Search - Robert Schumann, Christoph von Dohnányi, Cleveland Orchestra :: Schumann: The Symphonies

Best Performance of the Second

M. Seeley | Charlotte, NC | 01/21/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Cleveland plays these symphonies with a wonderful balance of power and finesse. Dohnanyi's readings are lucid, clean and precise with enough fire and passion to make these performances interesting. The performance of the 2nd is the best I have ever heard. The slow movement is especially glorious and noble. The 1st and 4th are vital and full of propulsion and brisk tempos. The last movements really sing as the strings play at break-neck speeds. The 3rd is the weak link in the cycle. It comes off rather modest lacking the fire of the other three. Having these four put togther in one single package is a great bargain."

Well Done

Ryan Richards | Midland, MI United States | 11/20/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dohnanyi and the Cleveland Orchestra bring to these CDs all of the crisp technique, explosive power, and enlightened interpretation that I remember from their Beethoven symphony cycle. Surprisingly, however, the recorded sound of these symphonies is *clearer* than the sound of their Beethoven symphonies was, possibly owing to London's different recording techniques. This serves the strings particularly well, as they're finally allowed to take a prominent place in the Cleveland Orchestra's sound... which is good, for (as has been noted) there are several places where the strings really fly, most notably in the finales of the First and Fourth symphonies, and in the scherzo of the Second. Unlike other orchestras I've heard performing these symphonies, the Cleveland Orchestra is clearly not afraid to take these symphonies up to tempo, and that tendency creates an energetic, fiery sound that bursts with life and exuberance while maintaining a heroic nobility. It's true that of the four symphonies, the "Rhenish" is the most modest-sounding. However, it must be emphasized that with this orchestra and this conductor, "modest" doesn't translate to "bad," but rather to simply "well done"--as opposed to the outright heroism of their interpretation of the Second symphony, which converts that often overshadowed work into a veritable masterpiece. The bottom line is, it's probably possible to find better individual interpretations of each symphony... but it's pretty hard. These interpretations are so well performed that there's no way you can go wrong buying these CDs; indeed, if you're looking to get all four Schumann symphonies in one set, I'd go so far as to say this is THE set to get, particularly for a bargain price like this."

A mixed bag

Mark Jordan | Gambier, Ohio, USA | 09/23/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Christoph von Dohnanyi is a great conductor, but his set of Schumann symphonies is not an unqualified success. The best thing here (and one hopes it will be reissued in a bargain series in the future) is a deeply felt, noble peformance of the Symphony No. 2. The First and Fourth symphonies are both good, yet they both seem a bit to dogged and relentless to really take flight. Dohnanyi's approach to the Third keeps the middle movements flowing along to avoid the blandness of routine that creeps into so many performances, but in doing so, he also misses most of the varied and endearing emotions of these movements. Recorded sound is good, but I must say this: Having heard this conductor and orchestra in concert several times, I think it's a real shame that no recording company ever caught their glorious sound quite right."