# Favorite recording of Schumann Fantasy



## bwv543 (May 25, 2021)

Hard to top Richter, for me at least.


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## Dirge (Apr 10, 2012)

*Claudio Arrau* [BBC Legends, live '60]






Although highly wrought, deliberately articulated, and rather "weighty"-no weak left hand here-this performance has a compelling momentum and sense of purpose about it, and the phrasing could hardly be more to my liking.


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## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

Wilhelm Kempff. I usually like Kempff more in concert recordings but I thought his _Fantasie_ and _Symphonic Etudes_ from the 5 CD DG set were the highlights and the "odd ones" of the otherwise a very restraint set. Other favourites are Katchen and Curzon.

And here is a bonus (starts around at 41:35):


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

From commercially released recordings on modern pianos with decent sound, Annie Fischer live on BBC Legends for the colours, Burkhard Schliessmann for the interesting quasi-Lisztian conception of the music, Igor Zhukov for the passion. Pollini also a favourite of mine in this, I’m not sure if there are any good commercial recordings - it may be worth checking his DG, though he often got bad sound.

From older recordings, Sofronitsky and Benno Moiseiwitsch. There was a Richter one which particularly caught my atttention, on Doremi - a long time since I heard it. And maybe a live Kempff one too, vague memory of a good one on Orfeo.


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## 89Koechel (Nov 25, 2017)

Richter, in the Fantasy - Yes, almost-surely, the best! ... I'd like to listen, though, to Murray Perahia, in the same! ... Thanks, also, should go to "Dirge", "Highwayman", and Mandryka ... for THEIR recommendations, in this work ... which, might be somewhat-neglected, these days.


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## Endeavour (Sep 9, 2021)

Can't say that I really have a favorite for this work. 

I enjoy Arrau, Richter, Perahia, Kempff & Argerich all equally well for different reasons.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Brendel's early recording on Vanguard for me.


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## lextune (Nov 25, 2016)

Richter and Arrau are magical.


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## mossyembankment (Jul 28, 2020)

Very surprised not to see Maurizio Pollini's version mentioned here. This, along with his version of the F# Minor Sonata Op. 11 included on the same release, are my favorite recordings of both and are amazing.






His performance of the 3rd movement will always set the bar for me:


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## mossyembankment (Jul 28, 2020)

Mandryka said:


> From commercially released recordings on modern pianos with decent sound, Annie Fischer live on BBC Legends for the colours, Burkhard Schliessmann for the interesting quasi-Lisztian conception of the music, Igor Zhukov for the passion. Pollini also a favourite of mine in this, I'm not sure if there are any good commercial recordings - it may be worth checking his DG, though he often got bad sound.
> 
> From older recordings, Sofronitsky and Benno Moiseiwitsch. There was a Richter one which particularly caught my atttention, on Doremi - a long time since I heard it. And maybe a live Kempff one too, vague memory of a good one on Orfeo.


My mistake - I see you mentioned Pollini!


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Pollini for me.


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## lextune (Nov 25, 2016)

mossyembankment said:


> Very surprised not to see Maurizio Pollini's version mentioned here. This, along with his version of the F# Minor Sonata Op. 11 included on the same release, are my favorite recordings of both and are amazing.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have had a funny relationship with this recording since I first bought it on record long ago.

Funny because it contains what I consider the absolute benchmark recording of the Op.11 Sonata, a recording of architectural precision and interpretive drive that remains unparalleled to this day for me. While also containing a recording of the Fantasie that does not speak to me in the slightest. It strikes me as utterly pedantic.

Please don't take this comment as a knock against your preferences, instead see it for what it is, a dramatic illustration of the indefatigable nature of the Fantasie itself, (or any great piano work for that matter).


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## JTS (Sep 26, 2021)

Richter
Pollini
Kempff 
A Fischer
Anda
Those come to mind fist among recordings I have


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