Schumann's music

[amanfang]

I have not played Schumann's music before (aside from reading through a little of Album for the Young).  I have listened to some (Abegg variations, Carneval, Papillons and a few others) but I was not extremely thrilled with it.  Does anyone have some favorites that I should try??  I would like to find a few things so that I don't say "I don't like Schumann's music" or something stupid like that.

[JK]

Schumanns' music does take a bit of getting used to but I absolutely love his music, it's incredibly beautiful and touching and not difficult for the sake of showing off. I would reccomend pieces such as Krieseleriana (a set of fantasy pieces), etudes symphonique (a set of etudes in the form of variations, one of my favourite pieces to play, and a great finale!), sonata in g minor (fantastic and a very beautiful slow movement!), scenes from childhood (not technically demanding but very touching), arabesque (a beautiful romantic miniature), oh and of course the piano concerto. I could list many many more but these are some his best known and the ones I love particularly, you could also look at his piano quintet...oh and I almost forgot to mention the fantastic c major fantasy, well worth listening too, honestly give it a chance or even play some and you'll soon fall in love with his music!!!

[larse]

I'm not all to familiar with Schumann. He's easy to oversee.. but The fantasy in C...or the 3 fantasies.. or movements, or whatever it actually is..Are they actually connected? And the Symphonic Studies (Etudes Symphoniques). Those are both extremely wonderful.

I would probably compare at least the Fantasy in C to Chopins ballads. Because they contain so much of the romantic era. The contain everything the romantics were constantly longing and looking for. They are...ultraromantic and wonderful pieces. I'm...not actually able to describe this in words..But anyone should own a copy of Sviatoslav Richters recording of the Fantasy in C and the Symphonic Studies.

And I've heard that Andreas Bach's recording of the sonata in F# is fantastic. For those interrested

[maxy]

Don't just listen to Schumann! Try some!
I never really liked the Carnaval till I started reading it.  Schumann has some great stuff!  You may want to try some lieder (the piano part).  His music is wonderful, but it can take some time to get used to.

Maybe you should check the Concerto also.  

Kreisleriana, Étude Symphonique are great, but may feel heavy at first.

[bernhard]

Schumann is one of my favourite Romantic composers. His works for the piano are amongst the most original pieces ever written. In fact he pretty much revolutionised form. When he first published “Papillons” (op. 2) no one knew exactly what to make of it. This sort of formless and yet highly articulated music was quite a shock at a time when sonata form was still reigning.

One problem with a lot of Schumann’s solo piano pieces is that they should really be played as cycles. In spite of writing a lot of miniatures, Schumann always has a hidden design for them. So although all the pieces in Papillons, or Carnaval are very short, they do not make much sense in isolation. If you are going to play Papillons or Carnaval or Kreisleriana, you must play the whole set (and I am sure some people will disagree with me at this point). Playing one or two pieces from these sets is no problem, but playing the full set becomes a major project, one from which most people would balk.

However Schumann did write miniatures that can be performed on their own, and these are the two sets of album leaves (Bunte Blatter, op. 99 and Albumblatter op. 124). I suggest you start with pieces from these two collections. Not only they are music of the highest quality, and representative of Schumann at his best, as they are mostly neglected pieces. They are (unjustifiably) almost never heard.

My favourites are: Op. 99 no. 1, no. 2, no. 4, no. 5, no. 9, and no. 10.
Op. 124 no. 1, no.3, no.4, no.5, no.6, no.8, no.11, no.14, no. 16, no. 17 and no. 20.

They have been recorded by Denes Varjon for Naxos.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[JK]

Bernhard wrote:

If you are going to play Papillons or Carnaval or Kreisleriana, you must play the whole set (and I am sure some people will disagree with me at this point).

I agree totally, in fact when I got to know these pieces I only ever thought of them as a whole piece made up of seperate movements, kind of like a story with seperate chapters. Now when I here a movement I immediately expect it to go on to the next.

[JK]

I forgot to add that a great recording of the scenes from childhood and Kriesleriana was made by Horowitz when he was in his 80s!

[bachmaninov]

Well as a judge, I do encounter alot of Schumann's works...

My favourite would have to be his Toccata

Very difficult, but the melody is wonderful!

[DarkWind]

How come his FantasieStucke, Op. 12 hasn't been mentioned? It's what got me into Schumann. Listen to it, particularly Fabel and Ende vom Lied. They have a genius, memorable melody. He is a very unique composer.

[Shagdac]

Schumann's also one of my favorites. I really enjoy the
"Liebenslied" Schumann-Liszt transcription, as well as the Traumerei, Op15, No.7 (rather short, but still nice).

s