Schumann: Symphonies 1-4; Manfred Overture

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
George Szell was on record as saying that he believed there was no reason the Schumann symphonies shouldn't be "as popular as Tchaikovsky." When they're played like this, it's hard to disagree. Schumann is one of those composers that every conductor does, but that few do really well. Part of the problem stems from the monochrome orchestration. Szell makes minor adjustments for the sake of clarity, but otherwise leaves it up to his superb orchestra to achieve the proper balances. And despite the usual extraordinary discipline that he imposes on his players, he's not afraid to let the music's Romantic temper burst out now and again in a surge of energy. With excellently remastered sound, this set is certainly one for the record books. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 in 3-Flat Major, Op. 97 'Rhenish': I. Lebhaft
Symphony No. 3 in 3-Flat Major, Op. 97 'Rhenish': II. Scherzo: Sehr Massig
Symphony No. 3 in 3-Flat Major, Op. 97 'Rhenish': III. Nicht Schnell
Symphony No. 3 in 3-Flat Major, Op. 97 'Rhenish': IV. Feierlich
Symphony No. 3 in 3-Flat Major, Op. 97 'Rhenish': V. Lebhaft
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120: I. Ziemlich langsam-Lebhaft
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120: II. Romanze: Ziemlich langsam
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120: III. Scherzo: Lebhaft-Trio
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120: IV. Langsam-Lebhaft
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120: 'Manfred' Overture, Op. 115

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In B-Flat Major, Op. 38 'Spring': I. Andante un poco maestoso-Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 1 In B-Flat Major, Op. 38 'Spring': II. Larghetto
Symphony No. 1 In B-Flat Major, Op. 38 'Spring': III. Scherzo: Molto vivace-Trio I: Molto piu vivace-Trio II
Symphony No. 1 In B-Flat Major, Op. 38 'Spring': IV. Allegro animato e grazioso
Symphony No. 2 In C Major, Op. 61: I. Sostenuto assai-Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 2 In C Major, Op. 61: II. Scherzo: Allegro vivace-Trio I-Trio II
Symphony No. 2 In C Major, Op. 61: III. Adagio expressivo
Symphony No. 2 In C Major, Op. 61: IV. Allegro molto vivace

Amazon.com

George Szell was on record as saying that he believed there was no reason the Schumann symphonies shouldn't be "as popular as Tchaikovsky." When they're played like this, it's hard to disagree. Schumann is one of those composers that every conductor does, but that few do really well. Part of the problem stems from the monochrome orchestration. Szell makes minor adjustments for the sake of clarity, but otherwise leaves it up to his superb orchestra to achieve the proper balances. And despite the usual extraordinary discipline that he imposes on his players, he's not afraid to let the music's Romantic temper burst out now and again in a surge of energy. With excellently remastered sound, this set is certainly one for the record books. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Definitive.......2007-05-17

These definitive recordings show an unusually warm George Szell--not the cold hearted tyrant of legend--working out with the astonishingly polished Cleveland Orchestra. And for once the remastered Columbia/Sony sonics are deep and full and without high end distortion, faithfully reproducing the silky string sound of Severance Hall. These are essential recordings that confirmed Schumann's place as a major symphonist.

Schumann shines.......2007-05-13

This recording has opened up an appreciation of Schumann that I did not have before. Powerful and expressive performance by Szell.

Armchair or Open Windows.......2006-10-25

Brian Knox (review entered below) makes some interesting points about these famed recordings. Szell has a great (and altogether deserved) reputation as a conductor of classical directness and integrity. But - and there is a but with these great recordings - these recordings are not altogether as satisfying as their almost legendary reputation might suggest. There is an unexpected 'plushiness' to Szell's balances that mutes and dulls the edge of these genuinely exciting symphonies. There is just a little too much of the armchair and too little of the open-window.

This is a consequence of Szell's (wholly legitimate) view of these symphonies and their sound-world, of his revisions to the scores and of the recorded balances. Christoph von Dohnanyi (still with the great Cleveland Orchestra) lets far more sunlight and fresh-air onto the scene. So too does Klemperer - a fantastic but rare set (marred a little by his ponderous view of the 2nd symphony). David Zinman with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich is bright, buoyant and wonderfully alive (an outstanding version of the 2nd symphony).

But the real point is that these symphonies are superb works and any of these sets would provide much enjoyment.

More a warning than a review.......2006-02-26

Fantastic set, one of my favorite of a huge pile--the one I seem to go back to most frequently.

If you buy this and the CDs are in non-removable cardboard sleeves inside the packaging (they should be), CAREFULLY take the discs out and put them in jewel cases for the remainder of their (or your) lives. The idiotically designed packaging actually scratches up the discs--primarily the second one (the glued inside (!!) seam rubs up against the surface). I'm meticulous with my CD handling and discovered, to my horror, that this has happened with nearly every set I own in this series!

I've encountered worse elsewhere--trendy avant-garde labels are the worst, they might as well package CDs in sandpaper or include a crowbar [If the moron who designed the breathtakingly idiotic packaging for the KAIROS Morton Feldman disc ever reads this, be warned, I will track you down someday and ruin your career as a designer]; it's amazing that at this late date in the evolution of the CD packaging designers still haven't developed the right sensitivities or simply yielded wholly to the imperfect but better-than-anything-else stock jewel box. Why that ingenius package that would actually automatically lift and free the disc when opened never caught on (despite the added 10 cent per unit cost, that I, for one, would gladly have absorbed) is anybody's guess.

[Post note: Amazing, I publish this solely to cue people that there's a problem with the packaging on this and I get a "not helpful" vote! What a putz!]

Strong Historical Performance, Interpretation.......2005-10-18

As anyone acquainted with "the Trio of German Romantics" (Clara and Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms) will know, Robert Schumann's orchestrations are often criticized as greatly inferior to his compositions' other attributes, as well as sub-par with regard to other composers' orchestrations. Gustav Mahler, for example, in attempting to revive Robert Schumann's symphonies, went so far as to essentially re-orchestrate the whole of the four symphonies, he thought the original orchestration so horrendous. Many have followed in this path of adding or taking away from Robert Schumann's orchestrations to popularize his symphonies.

George Szell, who conducts this recording, criticizes such revisions (in the front cover) as "adulterating the character of these works by wrapping them in a meretricious garb of sound alien to their nature." Szell, at home with both the Cleveland Orchestra and Robert Schumann's Symphonies, however, adds some notes and changes of his own atop of Schumann's original scores, though he classifies his alterations as "guided by conscience and taste". According to the front cover, Szell's changes, developed over his years performing the four symphonies, consist of "eliminating doublings, adding or changing notes to clarify themes, adjusting harmonics", as well as the obligatory adjustment of timpani notes (since Schumann wrote for his timpani some dissonant tones, due to the primitive nature of timpani tuning at the time).

Szell's changes to Schumann's orchestration, allegedly in "conscience and taste", are greatly indicative of how Szell views Schumann historically. Szell systematically limits the symphonies' orchestrations to trends likely observed close after "the end" of the Classical period. In Szell's performance the upper strings are the supremely dominant source of melody, as Szell seems to restrain the highly-apt brass section of the Cleveland Orchestra (except, in some cases, the horns) to a role of, largely, dramatic emphasis. Grossly lopsided or unbalanced orchestration, or anything too prominently featuring winds is avoided by Szell, and the full string section is never far from the forefront of the music. Still, Szell often allows the Cleveland Orchestra's lower strings and woodwinds the freedom and spotlight more often the convention in later Romantic works: Szell acknowledges that Schumann's works are after Beethoven's death. All of this through only a relatively small amount of changes to key areas of the music.

Robert Schumann's occasionally underappreciated Symphony no. 3 in Eb ("Rhenish"), can be our case study of Szell's balance between Beethoven's/Mozart's classical refinement and restraint in orchestration and a Brahms's/Bruckner's overt expression and use of orchestra players more equally. In the first movement, for example, horns and the more piercing woodwinds are still allowed the prominence Schumann originally placed them in, but Szell seems to have instructed the players to hold back, both in volume and robustness of expression. On the other hand, Szell summons goose bumps to the back of a Brahms fan, with the two phrases which are almost verbatim from Brahms's Third symphony (at about 7:00 minutes in this recording): Szell makes certain the Orchestra plays with a firm evocation of "Frei aber Froh".

The "Rhenish" Adagio, too, is balanced between Classical taste and Romantic expression. The woodwinds beneath the melody are performed softly and the effect is touching, but the notes are not as moody as they might be in, say, a Debussy piece. Altogether, the effect of this more rigid approach to emotion is much the same as one would expect in a German Classicist: rather than focus on raw, untamed sentiment, the listener is brought to bear with a more cerebral, rational display of themes, variation, etc. This can be good and bad, of course, depending on how you listen to Classical music, and what you think of Robert Schumann, personally. Often, in Beethoven's symphonies, it is important that the listener does not become too enraptured in the momentary experience, for soon he will be removed from that moment and placed further ahead in the developing storyline. Likewise Szell's aversion to blatantly "romantic" Romanticism allows us to see the broader picture of Schumann's music which is a prize in and of itself, though it might be recognized only by a relatively small cognoscente. If you'd rather hear rubato themes and highly expressive notes, this may be a long performance for you, as moments of pure passion are few and far between.

These symphonies and overture are performed almost entirely mistake free, by a world caliber Cleveland Orchestra, well-versed in the ways of its long-time captain (at that time, at least), George Szell. Szell's "taste and conscience", as well as his love for Schumann (through his dedication to both historical accuracy and modern-day attractiveness) shine through this collection expertly, assigning Schumann's symphonic works into the modern Classical listener's repertoire with surprising force.

This collection is not a "must buy". However this set may well be the best performance and direction of the several moderate, historically-minded interpretations of Robert Schumann's symphonies out there. And such historically-minded recordings are the types of recordings you'll want before getting into any radical alteration of Schumann's (such as Mahler's versions). As an introduction to Robert "Schumann: beyond the song", this CD set comes highly recommended. Very highly.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Schumann interpretations

Robert Schumann: The 4 Symphonies

Manufacturer: Berlin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000035O0
Release Date: 2005-10-01

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Schumann interpretations.......2007-06-09

Franz Konwitschny is perhaps not the most well-known conductor, probably partly due to the fact that he worked and lived in East Germany during the Cold War. He was born in 1901, Fulnek, Northern Moravia, and he died in 1962 in Belgrade, former Yugoslavia while conducting in a TV broadcast. From 1949 until his death he was principal conductor for the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig, where he became a DDR classical superstar. He received a state funeral in that city, with a crowd weeping some miles along the streets.

This box collects his outstanding Schumann interpretations - the four symphonies, the "Genoveva" and "Manfred" overtures, and the rarely performed "Konzertstück für vier Hörner", op. 86 and the "Overture, Scherzo, and Finale", op. 52. All performances were recorded in the "Studio" Bethanienkirche in Leipzig, with its excellent acoustics. They are also taped in very good early vintage analogue stereo by the VEB Deutsche Schallplatten engineers - and the Berlin Classics' remasterings are excellent.

In sum, these are classic DDR Schumann recordings, in the old school style from a great conductor - what more could you ask for? Of course, for the symphonies, we have strong competition: references include Kubelik (SONY), Szell (SONY) and, recently, Barenboim (Teldec). But Konwitschny's performances are second to none, even if I don't want to be without any of these other recordings.

Warmly recommended!

(The Schumann cycle is also included in the box "The Art of Franz Konwitschny", vol. 2.)

Average customer rating:

The original recipe
No topping the review below
One of Schumann's most remarkable works!
Some fine playing, but sound not up to Mercury's standards
Paray's legacy at the forefront in Schumann

Schumann: Symphonies/Manfred

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000IIX6
Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In B-Flat Major, Op.38 ('Spring'): 1. Andante un poco maestoso. Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No.1 In B-Flat Major, Op.38 ('Spring'): 2. Larghetto
Symphony No.1 In B-Flat Major, Op.38 ('Spring'): 3. Scherzo. Molto vivace. Trio I, Trio II
Symphony No.1 In B-Flat Major, Op.38 ('Spring'): 4. Allegro animato e grazioso
Symphony No.2 In C Major, Op.61: 1. Sostenuto assai. Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No.2 In C Major, Op.61: 2. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
Symphony No.2 In C Major, Op.61: 3. Adagio espressivo
Symphony No.2 In C Major, Op.61: 4. Allegro molto vivace

Tracks:

Symphony no.3 In E-Flat Major, Op.97 ('Rhenish'): 1. Lebhaft
Symphony no.3 In E-Flat Major, Op.97 ('Rhenish'): 2. Scherzo. Sehr massig
Symphony no.3 In E-Flat Major, Op.97 ('Rhenish'): 3. Nicht schnell
Symphony no.3 In E-Flat Major, Op.97 ('Rhenish'): 4. Feierlich
Symphony no.3 In E-Flat Major, Op.97 ('Rhenish'): 5. Lebhaft
Symphony No.4 In D Minor, Op.120: 1. Ziemlich langsam; Lebhaft
Symphony No.4 In D Minor, Op.120: 2. Romanze. Ziemlich langsam
Symphony No.4 In D Minor, Op.120: 3. Scherzo. Lebhaft
Symphony No.4 In D Minor, Op.120: 4. Langsam; labhaft
Manfred, Overture for Orchestra, Op.115

Amazon.com

Paray's Schumann is characterized by swift tempos, flowing slow movements, carefully judged instrumental balances, and rhythmic precision--attributes associated with the French school of which he was an outstanding exemplar. The result: lithe, energetic interpretations that avoid the muddiness that too often typifies performances of Schumann's orchestral works. The Spring Symphony benefits from this approach; the introduction, so often pompous or rushed, here manages to be both buoyant and un poco maestoso, and the rhapsodic nature of the piece comes to the fore. The Second is as attractive, its flowing Adagio a welcome relief from some recent readings that degenerate into stasis. Paray's Rhenish Symphony offers headlong forward thrust and an exuberant finale, while the Fourth builds with cumulative power. The filler, the Manfred Overture, is romanticism incarnate and Paray captures the moodiness and struggles at its core. Mercury's sound wears its age lightly (the recordings were made between 1954 and 1958) and all but the fine-sounding Fourth Symphony are in stereo. There are other fine integral sets of Schumann's symphonies available, such as the recently reissued ones by Szell and Bernstein, but Paray's is a very welcome addition to the catalogue. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

The original recipe.......2007-05-06

Paul Paray was one of the first conductors to go back to Schumann's own original orchestrations of these symphonies. Before that, many a conductor had tweaked and fiddled with the scores to "enhance" the melodic lines -- and also to "heavy them up" in that stereotypically Germanic manner. Perhaps it took a Gallic conductor like Paray to treat Schumann's delicate-yet-vibrant scores like a watercolor rather than an oil painting. (Paray, having once heard one of Schumann's symphonies performed with a doctored score, was quoted as saying to the conductor after the concert, "Nice piece. Who wrote it?")

Paray is most effective in Nos. 1, 2 and 4. The Rhenish is not quite as special, but certainly OK. Nothing like the travesties you'll hear with Solti and the Vienna Philharmonic. Like others who have reviewed this CD, I also hear the high-pitched whine in the 4th symphony. It's not unbearable, but why couldn't the engineers have gotten rid of it?

No topping the review below.......2005-08-12

Wow. I haven't seen anyone write like that since girlfriend who fancied herself a poetess wrote me a long Dear John letter. Reading it reminded me that I haven't used the words "anguished" or "coruscating" in a sentence in way too long.

Well anyway, deese be reel good'uns. I'm not sure where anyone is still hearing Schumann sounding like mud these days, it still comes up in reviews as almost a trite cliche, and as far back as Szell conductors have been careful to make his music not sound like mud. It doesn't sound like mud here at all. (If you want to hear Schumann sound like Webern check out the amazing Orchestral Works collection conducted by Florian Metz on the obscure EBS label--the weirdest and wonderfullest Schumann I've ever heard. It's listed on Amazon and well worth the price although it'll shock the bejeebers out of you).

This set is great, the fast tempos are welcome, the playing is excellent, and the whole thing is exciting as hell. Symphony number two is a real standout with the first movement set to the max for drama. I hope this doesn't stay out of print too long.

One of Schumann's most remarkable works!.......2005-03-19

Since I listened for the first time this monumental Symphony I have considered this was the seminal seed of inspiration to Gustav Mahler. Somehow this work the main ingredients of later Mahler's works.

The existential pathos, the struggling presence of the death, the unavoidable and sometimes unbearable shadow of the anguish moves on underneath the score with this obsessive and exhilarating frenzy of apparent calm. The strings and woodwinds announce this troubled First Movement superbly depicted by this director. In honor of the truth there is a comfortable sign of tense peace that reminds me to the last moments in Werther. This work is the best built Symphony, the epitome of the late Romanticism echoes : a real transient stage between the last echoes of the classic Romantic age and the new musical conceptions of Mahler. The sad noblesse of the Second Movement for instance is one of the most relevant examples of the loneliness without any faith's particle: the man and his circumstance, not in the classic desperation of Pyotr Illich Tchaikovsky, visibly immersed in another anguish level, but with the gaze placed in a real premonition of the future.

The genuine expression of the desperation and the lack of any kind of salvation device as the faith must be exposed without merciless if you want to win with this hard to conduct work. The Third Movement is written with a sharp autumn scream . the composer is just looking behind and suddenly the vision comes back the strings work out as the mother's arms : if you don't remark this aspect you are absolutely divorced of what's going on in the deepness of Schumann.

Finally the last Movement pretends to emerge from the ashes to announce a redemption , but it's too late and you feel it. Despite the doubtless optimist song of the strings and the fierce attack of the whole orchestra: the destiny has sealed the ineluctability of the death.

Acquire this superb reading of this fundamental work of Robert Schumann.

The rest of the three Symphonies is worthable but the set shines thanks to the Fourth approach!

Some fine playing, but sound not up to Mercury's standards.......2002-11-25

The interpretations are as fresh and well-judged as other reviews indicate, but I found it difficult to listen to the 4th symphony because of a persistent, high pitched electronic noise like the whining of an elderly television set all through the piece. It was either turn the treble way down or get a headache.

Perhaps in 20 years' time when my high frequency hearing has disappeared I will be able to enjoy such a thing. It seems that the old guard at Mercury aren't all that sharp-eared, since this hideous noise would have been fairly easy to filter out.

The 1st and 3rd symphonies are sonically pretty good, but as one other reviewer said, the sound on the 2nd Symphony isn't quite up to their standard, lacking a certain amount of presence and being a bit shaky on the high frequencies (oboes and trumpets are "flaky" in their upper registers).

Interestingly, the woodwind and trumpet sound on these 50's recordings isn't that far off the "period instrument" type of sound: the oboes in particular are bright, incisive and somewhat thin-toned. Clarity is the watchword for most of the orchestral textures. However the timpani and double basses are resolutely post-romantic, being rather overpowering, especially at the climactic ends of some movements - they boom out in an energetic, but unfocused way, communicating through seismic vibrations...

Paray's legacy at the forefront in Schumann.......1999-06-03

There isn't much more to add to what's already been said except to tack on a star. This is far and away the most beautiful Schumann committed to disk, the type of lost Gallic conducting art of which Paray was THE master--a unique practitioner who always gave a great performance, no matter what the material.

Wilma Cozart has done an admirable job of cleaning up hiss and tubby bass from her original recording sessions in the 50s--and it seems the mono Fourth has had next to nothing done to it because the antecedent was so good. The Second had to be worked again from her binaural mixdown instead of the three channel version originally used--the 3-channel was "unavailable" according to the notes. Don't throw out any of your vinyl, especially the No. 2, since it sounds better than this reissue which lacks the wide stereo spectrum.

However, these are minor caveats when we're dealing with a production of this standard. The competing Bernstein is frenetic and ragged, Szell gives us the riveting-machine approach in that irritating Severance Hall sound which had a range from "f" to "ffffff" and little else. If the Solti is back out, it is interpretatively a cipher, and Inbal, while enjoyable and clear-visioned is certainly not on the Paray level.

Customer Reviews:

More of Levine's riveting Schumann.......2006-05-26

Schumann's piano music sounds best when the painist seems to be inventing the phrases on the spur of the moment. That's much harder to do with an entire orchestra, but Levine has the knack. The opening movement of his "Spring" Sym. feels as fresh and new as Schumann intended, avoiding any tendency toward romantic posturing even when the music wants to burst its seams. I wish he hadn't taken the Finale a minute slower than Bernstein, Sawallisch, and most others. At over 9 min., the movement feels too close to the tempo and spirit of the first movement. Levine needed more exhiliration here, however beautifully the music is played.

The Berlin Phil. sounds great, of course, and the 1990 sonics from dG, though a trifle shrill, are fine. Levine's Sym. #4 begins with less tension and anticipation than other readings, but he is saving himself, and by the end of the first movement a steady increase in pressure leads to a thrilling climax. He keeps up the tension from that moment on, resulting in a gripping, satisfying account, albeit without the turbulence of a Bernstein or Furtwangler. In all, if it weren't for the misjudged final movement of the Sym. #1, this CD would be as great as Levine's other Schumann recordings--he is to the manner born with this composer.

Average customer rating:

Great performances

Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E58E
Release Date: 1994-07-19

Customer Reviews:

Great performances.......2003-08-17

This CD set looks to go out of print soon, so go get it. I have the earlier 2 CD edition with only the 4 symphonies, but boy, what a performance. This has been one of my favorite classical CDs ever, and the recording, conductor and orchestra are beyond compare. I think this release may have been a sleeper, and I have no idea why. Great set.

Average customer rating:

Robert Schumann: Symphonies 1 - 4

Manufacturer: Capriccio
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000001WUZ
Release Date: 1992-12-12

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in B flat, Op.38 'Spring': Andante Un Poco Maestoso-Allegro Molto Vivace
Sym No.1 in B flat, Op.38 'Spring': Larghetto
Sym No.1 in B flat, Op.38 'Spring': Scherzo. Molto Vivace-Trio I. Molto Piu Vivace-Tempo I...
Sym No.1 in B flat, Op.38 'Spring': Allegro Animato E Grazioso
Ov 'Manfred' Op.115: Rasch-Langsam-In Leidenschaftlichem Tempo-Langsam (Tempo Wie Zu Anfang)
Ov, Scherzo & Finale, Op.52: Ov. Andante Con Moto-Allegro
Ov, Scherzo & Finale, Op.52: Scherzo. Vivo-Trio. L'Istesso Tempo-Scherzo-Coda
Ov, Scherzo & Finale, Op.52: Finale. Allegro Molto Vivace

Tracks: