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Topic: Carnaval Sphinxes, What is it?  (Read 11599 times)

Offline frederic

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Carnaval Sphinxes, What is it?
on: March 14, 2003, 05:51:40 AM
What is it? I mean i have a copy of Carnaval and after No. 8 there is a title Sphinxes and under that, 3 bars of really strange looking notes.
It says it shouldn't be played.
But how exactly do you play 3 bars of strange looking notes?
Why shouldn't pianists play it?
Sorry, im not familiar to this work and i am just starting to explore Schmann's work more carefully.

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Offline ned

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Re: Carnaval Sphinxes, What is it?
Reply #1 on: March 14, 2003, 06:15:04 PM
Frederic
This  question is discussed below in this topic group started by sary2106, last post Feb 18 RachFan.
Ned
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Offline ramseytheii

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Re: Carnaval Sphinxes, What is it?
Reply #2 on: June 26, 2006, 12:05:26 AM
Quote from: frederic on March 14, 2003, 05:51:40 AM
What is it? I mean i have a copy of Carnaval and after No. 8 there is a title Sphinxes and under that, 3 bars of really strange looking notes.
It says it shouldn't be played.
But how exactly do you play 3 bars of strange looking notes?
Why shouldn't pianists play it?
Sorry, im not familiar to this work and i am just starting to explore Schmann's work more carefully.



Schumann was the msot enigmatic of composers, and included this "Sphinx" (riddle) to suggest a code behind the Carnaval.  Some pianists do play it, others acknowledge it with a bit of silence, and others still don't acknowledge it at all.  I recommend listening to the Rachmaninoff recording of Carnaval, where he turns the Sphinxes into a frightening, lurking beast that puts you on the edge of your seat.

Walter Ramsey
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Offline jakev2.0

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Re: Carnaval Sphinxes, What is it?
Reply #3 on: November 29, 2006, 04:46:06 AM
Right! The Rachmaninov recording is mind-blowing. He made me appreciate the Carnaval.
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Offline arensky

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Re: Carnaval Sphinxes, What is it?
Reply #4 on: November 29, 2006, 05:03:11 AM
I heard Horowitz play them a la Rachmaninov in his Boston stop on the infamous 83-84 "Horowitz on Drugs" tour. The effect was quite bizarre. I don't think they're meant to be played.
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Offline iumonito

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Re: Carnaval Sphinxes, What is it?
Reply #5 on: November 29, 2006, 07:30:44 PM
The instruction not to play it is from Clara, who tamed down a lot of Robert's most daring moments.

The strange looking notes a minimae, twice as big as a whole note.
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