Robert Schumann: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 - 3

1. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F sharp minor ("Grosse Sonate"), Op. 11
Composed by Robert Schumann
with Volker Banfield

2. Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
Composed by Robert Schumann
with Volker Banfield

3. Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor ("Concerto Without Orchestra"), Op. 14
Composed by Robert Schumann
with Volker Banfield

Robert Schumann: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 - 3,Robert Schumann,Volker Banfield,Cpo Records,Classical,Classical Composers,Keyboard,Romantic Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard

Average customer rating: Sensational and unparalleled Excellent piano music Marvellous interpretation of Schumann's Sonatas Liszt at the opera

Schumann: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 & 3 Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Liszt at the Opera, Vol 4 Liszt at the Opera II Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. VI (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 54) Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. I (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 6) Liszt Transcriptions of Berlioz, Chopin, Saint-Saëns ASIN: B000002ZXO Release Date: 1996-10-22

Tracks:

1. Piano Sonata In F Sharp Minor Op 11: Introduzione: Un Poco Adagio-Allegro Vivace
2. Piano Sonata In F Sharp Minor Op 11: Aria - Aria
3. Piano Sonata In F Sharp Minor Op 11: Scherzo E Intermezzo: Allegrissimo-Lento
4. Piano Sonata In F Sharp Minor Op 11: Finale: Allegro Un Poco Maestoso
5. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Allegro (1853)
6. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Scherzo E Trio: Vivacissimo (1836)
7. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Quasi Variazioni: Andantino De Clara Wieck (1853)
8. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Variation 1 (1853)
9. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Variation A (1836)
10. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Variation 3: Passionato (1853)
11. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Variation 2 (1853)
12. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Variation 4 (1853)
13. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Scherzo: Molto Comodo (1853)
14. Piano Sonata In F Minor Op 14: Finale: Prestissimo Possibile (1853)

Customer Reviews:

Sensational and unparalleled.......2006-08-21

Leslie Howard's previous two "Liszt at the Opera" series have proved how underrated and neglected some of Liszt's greatest works have been. And these are truly great Liszt pieces; one should remember that over half of Liszt's entire oeuvre are transcriptions, paraphrases, fantasies, or compositions based on other composer's music. What surprised me with this recording was the sheer originality and excellence of the music. If you enjoy anything from Liszt, or even if you don't and still appreciate virtuoso piano music, this CD is an intoxicating god-send.

Nearly all of these pieces have their unique musical aspects, in addition to also containing beautiful and gratifying melodies. As much as I would love to praise each and every one for their own individual merits and treasurable moments, that would simply be too exhausting and perhaps boring for the reader. I'll at least mention the best of the best here with the utmost certainty.

The Fantasy on Themes from Mozart's Figaro and Don Giovanni is a piece that makes you stop and reflect on it's obscurity: why didn't Horowitz play this? Why didn't Bolet, Gilels, Rubinstein, all the big shots put this on the concert stage? Why did we have to wait for Leslie Howard to make the FIRST and ONLY recording of it. It's first-rate music, just as thrilling and phenomenal as the Reminiscences of Don Juan played to death nowadays. This has to be the best discovery of Liszt's music and with it's neglect thus far, I certainly think Howard "discovered" it.

The Paraphrase of Ernani is another stunning and marvelous creation from Liszt. With such a tragic theme, Liszt takes us through a sad journey that halts for tranquil moments and then triumphant ones. The following Paraphrase of Il Trovatore is another miraculous work, with an amalgam of darkness and light; you just won't find these kinds of sonorities and dark sounds from any other composer. Although next up is the Rigoletto, a bravura piece of obvious popularity, I won't comment on it except to say Howard plays it as well as you could expect; nothing new and nothing wrong with it. The subsequent Reminiscences of Boccanegra, Liszt's last operatic fantasy, is simply a wealth of musical ideas all woven together into a sublime tapestry.

The second CD has some startlingly fine music, premium quality piano fantasies and distinctive transcriptions. The Reminiscences of Robert le Diable is the main highlight here. The Cavatine is a bewitching piece of romance and divinity, which makes way for the barn-storming Valse infernale, a demonic romp of undoubtedly delightful music. If the CD's here haven't pleased enough with their charming virtuosity and exquisite music, the Les Adieux is sure to impress anyone. This has got to be Liszt's finest soft music ever conceived, beating all the Liebestraumes, Consolations, and even the sublime sections from the Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses. When you hear this soothing and romantic breeze of music, you might first doubt it's even from Liszt. Remarkably, it's the finest piece on this entire recording; Liszt makes the piano sing with forlorn and lovely music, with more romantic impact than even Chopin can offer. The climax is passionately-charged and hair-raising.

The Wagner transcriptions here are enthralling and highly effective on the piano; Liszt already knows what he's doing and Wagner fans can expect fidelity to the text. There is also enough enthusiasm from Liszt's compositional aims that the music is just as good on piano if not better. The Phantasiestuck of Rienzi is the most intriguing of the Wagner pieces here; as Howard says, it's more of a Wagner paraphrase than a straight-forward transcription. One more piece on this last CD to mention happens to be another premiere recording: Schwanengesang and march from Erkel's Hunyadi Laszlo opera. It's as exciting and sucessful as his Hungarian Rhapsodies and will surely make the Liszt lover smile.

Bottom line: There is a treasure trove of music here. In a way, I would call it the Lost City of Atlantis of Liszt's music. Any Lisztian, pianophile, or classical music fan will be rewarded here. You get premiere and rare recordings of Liszt's most skillful and astonishingly beautiful music that you just won't find anywhere else. Highly recommended.

Excellent piano music.......2005-05-18

Just excellent piano music. Some exciting and nice moments. Howard is just wonderful.

Marvellous interpretation of Schumann's Sonatas.......2002-03-30

5 stars are definitely not sufficient.

Once started listening to the music of this CD you can't stop. The music of the first two Schumann Sonatas is all pierced by drama and passion and can't leave you calm. (The numeration of the sonatas is ambigous cause Sonata No 2 was written chronologically later than No 3, which first was called "Concerto Without Orchestra" and finally got it's current name long after the Second Sonata was published).

I've made a lot of comparisons between different pianists versions for these 2 works and I could not find any better performance for them, in sense of a balance betweeen the best satisfaction of technical and musical demands together with the tempos choice. Nikolai Demidenko gives here a thrilling performance for both sonatas, it's hard to imagine how could this music be played better.

I consider this CD as an integral part of each serious musical library, presenting a great interpretation for the large scale piano works of one of the most important figures in the romantic composers era.

Liszt at the opera.......1999-09-17

The greatest piano transcriber of all time transcribes some of the greatest operatic music of all time. How could you go wrong? You can't. More great playing by Leslie Howard. Enjoy.

Average customer rating:

Robert Schumann: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 - 3 Manufacturer: Cpo Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B000001RWV Release Date: 1994-01-04

Tracks:

1. Piano Sonata Op. 11 In F Sharp Minor: Introduzione. Un poco adagio. Allegro vivace
2. Piano Sonata Op. 11 In F Sharp Minor: Aria
3. Piano Sonata Op. 11 In F Sharp Minor: Scherzo e Intermezzo. Allegrissimo
4. Piano Sonata Op. 11 In F Sharp Minor: Finale. Allegro un poco maestoso
5. Piano Sonata Op. 22 In G Minor: So rasch wie moglich
6. Piano Sonata Op. 22 In G Minor: Andantino
7. Piano Sonata Op. 22 In G Minor: Scherzo. Sehr rasch und markiert
8. Piano Sonata Op. 22 In G Minor: Presto. Passionato (original Finale)
9. Piano Sonata Op. 14 In F Minor: Allegro (first version)
10. Piano Sonata Op. 14 In F Minor: Scherzo. Molto commodo
11. Piano Sonata Op. 14 In F Minor: Quasi Variazioni
12. Piano Sonata Op. 14 In F Minor: Prestissimo possibile

Average customer rating:

Schumann: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2; Papillons; 3 Romances Catherine Collard Manufacturer: Apex ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B00068C892 Release Date: 2006-05-30

Tracks:

1. Piano Sonata No.1 In F Sharp Minor, Op.11
2. Piano Sonata No.2 In G Minor, Op.22
3. Papillons, Op.2
4. 3 Romances, Op.28

Average customer rating:

Schumann: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2; Three Romances for Oboe & Piano Manufacturer: Berlin Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Oboe | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000035UC Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

1. Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 1 a-Moll Op. 105: Mit leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck
2. Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 1 a-Moll Op. 105: Allegretto
3. Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 1 a-Moll Op. 105: Lebhaft
4. Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 2 d-Moll Op. 121: Ziemlich langsam - Lebhaft
5. Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 2 d-Moll Op. 121: Sehr lebhaft
6. Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 2 d-Moll Op. 121: Leise - einfach
7. Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 2 d-Moll Op. 121: Bewegt
8. Three Romances for Oboe and Piano Op. 94: Nicht schnell
9. Three Romances for Oboe and Piano Op. 94: Einfach - innig
10. Three Romances for Oboe and Piano Op. 94: Nicht schnell

Track Listings:

1. Romance Classics
2. Russian Choral Music-Music Of Passion
3. Russian Piano School: Lazar Berman, VoL Eight
4. Russian Piano School, Vol. 9
5. Schubert: Symphony in Bm No8, D759; Brahms: Symphony in D No2, Op73
6. Secret Classics
7. Senator: Holocaust Requiem-Kaddish For Terezin/Smetana: The Moldau
8. Shadows in the Sea
9. Sultry Classics
10. Symphonies 2 & 6

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Small Sins [Import]

Winds and Voices at the Court of King Christian III

Volume 2 (1945-1950)

Sega Power Cuts, Vol. 1 [Soundtrack]

Walk Don't Run: Very Best Of [Import]

When a Man Loves a Woman and Other Hits

Vive Tu Sueno

Tschaikowsky: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 / Cherkassky, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Train Called Lonesome

Trozos de Mi Alma

Very Best of [Import]

Vexations

Unconditional Luv - Regular Version [Explicit Lyrics]

Romantic Themes

The Grand Wazoo