# The Schumann Symphonic Variations



## Neward Thelman

I'm currently enjoying Earl Wild's superb 2000's recording on Ivory. 

Would you make some recommendations? Your favorites, and why.

Also, share any insights or special info you may have on this masterpiece. For me, the opening six minor chords define the piece and express the tone and meaning right off the bat.


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## joen_cph

It's a great work
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphonic_Studies_(Schumann)

I've collected these

CD LeSage/alpha 12 13cd 813
CD Collard/ emi 5cd 50999 501739-2
CD S.Richter/russ rev 72-96 rv 10012
CD Cortot/int media 10cd 29-xx 600175
LP Pogorelich/dg 82 2532 036
CD S.Richter/profil 12cd 56-17 ph17067
LP S.Richter/mel 33cm 03741-42
LP Kerer/mel c10 09199-200
LP Anda/dg 63-xx 2535 364
LP Frankel/vox 3lp svbx 5468
CD Kissin/briliant 92118/3
CD Kissin/sony 90 25cd 888 75 127202

I've always liked the flight in Kissin's early recording on Brilliant and the Rudolf Kerer one (the only really interesting recording I've heard by this relatively old-school Russian pianist), but I haven't done any comparisons recently & I might have a different taste now.


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## Mandryka

Neward Thelman said:


> I'm currently enjoying Earl Wild's superb 2000's recording on Ivory.
> 
> Would you make some recommendations? Your favorites, and why.
> 
> Also, share any insights or special info you may have on this masterpiece. For me, the opening six minor chords define the piece and express the tone and meaning right off the bat.


I like the silences in this one






I like the gentle poetry of this






I like the madness of this






I like the way you sometimes get this slightly disturbing rumble in the left hand voice in this






I like the darkness of this






Other names to look out for are Pollini live in Salzburg (1976), Ernst Levy, Natan Brand, Burkard Schleissmann, Alexis Weissenberg.


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## NLAdriaan

I always like Pollini in these pieces:


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## Larkenfield

I mostly care for the variations that Schumman originally included rather than the ones that Brahms decided to add after Schumann's death. The latter are still wonderful variations but sound like they were written at a much later time and the work as a whole can become too long and not as finely balanced in the order that they're played. Because post-Brahms the option of including the later variations, different pianists will play them in a different order, not always the same. But this work is among my favorites of this inspired composer... Imagine hearing Clara Schumann playing them.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

If you like this work, check out Faure's "Theme et variations", op 73.


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## Josquin13

Lark writes, "... this work is among my favorites of this inspired composer... Imagine hearing Clara Schumann playing them."

Unfortunately, Clara Schumann didn't leave any recordings, having passed away in 1896 (as I'm sure you know). However, five of her students did record (albeit later in life & probably past their prime), and their approach to Schumann's music is both instructive & fascinating, as they see Schumann's piano works as firmly rooted in classicism. They don't slow things down or romantically wallow in the more tenderly emotive, poetic passages of this music, but are generally more forwardly propulsive, which allows for the wildly episodic, mercurial nature of Schumann's music to seem more unified, seamless, and coherent, overall.

Take for instance, Ilona Eibenschütz's propulsive playing of Schumann's Arabesque (as one of the more extreme examples!): 




The five students are: Fanny Davies, Ilona Eibenschutz, Adelina de Lara, Natalie Janotha, and Carl Friedberg. Of these, only Adelina de Lara and Carl Friedberg recorded the Symphonic Etudes. Unfortunately, De Lara was 80 at the time, and well past her prime (nor can I find her recording on You Tube). But here is Friedberg playing the Symphonic Etudes in 1953:














What amazes me about the playing of Davies, Friedberg, and De Lara in particular, is that they are somehow able to bring out the richly poetic, dreamy content of Schumann's music most effectively, while at the same time taking a more straightforward, classical approach. That's no small feat.

Here are some YT links to the Schumann playing of Davies & De Lara:

De Lara:

















Davies:













(Here too is a link to De Lara's instructive remininiscences of Clara Schumann and her teaching: 



. Eibenschütz likewise left Reminiscences: 



)

With that said, there is another option or venue back to the influence of Clara Schumann's teaching on a pianist that recorded the Symphonic Etudes, and that's Percy Grainger, who studied at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, where Clara Schumann had been head of piano studies until 1892--a school that was still very much under her influence at the time that Grainger began his studies there in 1895. Hence, Grainger's Symphonic Etudes should be of great interest to Schumann lovers, & not surprisingly, they are very fine: 




In contrast, the Russian school takes a different approach to the works of Schumann, as they tend to poetically slow down more in this music, including the Symphonic Etudes, & as a result, can also come off as more mercurial and volatile in the more propulsive parts of the score. I'm thinking of the recordings of Vladimir Sofronitsky, Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, Vladimir Ashkenazy, & the Moscow trained Ivo Pogorelich, for example:

Sofronitsky: 



Richter: 



Gilels: 



Pogorelich: 




In my view, it's worth hearing each of the above pianists in this music, as some listeners & critics have found these performances revelatory. I suppose it's possible that all the Russian pianists took their cue from Sofronitsky, whose Schumann performances were highly regarded in Russia (& rightly so). Although interestingly, given the connection between Russian culture & Paris in the late 19th & early 20th centuries, some of the older French pianists also tend to slow down--such as Youra Guller, Yves Nat, and his student, Fabienne Jacquinot (who Mandryka mentions above):

Guller: 



Nat: 



Jacquinot: 




With the possible exception of Sofronitsky & perhaps those three French pianists, I personally tend to prefer the Symphonic Etudes of Carl Friedberg, Percy Grainger, Murray Perahia, Nelson Freire, and Claudio Arrau myself; as well as those by Guiomar Novaes, Geza Anda, Benno Moisewitsch, Arthur Rubinstein, and Andras Schiff, which are excellent, too. Among present day pianists, Perahia in particular appears to have listened closely to Clara Schumann's students, & especially to Davies' recording of the Davidsbündlertanze, which he seems to have modeled his own interpretation after (although I suppose it's possible that his teacher at Curtis, Mieczyslaw Horszowski influenced or steered him in this direction):

Perahia: 



Friere: 



Arrau (either live on APR, or in the studio for Philips--which is an underrated recording, in my view): 




Novaes: 



Anda: 



Schiff: 



Rubinstein: 



Moiseiwitsch: 




Among other pianists that I've admired in Schumann--Annerose Schmidt, Clara Haskil, Vladimir Horowitz, Thierry De Brunhoff, Sergio Fiorentino, Harold Bauer, Elisso Wirssaladze, Deszo Ranki, Ivan Moravec, Lazar Berman, Helene Grimaud, Martha Argerich, and Youri Egorov--alas, none of them left or have yet made recordings of the Symphonic Etudes.


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## ccar

Josquin13 said:


> Among other pianists that I've admired in Schumann--Annerose Schmidt, Clara Haskil, Vladimir Horowitz, Thierry De Brunhoff, Sergio Fiorentino, Elisso Wirssaladze, Deszo Ranki, Ivan Moravec, Lazar Berman, Helene Grimaud, and Youri Egorov--alas, none of them left or have yet made recordings of the Symphonic Etudes.


Very nice review Josquin!

Fortunately, we do have a 1965 Sergio Fiorentino's recording of the Etudes Symphoniques (in The Early Recordings series - APR 5586) and a 2010 live recording from Elisso Wirssaladze - 




If I may follow your "style classification" I would probably put the great Fiorentino closer to a "more classical approach" but Elisso gives us a fantastic reading, obviously in the grand Russian style.


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## Mandryka

I'd forgotten about Percy Grainger, the rubato seems really intrusive to me. Friedberg makes me think of Godowski's Chopin nocturnes. Fiorentino recorded the Symphonic Etudes here









and her's Wirssaladze


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## Mandryka

Here's one I hadn't heard before,


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## Larkenfield

Here's Percy Grainger's piano roll performance of the Symphonic Etudes. He plays the variations that Schumann himself included without the ones that Brahms took upon himself to add later. The Grainger performance is my favorite of the original version. Klavier Records used to specialize in these kinds of recordings, and they are very well done on outstanding pianos.

https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/percy-grainger-schumann-strauss-tchaikovsky-mr0002725336


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## Josquin13

ccar & Mandryka--I happily stand corrected on both Fiorentino & Wirssaladze's Symphonic Etudes. I actually own the APR disc, but had forgotten it contained the Etudes (but do vividly recall Fiorentino's wonderful Carnaval on that CD--which is one of the finest performances I've ever heard of the Carnaval). In regards to Grainger's rubato, it bothered me a little bit at first, but with continued listening, I've grown to like it. As for Brendel, I don't think Schumann was one of his best composers, as his playing is too angular for Schumann's music, in my view.

Another good Schumann pianist is Martha Argerich, who likewise has never recorded the Etudes (to my knowledge).

I also forgot to mention Alicia de Larrocha, who was known for her Schumann playing. But I don't think De Larrocha ever recorded the Etudes, either.

Nor did I mention Harold Bauer, who made one of my all-time favorite recordings of the Fantasiestücke, but again no Etudes.

Finally, I didn't mention French pianist Reine Gianoli, either. Gianoli was a superb Schumann pianist, and recorded the complete solo piano works in the 1970s. But unfortunately, her Schumann cycle is OOP, although it can be heard in its entirety on You Tube, including her Symphonic Etudes:


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## Mandryka

You should probably get this, I bought it just about a month ago and haven't listened properly yet. It's a serious attempt to make sense of the music, with a substantial essay. I'd be interested to know whether anyone thinks the pianos have been over restored.









And this is a great success I think









If you play all the symphonic etudes, it's a very substantial set of variations with all sorts of interpretation challenges, not least ordering them. I'm not sure what I think of it as recital music.


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## ccar

Two other readings of the Etudes Symphoniques (not frequently mentioned) I believe are also interesting to listen:

Joseph Villa, live 1987






Guiomar Novaes, 1950's


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## Iota

I've heard a number of recordings of the Symphonic etudes and there are many great recordings, but head and shoulders above the rest for me is Pletnev (the same as linked to above by Mandryka in #3). He's an absolute magician in this (and the Fantasy in C on the same disc), and reveals the work as the poetic monument it is, with playing of such intensity and flair it beggars belief. And the way he conjures up the Eusebian reverie that's at the heart of Schumann's identity for me, is perfect.


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## Mandryka

Iota said:


> I've heard a number of recordings of the Symphonic etudes and there are many great recordings, but head and shoulders above the rest for me is Pletnev (the same as linked to above by Mandryka in #3). He's an absolute magician in this (and the Fantasy in C on the same disc), and reveals the work as the poetic monument it is, with playing of such intensity and flair it beggars belief. And the way he conjures up the Eusebian reverie that's at the heart of Schumann's identity for me, is perfect.


He's so poetic and refined. A great Schumannist -- there's a Kreiseriana on youtube and other things.


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## Larkenfield

Michail Pletnev: https://michail-pletnev.livejournal.com/485327.html

To my ears, he plays these very big and grand… but sometimes his rubato would make me queasy and take away from the forward momentum that I think Schumann wanted this great work. Schumann called these 'studies', and I think they should be played with something of the feel of a study rather than as something else. I like the Percy Granger performance because it's more straightforward and has a consistent forward momentum, at least on his piano roll performance. I think this is my favorite Schumann because it sounds like he's at the peak of his creative power for the keyboard. I sometimes hear great passion in his music.


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## Neward Thelman

Larkenfield said:


> ... Imagine hearing Clara Schumann playing them.


...............Indeed!


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## Neward Thelman

Josquin13 - Your post offers - truly - a wealth of information. All of it will keep me occupied for weeks, along with the many suggestions others have generously shared. 

Phone off the hook, cell phone off - waist deep in Schumann...leave a message...


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