Shop Now

Shop Now

Fanfare

Robert Schumann, in his all too short and troubled life, managed to compose a significant amount of truly great piano music. Most of it is comprised of collections of short pieces. Some of these are thematically related, others were composed together, and nearly all had either titles or creative tempo markings. A good example of his creative process can be found in a letter to Clara, where he wrote “I’ve finished another whole notebook of new pieces. I intend to call it Kreisleriana. You and one of your ideas play the main role in it.” Subtitled Fantasien für Piano-Forte, they serve as the opening work in this huge program from Burkard Schliessmann. He gives the program a simple title of Fantasies and includes almost every major opus by Schumann that uses or is related to the term “Fantasy.” They were written in two timeframes: the early works in 1836–39 and the later ones in 1851–53. 

All of these works here require a quite advanced level of pianism. Schumann started his musical life with the goal of becoming a virtuoso and his early pieces especially are quite difficult. Due to problems with his hand, he abandoned his own concert career and seemed quite satisfied that Clara Wieck would champion his music and was likely a better pianist, even before they got married in 1840. She would outlive him by 40 years and edited, published, and frequently performed his entire oeuvre. She is probably the one most responsible for his music being appreciated today as a foundation of the piano repertoire. 

Most of the music here has been an integral part of Schliessmann’s repertoire for the better part of his career, and he has recorded a few pieces like Kreisleriana and the Fantasie before. Clearly he has much more to say about Schumann. He even gives us two different performances of the Arabeske and a second one of Des Abends, the first of the op. 12 Fantasiestücke. As with his other recordings, Schliessmann contributes an extensive, thought-provoking essay. He makes considerable references to poetry and Schumann’s songs as they relate to his piano music, as well as each of the specific pieces here. 

Without hesitation I recommend this recording, not only for those who value great and probing performances of Romantic piano music, but also for anyone with a love for great music from any era or instrumentation. The Fantasie, op. 17 is the largest work on the program and arguably Schumann’s greatest piano piece. Its difficulties are renowned, especially the middle movement. This performance is, in general, more lyrical and passionate than most. There is no sense of showing off in the big contrary-motion leaps, but of shaping and phrasing the top melody over a firm bass line. A high point of the three CDs is the bass line in the final movement. I have never heard it as both the foundation and a beautiful melodic line. It is a revelation. There are many, many moments all through these pieces that repay careful listenings. This will certainly be my reference recording for all of the works here. 

Divine Arts gives us its expected state-of-the-art recording: SACDs in customarily excellent recorded piano sound. Producer Julian Schwenkner and engineer Jupp Wegner worked with Schliessmann, employing 14 microphones for a Dolby Atmos experience. Every nuance of the performances is captured with a clarity that could only be matched by being present in the recording studio.