrew McGregor and much enjoying the variety of recommended new releases - Charles Wood, Dvorak (yes, I hear the nightingale too, which I'd not thought before!), Florence Price. Liza Lehmann next.

Good morning JWMF - and welcome, particularly as you prove the email verification system IS working properly.

[JWillsMusicFan]

Good morning JWMF - and welcome, particularly as you prove the email verification system IS working properly.

Thanks. Listening to that Bacewicz recommendation from RR on a loop - what a piece!

[Nick Armstrong]

Looks like the 1952 Solomon that was on Testament has disappeared . As I understand it once the pressed copies Of Testament CDs sell out they won’t make any more.

A 1956 RIAS recording by Solomon is available on Qobuz:



(I always think of him in relation to this work, as my mother always raved about a performance she had heard by him - sadly she never found an LP of him playing it)

I thought this was a very good BAL - at last, some extracts played more than once in comparative performances, and some informative comment without a surplus of mutual agreement with AMcG.

Surprising perhaps that no very recent recordings featured (unless I’ve forgotten one), in contrast to many BALs of late, and that no ‘period’ instruments featured.

Illuminating survey nonetheless. I’ve had the Uchida since it came out (and the Testament recording by Solomon); it was the de Larrocha that caught my ear, and which I shall be seeking out.

[silvestrione]

Hello all. Just signed up here, and enjoying some listening on my day off at home. Just listening to last weekend's Record Review with Andrew McGregor and much enjoying the variety of recommended new releases - Charles Wood, Dvorak (yes, I hear the nightingale too, which I'd not thought before!), Florence Price. Liza Lehmann next.

Ooh, tell me more about the nightingale, please?

[JWillsMusicFan]

Ooh, tell me more about the nightingale, please?

The reviewing musician, pianist Andrew Mathews Owen, said the opening piano motif of the second movement of the Dumka from the recording he selected remind him of a nightingale saying "maybe it's the song pianist in me". I totally agree and hadn't thought of it before. Dvorak loved Schubert/Schumann lieder too so, who knows...

[visualnickmos]

Yevgeny Kissin does a pretty good job with this piece.

[gradus]

Boris Giltburg on Youtube from 2011 gives a sublime performance, as fine as any I've heard and reminiscent of Myra Hess in approach..