Playing on an upright Piano

Schumann, Robert (1810-1856)

April 21, 2025, 7:00 pm

A musical biography of the torrid life of one of Germany’s early romantics. Married to composer/pianist Clara Wieck, and a friend to Johannes Brahms, Felix Mendelssohn, and Joseph Joachim, Schumann was at the very heart of the German Romantic intellectual movement in the mid-nineteenth century. He was a composer, pianist, and music critic. This week we will listen to Maurizio Pollini play Davidsbündlertänze, Op 6, Murray Perahia perform his Piano Concerto in A minor, and the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by George Szell play his Symphony No. 3, known as the “Rhenish.”

Playlist

Episode 1 -- MONDAY

Schumann, Robert: Kinderszenen; Der dichter spricht  (excerpt)
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Piano Works Vol. 3: Waldszenen / Kinderszenen / Sonata No.1 In F Sharp Minor
London 421 290-2
:34

Schumann, Robert: Quartet for Piano and Strings in c minor, IV (excerpt)
Previn, piano; Kim, violin; Ohyama, viola; Hoffman, violoncello
Schumann: Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Op. 47 & Piano Quartet in C Minor, WoO 32
RCA 61384
2:30

Schumann, Robert: Fünf Frühe Lieder “Kurzes Erwachen”
Thomas Hampson, baritone; Geoffrey Parsons, piano
Lieder
Teldec 2292-44935
2:36

Schumann, Robert: Fünf Frühe Lieder
“An Anna II,”
“Im Herbste”
Thomas Hampson, baritone; Geoffrey Parsons, piano
Lieder
Teldec 2292-44935
3:59

Schumann, Robert: Quartet for Piano and Strings in C Minor, II. III.
Previn, piano; Kim, violin; Ohyama, viola; Hoffman, violoncello
Schumann: Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Op. 47 & Piano Quartet in C Minor, WoO 32
RCA 61384
9:09

Schumann, Robert: Theme and Variations on the name A-B-E-G-G
Benedetto Lupo, piano
Schumann: Complete works for Piano and Orchestra
Arts
8:13

Schumann, Robert: Symphony in G minor, “Zwickau”
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique/Gardiner
Complete Symphonies
Archiv 457 591-2
18:27

Schumann, Robert: Papillons (excerpts)
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Arabeske / Papillons / Sinfonische Etüden
London 414 470
1:12; 2:19

Episode 2 -- TUESDAY

Schumann, Robert: Carnival (excerpts)
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Orchestral Works
London 421010-2
2:07; 7:42; 2:28

Schumann, Robert: Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17, I
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Schumann: Klaviersonate Nr. 1 fis-moll, Op. 11 / Fantasia C-dur, Op. 17
EMI 56414
12:22

Schumann, Robert: Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6 (excerpts)
Maurizio Pollini, piano
Davidsbündlertänze • Concert Sans Orchestre
DG 289 471 369-2
8:04; 8:02

Schumann, Robert: 3 Romances, Op. 28, No. 2 in F-sharp major
Tatiana Nikolayeva, piano
Schumann, Prokofiev: Piano Music
Mel/BMG 74321 33213 2
3:40

Schumann, Robert: Kinderszenen, Op. 15, No. 7, “Träumerei”
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Schumann: Piano works
London 470 915
2:48

Schumann, Robert: 3 Romances, Op. 28, No. 2 in F-sharp major (excerpt)
Tatiana Nikolayeva, piano
Schumann, Prokofiev: Piano Music
Mel/BMG 74321 33213 2
3:40

Episode 3 -- WED

Schumann, Robert: Myrthen, Op. 25: No. 1, “Widmung”
Thomas Quasthoff, baritone.; Justus Zeyen, piano
Thomas Quasthoff – A Romantic Songbook
DG B0002192-02
2:00

Schumann, Clara: Lieder, Op. 12: No. 2, “Liebst du um Schönheit”
Barbara Bonney, soprano; Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Robert & Clara Schumann Lieder – Frauenliebe und -Leben
London 452 898
2:29

Schumann, Robert: Dichterliebe, Op. 48
“Im wunderschönen Monat Mai”

Matthias Goerne, baritone; Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Schumann: Dichterliebe; Liederkreis
London 258 265
7:50

Schumann, Robert: Dichterliebe, Op. 48 (3 excerpts)

Matthias Goerne, baritone; Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Schumann: Dichterliebe; Liederkreis
London 258 265
4:51

Schumann, Robert: Dichterliebe, Op. 48 (finale excerpts)
Matthias Goerne, baritone; Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Schumann: Dichterliebe; Liederkreis
London 258 265
7:57

Schubert, Franz: Great C Major
(excerpt under Bill)

Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra/Toscanini
Schubert Symphony No. 9
RCA 60313
1:00

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 9, Great,
IV. (excerpt)

Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan
Symphony No. 9, Great
EMI 64628
0:06

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 1, Spring, I.
Cleveland Orchestra/ Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1 “Spring” & 4
CBS 38468
9:48

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 4 (excerpts)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/ Chailly
Schumann: Symphony No. 1 in B Flat Major, Op. 38 (Spring);
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120
London 425608-2
2:32; 9:55

Episode 4 -- THURSDAY

Schumann, Robert: Quartet for Piano and Strings in E-Flat Major
III.

Cleveland Quartet; Emanuel Ax, piano
Schumann: Piano Quartet, Op. 44 / Piano Quintet, Op. 47
RCA 6498
6:41

Schumann, Robert: Quartet for Strings in A Major Op. 41, No. 3
I. II.

Emerson String Quartet
String Quartet No. 1 / String Quartet No. 3
DG 431 650
13:51

Schumann, Robert: Quintet for Piano and Strings, Op. 44, I.
Argerich, piano; Schwarzberg, Hall, violins.; Imai, viola; Maisky, violoncello
Schumann: Piano Quintet, Andante & Variations, Fantasiestucke; Martha Argerich
EMI 55484 2
8:56

Schumann, Robert: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor
I. III.

Berlin Philharmonic/Abbado; Murray Perahia, piano
Complete Works For Piano & Orchestra
Sony 64577
14:50; 4:45

Episode 5 -- FRIDAY

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 2 (excerpts)
III.

London Philharmonic Orchestra/ Masur
Symphonien Nr. 2 and 3 “Rheinische”
Teldec 46446
:37; 2:22; 8:02

Schumann, Robert: Concertstück for 4 Horns and Orchestra in F Major, Op. 86 finale (excerpts)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Barenboim
Clevenger, Howell, Schweikert, Oldberg, horns
4 Symphonies – Konzertstück For 4 Horns – “Manfred Overture”
DG 2709 075
00:11; 3:47

Schumann, Robert: Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra, I.

London Symphony Orchestra/Skrowaczewski; Janos Starker, violoncello
Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129 / Cello Concerto In D Minor /
Cello Concerto In A Minor, Op. 33
Mercury 432 010
12:47

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major, Op. 97, Rhenish, I.
Cleveland Orchestra/Szell
Schumann: The Four Symphonies; “Manfred” Overture, Op. 115
Sony 62349
9:10

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major, Op. 97, Rhenish, I.
Cleveland Orchestra/ Szell
Schumann: The Four Symphonies; “Manfred” Overture, Op. 115
Sony 62349
:16

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major, Op. 97, Rhenish, IV.
Cleveland Orchestra/Szell
Schumann: The Four Symphonies; “Manfred” Overture, Op. 115
Sony 62349
5:46

Brahms, Johannes: Symphony No. 3 (excerpts)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
The Symphonies
London 430 799
:17; :53

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