Search - Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, Adrian Boult :: Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2, Schumann: Kinderszenen

Musicianship above everything else

hjonkers | The Netherlands | 04/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The remastering of the pieces on this disc is very well done. And that's very fortunate for us listeners, because Schnabel gives the Schumann Kinderszenen and, most important, the Brahms B flat concerto one of the best -perhaps THE best- performances on record. I've read it all: comments about Schnabel's technical deficiencies, rhythmical incorrectness etcetera, but they make no sense whatsoever. Simply put, Schnabel gets more music out of this concerto than nearly everyone else. He might have an occasional finger slip in the first movement: for example, the cadenza that leads to the orchestral tutti has some missed notes. And in the second and fourth movement, the tempo is hurried now and then. But I don't care at all. Schnabel takes huge risks in this recording, as he did so often. He might pay a little price in the form of some finger slips, but what we get in return is a stunningly driven, thrilling and absorbingly musical performance of the B flat concerto. Which is, after all, one of the most difficult pieces to bring off for a performer. Schnabel's performance is just glorious, and he's assisted by the very accurate and equally enthusiastic BBC Symphony Orchestra, led by Adrian Boult.



Schnabel's beautifully rounded, somewhat thick and very muscular tone is perhaps ideal for the B flat concerto. He gives the first movement an unmatched heroic grandeur and makes a crazy ride through the second movement, is completely absorbing in the Andante and gives a playful, somewhat improvising rendition of the final Allegretto. And everything in tempos that no one would ever dare to use nowadays: the first movement takes less than sixteen minutes! Compare that with the usual eighteen... The other two fast movements are both done in about 8 minutes and even the slow movement is much quicker than normally.



Sometimes the fast tempo leads to tricky situations: the aforementioned cadenza 1 minute into the first movement has some missed notes. But Schnabel builds such a thrill out of the cadenza that he makes a lot good again. I might even find it more interesting than the usual flawless performances, because of the risk-taking and the thrill and power this fast treatment gives. The occasional tempo rushes in the second movement (especially in the final minute) aren't annoying, at least not to my ears, but give the piece a wildness and craziness that fit very well. And the unusual treatment Schnabel gives to the glissando notes at 1'55 of the last movement gives the piece a kind of joy that is often missing in other performances.



But what really makes this recording so good, is Schnabel's musicianship itself. The piano entry at 3'00 in the first movement is appropriately heroic and powerful, and he never turns the fire down afterwards: throughout the whole first movement he sustains a brilliant and intense power, and a kind of poetry that no modern pianist could even approach. His trills are unique, too. This was one of my first recordings of Schnabel and his playing just astounded me at every moment. I think he's the perfect match for this concerto. Although there are loads of great Brahms B flats (Richter and E. Fischer possibly being his equal), this is the one I keep returning to most frequently.



The Kinderszenen are a story apart, and the performances of these are just as priceless. They are played with the same intense feeling and a golden tone. Schnabel is at his very best in the quietest pieces, like his otherworldly Traumerei. Equally beautiful is the `Kind in Einschlummern', which sounds like a state of trance! He also controls the subtlety of the `Fuerchtenmachen' scene masterfully, and makes a delightful gallop in `Ritter von Steckenpferd'. And `Wichtige Begebenheit' has a great inner strength. The Kinderszenen are almost worth the price of the disc alone. Aren't you glad you get that stunning Brahms concerto as well, eh? This is simply an invaluable disc."

Poor sound

Waldstein | 09/04/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This recording is remarkable for the tempos chosen. However, in my opinion, the sound quality really detracts from the performance. The instruments do not sound good, and there is very noticeable hissing. This might be a good remastering considering when it was recorded (1935 for the concerto; 1947 for the Kinderszenen), but I still don't like it. If you don't care about sound, and you want to hear an amzing performance, this is a good deal for you. If not, I would recommend Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Schumann, R.: Introduction And Allegro Appassinato, Op. 92 by Jando.





The track lengths for the concerto are as follows:



1st movement - 15:53

2nd movement - 8:11

3rd movement - 12:34

4th movement - 8:38"