SCHUMANN : Carnaval · Kreisleriana (Mitsuko Uchida) (1995) APE (image+.cue), lossless

 Tracklist & Credits :

SCHUMANN : The Four Symphonies · Overtures (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra · Rafael Kubelik) 2CD (1992) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits :

SCHUMANN : Chamber Music (2010) 5CD BOX-SET | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Although Schumann penned chamber music throughout the bulk of his compositional career, 1842 marked a banner year for his output. With astonishing ease and mastery, Schumann completed the three string quartets, the piano quartet and quintet, and the Op. 46 Andante & Variations. Of these works, the Op. 44 Piano Quintet has endured as one of Schumann's most celebrated chamber compositions, followed shortly by the remainder of the works written in the same year. On this five-disc EMI set, the 1842 works are also the stars of the set. The Cherubini Quartet takes center stage and, joined by pianist Christian Zacharias, delivers performances of Opp. 41 (string quartets) and 44 that are Beethovenian in their rhythmic intensity and drive; Mozartian in their clean, crisp elegance; and Mendelssohnian in their energetic execution of intricacy and filigree. The performances on the first two discs of the collection alone warrant further study by listeners. The rest of the set offers quality performances of the bulk of Schumann's chamber works, but not with the same drive, precision, or intensity as the first two discs. The two piano trios, performed by the Grieg Trio, drag slightly instead of pushing ahead; Argerich and Schwarzberg's reading of the Second Violin Sonata is muscular and energetic, but lacking in the same crisp refinement. This, of course, is a difficulty with large compilations such as this: it is difficult to put together a uniform set of performances from such vastly different performers. Still, as an introduction to these works, this set is a solid choice; for collectors, the Cherubini's Opp. 41 & 44 make this worth adding to your shelf. Mike D. Brownell  
Tracklist 1 :  
Piano Quintet in E flat, Op. 44
String Quartet No. 1 in A minor, Op. 41 No. 1
(Christian Zacharias / Cherubini-Quartett)

Tracklist 2 :
String Quartet No. 2 in F, Op. 41 No.2
String Quartet No. 3 in A, Op. 41 No.3
(Christian Zacharias / Cherubini-Quartett)

Tracklist 3 :
Piano Quartet in E flat, Op. 47
Andante and Variations, Op. 46
Märchenerzählungen, Op. 132
3 Romanzen, Op. 94
(Martha Argerich / A. Rabinovitch / Misha Maisky)

Tracklist 4 :
Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70
Märchenbilder, Op. 113
Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 121
(Martha Argerich / A. Rabinovitch / Natalia Gutman)

Tracklist 5 :
Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 63
Piano Trio No. 2 in F, Op. 80
5 Stücke im Volkston, Op. 102
(Grieg Trio / Michael Rudy, Boris Pergamenschkow)

EMMANUEL PAHUD : JACKY TERRASSON — Into The Blue (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Emmanuel Pahud is an award-winning classical flutist who's also Principal Flute for the Berlin Philharmonic. Jacky Terrasson is an award-winning jazz pianist who's a Principal Original on the scene; uniquely playful and inventive, it's always interesting to see what he comes up with next. This time he rearranges 14 classical melodies in a jazz context. More than half are short tracks, colorful samples from jazz's favorite French Impressionists (Ravel, Faure, and Debussy)to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" (all four) and pieces by Schumann, Mozart, Paganini, Rimsky-Korsakov "Flight of the Bumblebee," Saint-Saëns, and jazz pianist Claude Bolling, who in the 70s teamed up with legendary flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal to record their own crossover tracks. Although he also respects the basic character of the music, Terrasson is more adventurous. For example, the much-beloved "Pavane" (Ravel) is still serene, but with interludes of communal passion and trio jazz, as fine bassist Sean Smith and drummer Ali Jackson provide subtle, quickly reactive support. "Bolero" is an exciting journey which obliterates all memory of the plodding and repetitious original; it features a happy Latin groove that dances under the melody, then segues seamlessly into funk and Fender Rhodes. If Pahud's improvisations are rather basic, his tone is beautiful and he swings, as does the bass/drum section, after which the whole thing goes Jamaican -- before returning to Latin. It sounds like a mishmosh in print, but it works. So does the beautiful "Apres un Reve," which conjures the countryside of southern France where the CD was recorded, and "Jimbo's Lullaby," which originally described a lumbering elephant, but is meditative and nearly Oriental here. On "Marche Turque," Mozart meets reggae and humor. In fact, there's wit throughout this CD, as well as imagination and top-level playing. Both classical and jazz fans will find much to enjoy. Judith Schlesinger   Tracklist & Credits :

SCHUMANN • KABALEVSKY : Cello Concerto • DE FALLA : Suite Populaire Espagnol (Kondrashin • Shafran • Kabalevsky • Musynian) (1998) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Robert Schumann
1-3    Concerto For Cello And Orchestra In A Minor. Op. 129
Conductor – Kiril Kondrashin
Orchestra – State Orchestra of Russia

Dmitry Kabalevsky
4-6    Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 49
Conductor – Dmitry Kabalevsky
Orchestra – State Orchestra of Russia

Joseph Haydn
7-9    Divertimento In D
Piano – Nina Musynian

Manuel De Falla
10-15    Suite Populaire Espagnole
16    Ritual Dance Of Fire, From "El Amor Brujo"
Piano – Nina Musynian

 Daniel Shafran - Cello

MAURIZIO POLLINI — Maurizio Pollini Edition (2002) 13CD | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Celebrating his 60th birthday (5 January 2002) and a 30-year artistic
collaboration with Deutsche Grammophon, the Maurizio Pollini Edition presents a wide-ranging series of DG exclusive artist's classic recordings, personally selected and approved by the Maestro himself.

The Edition comprises 12 single CDs, plus a sensational bonus CD. Almost all the compilations are new, and cover all aspects of Pollini's recording career. There are three CDs of Classical and Romantic concertos, 5 CDs are devoted to the masters of Romantic solo music, and 4 CDs given over to modern repertoire, a central component of Pollini's artistic credo.

What is on the bonus CD? There are two concerto recordings released for the first time internationally. The first is Chopin's First Piano Concerto, taped live at the final concert of the 1960 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1960, where Pollini was the sensational winner at the age of 18. The second is the Schumann Piano Concerto, recorded live at the Salzburg Festival in 1974 with the Vienna Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan.

CD 1: Mozart :
Piano Concerto No.23 / Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.5 "Emperor"
Maurizio Pollini, Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Bohm

CD 2:
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos.3 & 4
Maurizio Pollini, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado

CD 3: Schumann:
Piano Concerto Op.54 / Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1
Maurizio Pollini, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado

CD 4: Beethoven :
Piano Sonatas Op.27 No.1 & 2, Op.31 No.2 & Op.53

CD 5: Beethoven :
Piano Sonatas Op.106 "Hammerklavier" & Op.111

CD 6: Schubert :
Sonata in A major D959; Allegretto in C minor D915; 3 Klavierstucke

CD 7: Chopin :
12 Etudes Op.25; Sonata in B flat minor Op.35; Berceuse in D flat, Op.57

CD 8: Schumann :
Fantasy in C; Arabesque / Liszt: Sonata in B minor; La lugubre gondola

CD 9: Debussy :
12 Etudes / Boulez: Sonata No.2
Maurizio Pollini

CD 10: Stravinsky :
3 Dances from Petrushka / Bartok: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2
Maurizio Pollini, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

CD 11: Schoenberg :
Piano Works / Webern: Variations Op.27
Maurizio Pollini, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado

CD 12: Nono: Como una ola de fuerza y luz; ....Sofferte onde serene....for piano
and magnetic tape / Manzoni: Masse: Omaggio a Edgar Varese
Slavka Taskova, Maurizio Pollini, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks,
Claudio Abbado

CD 13: Chopin :
Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op.11 / Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54
Maurizio Pollini, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Jerzy Katlewicz
Maurizio Pollini, Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

BEETHOVEN : Kreutzer Sonata; SCHUMANN : Violin Sonata No. 2 (George Enescu) (2004) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op.47 " Kreutzer"
2    Schumann: Violin Sonata No.2 in D minor, Op. 121
3    Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Celiny Chailley-Richez - Piano
George Enescu - Violin

RADU LUPU - Complete Decca Solo Recordings (2010) 10CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

It takes only 10 discs to contain the complete solo Decca recordings of Radu Lupu, one of the great pianists of the late 20th century. It's also amazing that these few recordings stretch over a quarter of a century, from 1971 to 1995, making Lupu one of the most infrequently recorded of the great pianists; even Argerich and Michelangeli have outdistanced him. Yet even that is not the most amazing thing about this collection; it is the performances themselves, some of which are among the greatest ever made. Has any pianist ever topped Lupu's heroic account of Brahms' F minor Sonata, or his poetic readings of the composer's late piano works? Has any ever equaled, much less surpassed, his deeply inward performances of Schubert's Moments musicaux or his two sets of Impromptus? Has any account of Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata ever glowed brighter, or any reading of the "Waldstein" Sonata ever been more ecstatically serene? And has any pianist ever caught the uncanny mixture of the playful, the romantic, and the diabolical in Schumann's Kreisleriana? Anyone interested in great piano playing should avail themselves of these superlative performances at their earliest possible opportunity. by James Leonard  
All Tracks & Credits

SCHUMANN : Humoresque; Sonata in F sharp minor (Angela Hewitt) (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

One of the pleasant surprises of the first decade of the twenty first century was the way pianist Angela Hewitt developed from one of the most celebrated of Bach specialists into an all-around first-class performer in a much wider range of repertoire. Take her 2007 disc with Schumann's Humoreske with his Piano Sonata No.1 in F sharp minor. While one might have expected clarity and drive from Hewitt, who had long mastered those qualities in Bach, the evident passion and fantasy reveal new aspects of her playing, especially in her F sharp minor Sonata, which sounds like an ardent musical bildungsroman. Her Humoreske, similarly, has the poetic imagination and the lyrical fervor characteristic of great German romantic poetry. As on her Bach recordings, Hewitt's tone is pearly, her technique formidable, and her interpretations combine thoughtfulness with spontaneity. Recorded by Hyperion with winning warmth and an uncanny sense of immediacy, this disc will delight Hewitt's fans and enlarge Schumann's discography by one excellent disc. by James Leonard 

SCHUMANN : Davidsbündlertänze; Kinderszenen; Sonata in G minor (Angela Hewitt) (2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Angela Hewitt has earned a richly deserved reputation for her interpretations of Bach and the Baroque, and something of that characteristic clarity illuminates her Schumann performances. Her first disc of this repertoire was praised for its ‘seemingly effortless but always adventurous interpretations … her poise and amplitude lending it an unearthly beauty’ and this second volume, containing some of the composer’s most bewitchingly beautiful music, should be no less lauded. Hyperion

ARTURO BENEDETTI MICHELANGELI - Icon : The Master Pianist Plays Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, Brahms, Chopin, Rachmaninov, Ravel (2008) 4CD / RM / MONO / APE (image+.cue), lossless

Cunningly, the first track on the first disc of this four-disc set dedicated to Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli's EMI recordings is his heaven-storming 1948 performance of Busoni's arrangement of Bach's Chaconne from his D minor Partita. If after its storms and thunder have faded the listener remains unconvinced of Michelangeli's virtuosity, intensity, and musicality, there is nothing else to be done. Because though the sound of some of the recordings here, including that of the Chaconne, is antique, the brilliance, tone, and depth of Michelangeli's playing is evident throughout. His prewar and war-time recordings of sonatas by Scarlatti and Beethoven are impeccably played and elegantly expressive, and though typically played out of order, his postwar Brahms' Paganini Variations is nearly demonic in its relentless drive. In recordings from the early '50s of three of Mozart's concertos, Michelangeli takes a slower tempo than one might expect, but his right hand's graceful legato and subtle left-hand rubato keeps the tempo flowing. His later, better known stereo recordings of Haydn's concertos are witty and poised, particularly in Nino Rota's two cadenzas. The best-known recordings here are Michelangeli's heroic take on Schumann's Carnaval, his Olympian reading of Ravel's Concerto in G, and his Dionysic account of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 4. Some might reasonably point out that the pianist also made many great recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, but after hearing it, few would deny that his EMI recording of the Bach/Busoni Chaconne all by itself justifies Michelangeli's outsized reputation. by James Leonard  
All Tracks & Credits

SOLOMON - Icon : The Master Pianist Plays Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Grieg, Schumann, Liszt, Scriabin (2008) 7CD / MONO / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Solomon Cutner, known professionally by his first name, was the great English pianist whose severe stroke in 1956 cut short his career in its prime and just at the point where monaural was giving way to stereo sound. With the change in technology, Solomon's discography became instantly dated and, unfortunately, his performances quickly became underrated. This seven-disc set from EMI presents a well-rounded collection of the pianist's finest performances. Even with three of the discs here devoted to Beethoven, the range of Solomon's repertoire is immediately apparent. Here was a pianist who could play Scriabin as well as Mozart and Bliss as well as Brahms. Solomon's technique was adept if not always entirely impeccable, his style was immensely concentrated but wholly objective, and his interpretations were less dramatic and structural than lyrical and sculptural. Some may find his take on Tchaikovsky's concerto too dry-eyed, but few are likely to fault the crystalline clarity of his Mozart or the heroic lucidity of his Beethoven. Even today, Solomon's "Hammerklavier" and "Waldstein" sonatas remain models of transparency and his "Emperor" concerto has a nobility that few others can equal. Though for those unfamiliar with Solomon, seven discs may at first seem a lot, listening to them will likely increase their interest in hearing more from this unjustly neglected master. by James Leonard
CD1 BEETHOVEN
1-3 Piano Concerto Nº5 'Emperor'
4-6 Piano Concerto Nº3
CD2 GRIEG
1-3 Piano Concerto
    SCHUMANN
4-6 Piano Concerto
    BEETHOVEN
7-8 Piano Sonata Nº27
CD3 BEETHOVEN
1-3 Piano Sonata Nº8 'Pathétique'
4-6 Piano Sonata Nº14 'Moonlight'
7-8 Piano Sonata Nº21 'Waldstein'
9-11 Piano Sonata Nº26 'Les Adieux'
CD4 BEETHOVEN
1-3 Piano Sonata Nº23 'Apassionata'
4-7 Piano Sonata N°29 'Hammerklavier'
CD5 BRAHMS
1-4 Piano Concerto Nº2
    TCHAIKOVSKY
5-7 Piano Concerto Nº1
CD6 D. SCARLATTI
1   Sonata in F L384
    J.S. BACH / BUSONI
2   Cantata BWV140 'Wachet auf'
    MOZART
3-5 Piano Sonata Nº11 K331
6-8 Piano Sonata Nº17 K576
9-11 Piano Sonata Nº24 K491
CD7 LISZT
1   Hungarian Fantasia
    SCRIABIN
2-4 Piano Concerto
    BLISS
7-7 Piano Concerto
Credits :
Soloman - Piano
Conductor – Herbert Menges (pistas: 1-1 to 2-6), Issay Dobrowen (pistas: 5-1 to 5-7, 7-2 to 7-4), Sir Adrian Boult (pistas: 7-5 to 7-7), Walter Susskind (pistas: 6-9 to 6-11)
Orchestra – Philharmonia Orchestra (pistas: 1-1 to 2-6, 5-1 to 5-7, 6-9 to 7-4), Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (pistas: 7-5 to 7-7)

CLARA HASKIL - Philips Recordings 1951-1960 Concertos & Sonatas (Beethoven, Chopin, Falla, Ravel, Scarlatti, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann) (2007) 7CD / APE (image+.cue), lossless

Romanian pianist Clara Haskil began her career as a child prodigy at the Bucharest Conservatory under Richard Robert at age 7, making her debut at the age of 10. Haskil ultimately graduated from Alfred Cortot's class at the Paris Conservatoire at 15 with the Prémier Prix to her credit. By the age of 18, however, Haskil was forced to endure the first of many physical setbacks that would hold back her career, in this case an attack of meningitis that kept her in a body cast for four years. Haskil did recover, making her New York debut in 1924 and her London debut in 1926. Although it was late in her career that her name was inextricably linked with the Mozart piano concerti, at this stage Haskil was associated with Romantic literature. Her performances of the Schumann concerto in Philadelphia with Leopold Stokowski were widely praised.

With the outbreak of war, Haskil was trapped in occupied Paris, but was able to escape to Marseilles. There she survived a surreptitious surgical procedure to remove a tumor from her optic nerve, and was then smuggled to Vevey, Switzerland, where Haskil settled for the rest of her days. With war's end she resumed her career yet again, and thereafter enjoyed her greatest successes with a busy concert and recording schedule that took her around the world. Despite her amazing stamina, she proved unable to survive a fall she suffered in a Paris railway station in 1960, and died one month short of her 66th birthday.

With Haskil, musicianship came first and technical matters were irrelevant; she had enormous hands and could play a 12th in her left hand with a fingering of 2-5. Haskil reputedly had an amazing memory, and could accurately play back a piece of music she'd heard only once, even after the passage of several years, without ever having seen the score. The Clara Haskil Prize, awarded once every two years in Vevey, Switzerland, was established in 1962 as a memorial to the pianist. by Uncle Dave Lewis
Tracklist :
CD 1    Domenico Scarlatti (1685 - 1757) Sonata In E Flat Major K.193 - Sonata In B Minor, K.87 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Nine Variations In D, K.573 On A Minuet By J.P. Duport - Piano Sonata No.10 In C Major, K.330 - Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937) Sonatine, M. 40 For Piano - Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) Bunte Blätter, Op.99 -
CD 2    Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - Waldszenen, Op.82 - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Piano Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 "The Tempest" - Piano Sonata No. 18 In E Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 -"The Hunt"
CD 3    Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828) Piano Sonata No. 21 In B-Flat Major, D. 960 - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Piano Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 "The Tempest" - Piano Sonata No. 18 In E Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 -"The Hunt"
CD 4    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Piano Concerto No. 9 In E Flat Major, K.271 - "Jeunehomme" - Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, K. 466
CD 5    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, K. 466 - Piano Concerto No.24 In C Minor, K.491 - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37
CD 6    Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Piano Concerto No. 23 In A Major, K.488 - Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54
CD 7    Manuel de Falla Matheu (1876 - 1946) Noches En Los Jardines de España - Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849) Piano Concerto No.2 In F Minor, Op.21

KURTÁG : Neun Stücke für Viola Solo; Jelek, Op. 5; Hommage à R. Sch.; SCHUMANN : Märchenbilder, Op. 113; Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 (1995) FLAC (tracks), lossless

ELISABETH SCHUMANN - Icon : Silver Thread of Song (2011) 6xCD BOX-SET / MONO / APE (image+.cue), lossless

The German soprano Elisabeth Schumann was one of the finest lyric sopranos of the 20th Century. She made her professional debut in Hamburg in 1909 and died in 1952, having given her last public concert the previous year. In 1985 the eminent vocal expert Alan Blyth wrote of her: ‘No artist so endeared herself to her public as Elisabeth Schumann. The charm of her manner is legendary; so is the attraction of her slivery voice and outgiving style. Whether in her operatic portrayals, her Lieder or her operetta offerings, she captivated her audiences.’

CDs 1 and 2 contain an unrivalled collection of Schumann's famous recordings of songs by Franz Schubert, the centrepiece of which is Der Hirt auf dem Felsen (‘The Shepherd on the Rock’) with Reginald Kell as the distinguished clarinet soloist. Every one of these songs is illuminated by the singer's unique style of vocal clarity and brightness as well as rhythmic bouyancy and spontaniety.

CD 3 brings together a number of Elisabeth Schumann's recordings of songs by her namesake Robert Schumann, including the famous cycle for female voice: Frauenliebe und-leben. Also on this CD are a group of songs by Brahms including several from the delightful ‘49 Deutsche Volkslieder’

CD 4 begins with Schumann's elegant performances of several soprano pieces by Bach and Handel, which are followed by a variety of contrasting works by Mozart including the main arias for Susanna and Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro and both of Zerlina's solos from Don Giovanni. The Mozart programme continues with an engaging performance of the ‘Alleluja’ from Exsultate, jubilate, a small group of songs and then finally the Benedictus from Mozart’s final work, the moving Requiem in D minor.

CD 5 is a mixed Lieder recital starting with songs by Haydn and Beethoven, then a collection of Hugo Wolf and ending with a group of Richard Strauss compositions, all touched by Schumann's own personal vocal magic.

The final CD opens with three extracts from Der Rosenkavalier that amply demonstrate Elisabeth Schumann's radiant interpretation of Sophie that was acclaimed in theatres around the world. Then we hear Schumann gloriously floating the soprano line in the Quintet from Die Meistersinger, followed by a collection of charming English songs, all sung with impeccable pronunciation. The disc ends with some of the most entertaining performances of arias from Viennese operettas ever put on record that will guarantee to bring a smile of delight to even the most critical listener.

ROBERT SCHUMANN : Piano Works (Wilhelm Kempff) 5xCD Box Set (2010) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

BRAHMS, SCHUMANN - Violin Concertos (Joshua Bell) (1996) APE (image+.cue), lossless

In his early thirties, Bell is already a big-name violinist. Hearing him in these two works affirms the correctness of that coveted status. He has technique, a gorgeous, if slightly icy, tone, and a mature interpretive sense. In short, he has all the tools necessary to continue the rise to the top of his trade.
Bell's reading of the Brahms may not be revelatory (whose of late has been, though?), but neither will it detract from his meteoric ascent. This is a fine account, with intelligent phrasing, scrupulous attention to detail, a subtle, well-judged use of portamento, and a technique that can summon both a feline finesse for moments of delicacy and a lean, lionesque attack for assertive passages. The cadenza (Bell's own devising) is surprisingly interesting and expectedly well-played (track 1; beginning at 17:24). The delicious swagger in Bell's rendering of the double-stopped theme in the finale is another highlight here. Recent recordings of some merit in the Brahms have been the Zukerman/Mehta (RCA) and Mullova/Abbado (Philips). I've had a predilection for the Kremer/Bernstein (DG) from the early digital era.
But the Schumann ... This may be the primary reason to purchase this disc. As the reader may know, this work from 1853 languished in obscurity, unperformed until 1937, owing to the artistically myopic vision of Joseph Joachim, whose violinistic virtuosity was surpassed only by his musicological stupidity in surpressing the work after Schumann's incarceration in an insane asylum where the composer spent the last two years of his tragic life. Luckily Joachim didn't destroy or lose the score poor Schumann had written for him, but placed it instead in the Prussian State Library from where his great-niece, violinist Jelly d'Aranyi, rescued it in the 1930s. It has steadily grown in popularity over the years and is now rightly entering the standard repertory.
Bell declares his special affinity for this work in a note included in the album booklet, and his committed playing corroborates his strong feelings. He catches those elusive, emotionally neutral elements in the first movement with the appropriate classical grace and muscle. He renders the beautiful second movement with tenderness, and never succumbs to any tendency to overstate the main theme's sweetness with too much vibrato or other affectation. Bell reads the finale with energy and wit, but doesn't skirt the quirkiness (vague hints of the composer's insanity shortly to come or just typical Schumann?).
I don't want to make it sound as though this disc is strictly Bell's show. Christoph von Dohnanyi leads the Cleveland Orchestra with an insightful baton throughout. He draws crisp, powerful playing from his Clevelanders in the Brahms and just as alert and incisive support in the Schumann. And, oh, how he so beguilingly reads the the opening orchestral crescendo of the Schumann, teasing out neurotic indecision, mystery, beauty--all in just four measures! This is a moment to savor! Good notes and excellent sound by London. Recommended. by Robert Cummings 

JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - Schumann : Kinderszenen (2011) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Over the years, third stream music has been criticized in both the jazz and Euro-classical worlds. Jazz snobs have argued that if a jazz musician is playing something by Beethoven or Chopin, he/she can't possibly maintain an improviser's mentality; classical snobs will argue that great classical works need to be played exactly as they were written, and that jazz artists can't possibly do the compositions of Schubert or Debussy justice if they improvise. Thankfully, Jacques Loussier hasn't paid attention to the naysayers in either the jazz or classical worlds, and after all these years, the French pianist (who turned 76 in 2010) is still taking chances. This 2011 release finds Loussier putting his spin on Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), which German romanticist Robert Schumann (born 1810, died 1856) composed in 1838. Schumann turned 28 that year, and he wrote that nostalgic, 13-song work in memory of his childhood. Loussier (who forms an acoustic piano trio with bassist Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac and drummer André Arpino) performs Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) in its entirety, and he approaches it not as European classical music, but as acoustic post-bop jazz. Thankfully, Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) is appropriate for Loussier, who maintains the 13 songs' nostalgic outlook but does so in a consistently jazz-oriented fashion. Loussier sounds like he is fondly remembering his own childhood, which came about long after Schumann's. Indeed, Loussier was born in 1934, which was 96 years after Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) was composed and 78 years after Schumann's death; Loussier grew up surrounded by a lot of music and technology that didn't exist when Schumann was a kid. But the more things change, the more they stay the same, and nostalgia continues to inspire musicians today just as it did in Schumann's pre-jazz, pre-electricity, pre-records time. This 49-minute CD is among Loussier's creative successes; his experimentation hasn't always worked, but it works impressively well for him on this imaginative interpretation of Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood). by Alex Henderson 
Tracklist:
1     Von Fremden Ländern Und Menschen (Of Foreign Lands & People)     2:52
2     Kuriose Geschichte (A Curious Story)     1:41
3     Haschemann (Blind Man's Bluff)     3:17
4     Bittendes Kind (Pleading Child)     2:56
5     Glückes Genug (Happy Enough)     3:01
6     Wichtige Begebenheit (An Important Event)     2:54
7     Traümerei (Dreaming)     9:54
8     Am Kamin (At The Fireside)     3:16
9     Ritter Vom Steckenpferd (Knight Of The Hobby Horse)     3:36
10     Fast Zu Ernst (Almost Too Serious)     6:03
11     Fürchtenmachen (Frightening)     2:30
12     Kind Im Einschlummern (Child Falling Asleep)     4:19
13     Der Dichter Spricht (The Poet Speaks)     3:04
Credits:
Bass – Benoit Dunoyer De Segonzac
Drums – Andre Arpino
Piano – Jacques Loussier

MARTHA ARGERICH - Martha Argerich Edition : Concertos (2011) 4CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Martha Argerich Edition: Concertos is one of several box sets issued in 2011 in honor of her 70th birthday. These four discs gather ten complete concertos recorded between 1997 and 2009 for EMI. As an artist as well-known for her loyalty to particular repertoire and particular musicians, most of these works have been recorded by Argerich multiple times. Prokofiev's Concerto No. 3, one of the first concertos she ever recorded, is here in a 1997 performance with conductor Charles Dutoit, one of her best collaborators. The two recorded both Chopin concertos the following year, also included here. Others of Argerich's most frequent collaborators are found on Beethoven's Triple Concerto: Renaud Capuçon, Mischa Maisky, and Alexandre Rabinovitch. The recordings of fellow pianist Mikhail Pletnev's Fantasia elvetica and of Falla's Noches en los jardines de España come from her Lugano Festival, an annual event founded in 2002 where Argerich gathers friends -- her familiar collaborators and new, promising, young musicians -- for music-making. The collection unfortunately does not include Ravel's Concerto in G, the other concerto typically noted as one of Argerich's best interpretations. Yet, it should very well satisfy those who want to get to know Argerich's work in the concerto repertoire as a mature musician at the height of her talent. by Patsy Morita   

MARTHA ARGERICH - Martha Argerich Edition : Solos & Duos (2001) 6CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless