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DG's Schumann Bicentennial Box

Roochak | 05/25/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Apart from a zillion recordings of Carnaval and the Piano Concerto, it isn't easy to find most of Schumann's music on disc, especially the vocal works. This DG/Decca/Philips Schumann bicentennial box collects most of it (with the notable exceptions of the opera "Genoveva" and the 1853 revision of the Third Piano Sonata) on 35 discs, at a bargain price -- one stop shopping for a slew of concert and studio rarities, recorded between the mid 'sixties and the early 2000s.



It's great to have all this music in one box, but the discs themselves are jammed together between two cardboard "bookends," making it necessary to pull out all or most of them in order to find a particular disc. A slim booklet gives complete track listings, performers, and recording dates, but as usual with big reissue boxes nowadays, no song texts or notes on the music are provided. (I'd hoped to find the texts as DG downloads, but no such luck.)



Have I listened to all 35 discs in this collection? No. What I can provide, though, is a complete rundown of what you'll be hearing if you invest in it:



DISCS 1-5: ORCHESTRAL WORKS



CD1

75:04

Symphony in G minor, "Zwickau" (unfinished)

Symphony no.1 in B flat, op.38 "Spring"

Overture, Scherzo & Finale, op.52

Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (recorded 1997)



Genoveva overture, op.81

Berlin Philharmonic, Rafael Kubelik



CD2

69:32

Symphony no.4 in D minor, op.120 (original version, 1841)

Symphony no.2 in C, op.61

Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (1997)



Julius Caesar overture, op.128

Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti



CD3

75:19

Konzertstuck in F for 4 horns & orchestra, op.86

Symphony no.3 in E flat, op.97 "Rhenish"

Symphony no.4 in D minor, op.120 (revised version, 1851)

Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (1997)



CD4

63:57

Piano Concerto in A minor, op.54

Introduction & Allegro appassionato, op.92

Concert Allegro with introduction, op.134

Vladimir Ashkenazy, London Symphony Orchestra, Uri Segal (recorded 1977)



CD5

67:08

Violin Concerto in D minor

Henryk Szeryng, London Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati (recorded 1964)



Cello Concerto in A minor, op.129

Lynn Harrell, Cleveland Orchestra, Neville Marriner (recorded 1981)



Fantasy for violin & orchestra in C, op.131

Anne-Sophie Mutter, New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur



DISCS 6-10: CHORAL MUSIC



CD6

47:49

Requiem for Mignon, op.98b

Nachtlied "Quellende, schwellende Nacht", op.108

Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner



Das Paradies und die Peri, part one

Bernarda Fink, Barbara Bonney, Christoph Pregardien, Gerald Finley, etc., Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (recorded 1997)



CD7

69:40

Das Paradies und die Peri, parts two & three

Bernarda Fink, Barbara Bonney, Christoph Pregardien, Gerald Finley, etc., Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (recorded 1997)



CD8

72:44

Scenes from Goethe's "Faust", parts one & two

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Elizabeth Harwood, John Shirley-Quirk, Peter Pears, etc., Aldeburgh Festival Singers, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten (recorded 1972)



CD9

44:59

Scenes from Goethe's "Faust", part three

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Elizabeth Harwood, John Shirley-Quirk, Peter Pears, etc., Aldeburgh Festival Singers, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten (recorded 1972)



CD10

64:00

Manfred - incidental music, op.115

Gudrun Sieber, Gabriele Schreckenbach, Alejandro Ramirez, Harald Stamm, Klausjurgen Wussow, RIAS Kammerchor, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Gerd Albrecht (recorded 1984)



DISCS 11-19: LIEDER (recorded 1974-1982)



CD11

68:17

Liederkreis, op.24; Myrthen, op.25

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Christoph Eschenbach



CD12

68:15

Lieder und Gesange, op.27; 3 Gedichte, op.30; 3 Gesange, op.31; 12 Kerner-Lieder, op.35

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Christoph Eschenbach



CD13

66:20

6 Gedichte, op.36; 12 Gedichte aus Ruckerts "Liebesfruhling", op.37; Liederkreis, op.39; 5 Lieder, op.40

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Julia Varady, Christoph Eschenbach



CD14

72:00

Frauenliebe und -leben, op.42; Romanzen & Balladen, op.45; Dichterliebe, op.48

Edith Mathis, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Christoph Eschenbach



5 Poems of Mary Stuart, op.135

Regine Crespin, John Wustman



CD15

58:10

Romanzen & Balladen, opp.49, 53 & 64; Lieder und Gesange, opp.51 & 77; Belsatzar, op.57; Spanisches Liederspiel, op.74

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Julia Varady, Peter Schreier, Christoph Eschenbach



CD16

47:43

Lieder-Album fur die Jugend, op.79; 3 Gesange, op.83; Der Handschuh, op.87; 6 Gesange, op.89

Edith Mathis, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, Christoph Eschenbach



CD17

69:33

6 Gedichte und Anhang, op.90; 3 Gedichte, op.95; Lieder und Gesange, opp.96 & 98; Minnespiel, op.101

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Julia Varady, Christoph Eschenbach



CD18

62:34

7 Lieder, op.104; 6 Gesange, op.107; 4 Husarenlieder, op.117; 3 Gedichte, op.119; 5 heitere Gesange, op.125; 5 Lieder & Gesange, op.127; Spanische Liebeslieder, op.138; Ballade "Des Sangers Fluch", op.139

Edith Mathis, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, Christoph Eschenbach



CD19

58:15

Schon Hedwig, op.106; 2 Balladen, op.122; 11 fruhe Lieder, WoO 21; 3 Gedichte, op.29; 4 Duette, op.34; 3 zweistimmige Lieder, op.43; 4 Duette, op.78; Sommerruh; 6 Lieder, op.33 ("Die Lotosblume")

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, Julia Varady, Christoph Eschenbach



DISCS 20-26: CHAMBER MUSIC



CD20

53:28

Piano Quintet in E flat, op.44

Paul Gulda, Hagen Quartett



String Quartet no.1 in A minor, op.41/1

Hagen Quartett (recorded 1994)



CD21

47:55

String Quartet no.2 in F, op.41/2

String Quartet no.3 in A, op.41/3

Hagen Quartett (recorded 1994)



CD22

77:05

Piano Quartet in E flat, op.47

Beaux Arts Trio (Menahem Pressler, Isadore Cohen, Bernard Greenhouse) with Samuel Rhodes, viola

(recorded 1975)



Piano Trio no.1 in D minor, op.63

Beaux Arts Trio (recorded 1971)



Fantasiestucke, op.88

Beaux Arts Trio (Menahem Pressler, Isadore Cohen, Peter Wiley)

(recorded 1990)



CD23

68:48

Piano Trio no.2 in F, op.80

Piano Trio no.3 in G minor, op.110

Beaux Arts Trio (recorded 1971)



CD24

48:21

Violin Sonata no.1 in A minor, op.105

Violin Sonata no.2 in D minor, op.121

Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich (recorded 1985)



CD25

78:58

Paganini: 24 Caprices, op.1 (with piano accompaniments by Robert Schumann, nos.1-23)

David Garrett, Bruno Canino (recorded 1996)



CD26

68:12

3 Romances, op.94; Fantasiestucke, op.73; Abendlied, op.85/12; 5 Stucke im Volkston, op.102

Heinz Holliger, oboe; Alfred Brendel (recorded 1979)



Adagio & Allegro in A flat for horn & piano, op.70

Radovan Vlatkovic, Vladimir Ashkenazy



Andante & Variations, op.46

Vladimir Ashkenazy & Vovka Ashkenazy, pianos; Radovan Vlatkovic, horn; Georg Donderer & Mathias Donderer, cellos



DISCS 27-35: SOLO PIANO WORKS



CD27

65:16

Abegg Variations, op.1; 6 Intermezzos, op.4; Kinderszenen, op.15; Waldszenen, op.82

Christoph Eschenbach (recorded 1966)



Toccata in C, op.7

Ivo Pogorelich (recorded 1981)



CD28

38:20

Symphonic Etudes, op.13; 5 Variations, op. post; Arabeske in C, op.18

Maurizio Pollini (recorded 1981 & 1983)



CD29

51:52

Davidsbundlertanze, op.6 (first version, 1837); Concerto without Orchestra, op.14 (Piano Sonata no.3, first version, 1835-6)

Maurizio Pollini (recorded 2000)



CD30

48:14

Allegro in B minor, op.8; Kreisleriana, op.16; Gesange der Fruhe, op.133 (1853)

Maurizio Pollini (recorded 2001)



CD31

80:47

Papillons, op.2; Carnaval, op.9; Humoreske, op.20; Noveletten, op.21

Vladimir Ashkenazy (recorded 1984 & 1986)



CD32

62:46

Piano Sonata no.1 in F# minor, op.11; Fantasie in C, op.17

Maurizio Pollini (recorded 1973)



CD33

79:29

8 Fantasiestucke, op.12; Blumenstuck, op.19; Noveletten, op.21/8; Piano Sonata no.2 in G minor, op.22; Faschingsschwank aus Wien, op.26

Vladimir Ashkenazy (recorded 1988-91)



CD34

68:59

Bunte Blatter, op.99; Nachtstucke, op.23; 3 Romanzen, op.28

Vladimir Ashkenazy (recorded 1995)



Six Studies for pedal piano, op.56

Simon Preston



CD35

39:52

Album fur die Jugend, op.68

Homero Francesch (recorded 1980)"

Selecting the best of the best

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 06/13/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Whether you acquire it new or used, this massive Schumann collection is a stone bargain. Among the major labels, only EMI comes close to matching the depth of DG's catalog, and here Universal has also drawn on Decca and Philips, although to a fairly limited extent. Some of the company's second-tier artists have been included, which is why we get so much John Eliot Gardiner in the orchestral works rather than Karajan -- luckily, Gardiner's set of the four symphonies stands as some of his best work outside the Baroque. I'd also say that Ashkenazy is decidedly second-best in the piano works when Kempff is being skipped over, but it was generous of them to include Pollini's complete Schumann discography (minus the Piano Cto.). Christoph Eschenbach's solo disc is ordinary; we could have had Richter or Argerich instead. Lynn Harrell can't quite capture the magic of Rostropovich in the Cello Cto., but he is first rate nonetheless.



Among the out-of-print recordings being restored here, Benjamin Britten's version of Scenes from Goethe's Faust remains incomparable almost forty years after the fact, with every soloist shining at their brightest. Among the vocal works, DG has relied almost solely on Fischer-Dieskau and Edith Mathis. No one could claim that F-D is less than pre-eminent in Lieder, but it wouldn't have hurt to vary his contributions with selections from Bryn Terfel and Thomas Quasthoff, not to mention Fritz Wunderlich's ardent, golden-voiced Dichterliebe. Mathis is admirable without being inspired. I like almost all of the chamber music while regretting that the Beaux Arts Trio was chosen for the Piano Quartet, but they were a mainstay at Philips for decades. The inclusion of the superlative Hagen Qt. in the string quartets makes up for a lot, however, even if their Piano Quintet with Paul Gulda is less than it should be (we could have had the superb reading led by Maria Joao Pires).



Below I've taken the table of contents generously provided by the lead reviewer and picked the recordings that interested me the most for their high musical quality. This may help prospective buyers to decide how much of this comprehensive collection rises to the level of real distinction -- it's a surprising amount, I think, and considerably more than what is found in DG's parallel collection of Chopin.



(* denotes an exceptional or rare recording)



DISCS 1-5: ORCHESTRAL WORKS



CD1

Symphony no.1 in B flat, op.38 "Spring"

Overture, Scherzo & Finale, op.52

Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (recorded 1997)



Genoveva overture, op.81

Berlin Philharmonic, Rafael Kubelik



CD2

Symphony no.4 in D minor, op.120 (original version, 1841)

Symphony no.2 in C, op.61

Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (1997)



* Julius Caesar overture, op.128

Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti



CD3

Konzertstuck in F for 4 horns & orchestra, op.86

Symphony no.3 in E flat, op.97 "Rhenish"

Symphony no.4 in D minor, op.120 (revised version, 1851)

Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (1997)





CD5

Violin Concerto in D minor

Henryk Szeryng, London Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati (recorded 1964)



Cello Concerto in A minor, op.129

Lynn Harrell, Cleveland Orchestra, Neville Marriner (recorded 1981)



Fantasy for violin & orchestra in C, op.131

Anne-Sophie Mutter, New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur



DISCS 6-10: CHORAL MUSIC



CD6

Requiem for Mignon, op.98b

Nachtlied "Quellende, schwellende Nacht", op.108

Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner



* Das Paradies und die Peri, part one

Bernarda Fink, Barbara Bonney, Christoph Pregardien, Gerald Finley, etc., Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (recorded 1997)



CD7

* Das Paradies und die Peri, parts two & three

Bernarda Fink, Barbara Bonney, Christoph Pregardien, Gerald Finley, etc., Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardner (recorded 1997)



CD8

* Scenes from Goethe's "Faust", parts one & two

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Elizabeth Harwood, John Shirley-Quirk, Peter Pears, etc., Aldeburgh Festival Singers, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten (recorded 1972)



CD9

* Scenes from Goethe's "Faust", part three

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Elizabeth Harwood, John Shirley-Quirk, Peter Pears, etc., Aldeburgh Festival Singers, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten (recorded 1972)



CD10

* Manfred - incidental music, op.115

Gudrun Sieber, Gabriele Schreckenbach, Alejandro Ramirez, Harald Stamm, Klausjurgen Wussow, RIAS Kammerchor, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Gerd Albrecht (recorded 1984)



DISCS 11-19: LIEDER (recorded 1974-1982)



CD11

* Liederkreis, op.24; Myrthen, op.25

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Christoph Eschenbach



CD12

* (for F-D's part) Lieder und Gesange, op.27; 3 Gedichte, op.30; 3 Gesange, op.31; 12 Kerner-Lieder, op.35

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Christoph Eschenbach



CD13

* (for F-D's Liederkreis and duets with Varady) 6 Gedichte, op.36; 12 Gedichte aus Ruckerts "Liebesfruhling", op.37; Liederkreis, op.39; 5 Lieder, op.40

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Julia Varady, Christoph Eschenbach



CD14

* Romanzen & Balladen, op.45; Dichterliebe, op.48

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Christoph Eschenbach



* 5 Poems of Mary Stuart, op.135

Regine Crespin, John Wustman



CD15

* Romanzen & Balladen, opp.49, 53 & 64; Lieder und Gesange, opp.51 & 77; Belsatzar, op.57; Spanisches Liederspiel, op.74

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Julia Varady, Peter Schreier, Christoph Eschenbach



CD16

* Lieder-Album fur die Jugend, op.79; 3 Gesange, op.83; Der Handschuh, op.87; 6 Gesange, op.89

Edith Mathis, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, Christoph Eschenbach



CD17

* 6 Gedichte und Anhang, op.90; 3 Gedichte, op.95; Lieder und Gesange, opp.96 & 98; Minnespiel, op.101

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Julia Varady, Christoph Eschenbach



CD18

* 7 Lieder, op.104; 6 Gesange, op.107; 4 Husarenlieder, op.117; 3 Gedichte, op.119; 5 heitere Gesange, op.125; 5 Lieder & Gesange, op.127; Spanische Liebeslieder, op.138; Ballade "Des Sangers Fluch", op.139

Edith Mathis, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, Christoph Eschenbach



CD19

* Schon Hedwig, op.106; 2 Balladen, op.122; 11 fruhe Lieder, WoO 21; 3 Gedichte, op.29; 4 Duette, op.34; 3 zweistimmige Lieder, op.43; 4 Duette, op.78; Sommerruh; 6 Lieder, op.33 ("Die Lotosblume")

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, Julia Varady, Christoph Eschenbach



DISCS 20-26: CHAMBER MUSIC



CD20



* String Quartet no.1 in A minor, op.41/1

Hagen Quartett (recorded 1994)



CD21

* String Quartet no.2 in F, op.41/2

* String Quartet no.3 in A, op.41/3

Hagen Quartett (recorded 1994)





CD24

* Violin Sonata no.1 in A minor, op.105

* Violin Sonata no.2 in D minor, op.121

Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich (recorded 1985)



CD25

* (a strange curiosity, if that) Paganini: 24 Caprices, op.1 (with piano accompaniments by Robert Schumann, nos.1-23)

David Garrett, Bruno Canino (recorded 1996)



CD26

* 3 Romances, op.94; Fantasiestucke, op.73; Abendlied, op.85/12; 5 Stucke im Volkston, op.102

Heinz Holliger, oboe; Alfred Brendel (recorded 1979)



* Adagio & Allegro in A flat for horn & piano, op.70

Radovan Vlatkovic, Vladimir Ashkenazy



* Andante & Variations, op.46

Vladimir Ashkenazy & Vovka Ashkenazy, pianos; Radovan Vlatkovic, horn; Georg Donderer & Mathias Donderer, cellos



DISCS 27-35: SOLO PIANO WORKS





CD28

* Symphonic Etudes, op.13; 5 Variations, op. post; Arabeske in C, op.18

Maurizio Pollini (recorded 1981 & 1983)



CD29

* Davidsbundlertanze, op.6 (first version, 1837); Concerto without Orchestra, op.14 (Piano Sonata no.3, first version, 1835-6)

Maurizio Pollini (recorded 2000)



CD30

* Allegro in B minor, op.8; Kreisleriana, op.16; Gesange der Fruhe, op.133 (1853)

Maurizio Pollini (recorded 2001)



CD32

* Piano Sonata no.1 in F# minor, op.11; Fantasie in C, op.17

Maurizio Pollini (recorded 1973)"