BaL 20.04.19/11.01.20 - Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But that is itself an unprecedented limitation on a review. Supposing hers is a highly recommendable version, one that everybody who loves the work should own - she cannot, as a reviewer, make such a claim. It would be unfair on her - and listeners to the BaL - to remove the recording from a selection.

(And, if it's unrecommendable - what business has she criticising anyone else?! )

I think it’s better not to make too much of this. There’s merit to having someone who knows the work inside out at the helm, rather than a critic who might like to be able to play it, but never quite got there.

[Richard Barrett]

Lined up on Qobuz ready for listening maybe tomorrow, thanks. (I'm a bit too taken up with RB-music today.)

Yes, much less soft-focus than Staier and Herreweghe, beautifully clear especially in the piano textures. I was a little distracted this morning by looking through the Qobuz new releases and making a quick investigation of the new double CD of Schiff playing Schubert sonatas and impromptus, I'll have to come back to that later.

[BBMmk2]

Tremendous here EA! Manythanks. I have the Argerich,with the Orchestre Svizzera Italiana.

[Bryn]

Yes, much less soft-focus than Staier and Herreweghe, beautifully clear especially in the piano textures. I was a little distracted this morning by looking through the Qobuz new releases and making a quick investigation of the new double CD of Schiff playing Schubert sonatas and impromptus, I'll have to come back to that later.

To me, "hard-edged" rather than "less soft-focus". Like Marx and Engels, coming to similar conclusions from different directions.

[Richard Barrett]

To me, "hard-edged" rather than "less soft-focus". Like Marx and Engels, coming to similar conclusions from different directions.

I happily accept your emendation to my comment. "Hard-edged" is what the FBO does, of course. The Herreweghe CD (originally c/w Symphony no.2) was what converted me to Schumann's orchestral music, but in the meantime I've come to prefer JEG, and indeed the Schumann/Mahler symphony cycle with Chailly. I see that the FBO has also released the other Schumann concertos combined with piano trios. Looking forward to hearing those... there is too much good stuff to listen to these days! Tonight I have a DSCH 15 with the locals who generally do his music very well, Mikhail Jurowski (Vlad's dad) conducting.

[Zucchini]

Not one of my favourite works and I don't have a CD, but not long ago I heard Jonathan Biss play it very elegantly indeed. Am a little surprised he hasn't recorded it- he came to attention through his playing of Schumann's stuff

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Some 50 years ago, my mother visited a Dutch friend who she hadn't met up with since the 1930s. When the Dutch woman discovered that I was studying music, she sought out a bound volume of piano concertos that had belonged to her first husband, who had died in a Japanese POW camp. He had been a pianist, and this concerto volume was the only music of his that she had kept. She gave it to my mother to pass on to me, saying she had always wanted to give it to a deserving person.


Needless to say, I was overwhelmed by this gift and have treasured it ever since. It contains several Mozart concertos, plus the Schumann and Grieg. I learnt to play the Schumann quite quickly, following my undeserved acquisition of this wonderful volume. I felt I owed it to the memory of its original owner, to do something worthwhile with it. (I've never performed it - too many better pianists around.)

[Barbirollians]

Awards/2004, Page 93, brief review as part of a reissue roundup.... Parham released a disc on Resonance including works by Clara and Robert Schumann, with the BBC Concert Orchestra and Barry Wordsworth...

The word that springs to mind is lukewarm.

[edashtav]

I was very impressed by Jan Lisiecki and Antonio Pappano.

[mikealdren]

Listening to the Brahms this morning I heard the dreaded words "Lucy Parham will be joining me to discuss....."

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Listening to the Brahms this morning I heard the dreaded words "Lucy Parham will be joining me to discuss....."

Do you think they enjoy sticking pins into the listeners?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Do twofers cost less than ... err ... "onesies"?

That's the only justtification I can imagine - apart from AMcG still having the negatives of ....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Do twofers cost less than ... err ... "onesies"?

That's the only justtification I can imagine - apart from AMcG still having the negatives of ....

They could have threefers, by adding Tom Service’s counterpoint.

[Nick Armstrong]

The saddest, most unfortunate and regrettable 'might have been' was the Malcolm Bilson / John Eliot Gardiner / O.R.R. recording for DGG, in or about 1990-1991. I haven't made this up, as I was playing on it. Inexplicably it was never released.

.

I like the Lisiecki/Pappano reading among recent recordings.

Also the two 'winners' when the French critics tackled the work in the Tribune des Critiques programme a couple of years ago: first place went to Perahia/Abbado, with Andsnes/Jansons not far behind (both with the Berlin Phil). They restricted their survey to 6 recordings from the last 20 years.

Melnikov with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Heras-Casado was mentioned favourably too, I recall.

[BBMmk2]

.

I like the Lisiecki/Pappano reading among recent recordings.

Also the two 'winners' when the French critics tackled the work in the Tribune des Critiques programme a couple of years ago: first place went to Perahia/Abbado, with Andsnes/Jansons not far behind (both with the Berlin Phil). They restricted their survey to 6 recordings from the last 20 years.

Melnikov with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Heras-Casado was mentioned favourably too, I recall.

Perahia/Abbado? Hmmm !