[flamencosketches]

Curious to hear from the Schumannites here which of the many recordings you favour and why. I have Haitink en Chailly cycles and a single one by LB/VPO. I must say that from this limited selection I prefer the single Bernstein/VPO one (Rheinische).

I must admit that Schumann's symphonies are not in my top 5 (his solo piano and Lieder-cycles however are), but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to have a recording to which I connect. Maybe I should put Bernsteins DG cycle on my wanted list?

I really like the Bernstein/Vienna DG. I think it'd be a great choice, though I'm right there with you: Schumann is top 5 in solo piano and Lieder, but not even close in terms of his symphonies (I'm new to them - haven't even heard the Rhenish).

@Partita. Thank you for your explanation. This makes me curious though. I want to hear a recording in which the conductor did not make said corrections and instead had the orchestra play literally following the score to a tee. Perhaps a period instrument orchestra (ie. Gardiner's ORR, haven't they recorded the cycle?) might be able to do this without encountering many problems...?

@Partita, I just wanted to thank you again for your perspective re: Schumann performances and recordings, as well as your expressed thoughts on the nature of his music more generally (in previous recent threads). Schumann has come from being a composer I didn't much care about to a real favorite in the past few months, and some of yours and other posts here were instrumental in getting me to reconsider his music. I'm grateful that I've gotten to understand and appreciate his beautiful music quite a bit lately.

 

[jegreenwood]

Right, here's an updated list of missing cycles. I'm still sure I'm missing a few but.......

Ok, as you know from our conversations, Itullian, I'm also a fellow Schumann cycle nut (and don't even get me started on Brahms cycles, they're nearly as bad as my LvB obsession). Been through the CD racks and HD and these are the omissions (still need to check my secondary HD though so there may be others). I've starred any that I feel are definitely required listening. You missed out:

Chailly / Gewandhaus* (Mahler re-orchestrations)
Michael Woods / Philharmnonia
Semkow / St. Louis *
Solti / VPO*
Vonk / Kolner RSO
Skrowaczewski / Saarbrucken*
Wit / Polish NRSO*
Gaudenz / Odense**
Noseda / Cadaques
Boult / LPO
Kuhn / Haydn Orch of Trent and Bolzano
Mehta / VPO
Rozhdestvensky / Estonian SSR
Sinopoli / Dresden
Tilson-Thomas / SFSO**
Bostock / Czech PO
Ceccato / Bergen PO (Mahler Edition)
Kletzki / Israel PO*
Beerman / Schumann Philharmonic*
Norrington / SWR
Holliger / Koln WDR*
Lang-Lessing / Tasmanian SO*
Steffens / DSRP*
Barenboim / CSO
Oramo / Royal Stockholm PO*
Schwarz / Seattle SO
Jarvi / Bremen
Nowak / RPO
Schonwandt / Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic
Commissiona / Houston SO (part of the Schumann Big Box)
Markl / NHK
Kovatchev / Verdi Trieste
Foster / CzPO
Naxos cycle #1 (before the better Wit cycle) - Rahbari (1&3) & Wildner (2&4)
Point Classics cycle (Fedoseyev, etc)

No Szell?!?!?!? (needed 15 characters)

 

[Merl]

No Szell?!?!?!? (needed 15 characters)

These were just the cycles Itullian missed. He mentioned Szell in the original post. See post #1. I make that a total of 63 cycles.

 

[Guest]

Wow, that's a lot of recordings.

My favorites are Harnoncourt, Dohnanyi/WPO, Paray/Detroit.

 

[Oldhoosierdude]

The only set I have is Serg Commisiona and the Houston Symphony. Unknown but I like it.

 

[jim prideaux]

the Oramo/Royal Stockholm cycle that Merl lists is very rarely mentioned and really is worthy of far more recognition!

 

[Merl]

Ok, so combining Itullian's initial list, other recordings suggested and my top-up list here's an updated list of Schumann cycles:

Barenboim, Teldec, DDD
Bernstein, DG, DDD
Bernstein, Sony, ADD
Butt, Nimbus, DDD
Dohnanyi, Decca, DDD
Eschenbach, RCA, DDD
Eschenbach, Virgin Classics, DDD
Goodman, RCA, DDD, hip
Haitink, Philips, DDD
Inbal, Philips, ADD
Jordan, Erato, DDD
Karajan, DGG, ADD
Klemperer, EMI, ADD
Konwitchny, Berlin Classics, ADD
Kubelik, DGG, ADD
Kublelik, Sony, ADD
Levine, DGG, DDD
Levine, RCA, ADD
Masur, Teldec, DDD
Muti, EMI, ADD
Muti, Philips, DDD
Sawallisch, EMI, ADD
Sinopoli, DGG, DDD
Solti, Decca, ADD
Szell, Sony, ADD
Thielemann, DGG, DDD
Thielemann, Sony, DDD
Zinman, Arte Nova, DDD
Janowski /RLPO
Marriner / ASMF
Marriner / Stuttgart
Rattle/Berlin (BP Recordings)
Ticciati/SCO (LINN)
Gardiner/OReR (Archiv)
Harnoncourt/COE (Teldec)
Herreweghe /Champs-Elysées (Harmonia Mundi)
Sawallisch/Philadelphia (Philadelphia Orchestra Association)
Nézet-Séguin/COE (DG)
Luisi/VSO (Orfeo)
Dausgaard / Swedish CO
Paray / Detroit SO
Celibidache / Munich (2-4 only)
Chailly / Gewandhaus* (Mahler re-orchestrations)
Michael Woods / Philharmnonia
Semkow / St. Louis *
Solti / VPO*
Vonk / Kolner RSO
Skrowaczewski / Saarbrucken (DRP)*
Wit / Polish NRSO*
Gaudenz / Odense**
Noseda / Cadaques
Boult / LPO
Kuhn / Haydn Orch of Trent and Bolzano
Mehta / VPO
Rozhdestvensky / Estonian SSR
Sinopoli / Dresden
Tilson-Thomas / SFSO**
Bostock / Czech PO
Ceccato / Bergen PO (Mahler Edition)
Kletzki / Israel PO*
Beerman / Schumann Philharmonic*
Norrington / SWR
Holliger / Koln WDR*
Lang-Lessing / Tasmanian SO*
Steffens / DSRP*
Barenboim / CSO
Oramo / Royal Stockholm PO*
Schwarz / Seattle SO
Jarvi / Bremen
Nowak / RPO
Schonwandt / Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic
Commissiona / Houston SO (part of the Schumann Big Box)
Markl / NHK
Kovatchev / Verdi Trieste
Inbal / Frankfurt
Foster / CzPO
Naxos cycle #1 (before the better Wit cycle) - Rahbari (1&3) & Wildner (2&4)
Point Classics cycle (Fedoseyev, etc)

I make that a heady 76 cycles! The sad part is i have 95% of these. Lol. If anyone finds any more or if there's any glaring omissions then let us know.

 

[Larkenfield]

The Sawallisch on EMI, already mentioned, are reference recordings for many, and well-deserved in my opinion. It’s hard to explain the word idiomatic, but there’s something that I believe Schumann himself would have liked in the warmth and grace of these memorable performances, at least for this listener. I rarely have a desire to hear other sets. All four can be heard online but are even better on discs.

 

[Merl]

Although i have so most of these i tend to rotate around certain cycles with Sawallisch sat at the head of a very crowded field. As Larkenfield said theres just something magical about the Sawallisch / Dresden combo. It started as the benchmark set and has now become the desert island disc for Schumann, no matter how many sets ive accrued since. However, ive also been playing Vonk, Barenboim (Berlin), Bernstein (VPO), Dohnanyi, Solti, both Levine recordings, Holliger, Wit, Tilson-Thomas, Ticciati, Janowski, Semkow, Oramo, Steffens, Gaudenz, Szell, Jordan, Skrowaczewski and Kletzki in the last year. All of these have their special merits.

 

[Kiki]

Does anyone know, which cycles have got the 1841 No. 4, apart from Rattle, Harnoncourt, Gardiner and Holliger? Thanks.

 

[Merl]

Does anyone know, which cycles have got the 1841 No. 4, apart from Rattle, Harnoncourt, Gardiner and Holliger? Thanks.

Markl, Solomons (not a cycle - disc of 1&4 only), Dausgaard and Commissiona are the only others I can think of. As a side-note (he used the revised 4th) Dudamel's LA cycle has just been recorded live. Judging by the reviews that should make for interesting listening.

 

[Itullian]

Wow! That's an amazing collection Merl.
I thought I was the only Schumann symphony nut.

 

[Merl]

Wow! That's an amazing collection Merl.
I thought I was the only Schumann symphony nut.

My Brahms symphony cycles numbers are even more disturbing. Dvorak would be the same but theres a much more limited number. Lol

Btw, Itullian, you need to hear Ticciati and Gaudenz. They make Schumann transparent, airy and delightful to listen to. No thick, cloying orchestral textures, just sheer beauty. I love both sets. The Gaudenz set always brings a smile to my face. It's a delight. Nezet-Seguin attempts the same but doesnt quite pull it off. For old-stylee Schumann in a lusher vein Semkow is cool for an oldie (and cheap as chips - £2 tops on Ebay), Kubelik BRSO is nice, Tilson-Thomas is great, Wit is engaging, Dohnanyi is marvellous and Kletzki is classy. For a bit more umph it's Szell and Solti. I go through phases with Karajan's set. It was one of the first i had and i loved it for years. Then along came Sawallisch and Karajan was demoted. About a year ago I stopped listening to HvK's Schumann and deemed it too 'soggy' right up till a few weeks back, when i put it on and liked it all over again (he does the 4th soooo sumptuously its hard not to love it). However, these days I prefer something a little more airy but when i want THAT sound in my Schumann there's no one like Herbie! I blow hot and cold on a few sets (eg Holliger, Lang- Lessing) but keep returning to them cos they do speak to me. The difference is the others shout at me. Sometimes I swear that Sawallisch disc hold a placard saying 'play me' every time i pass the cd racks.:trp:

 

[Bwv 1080]

What about the Mahler orchestrations? Mahlers changes were minor and reflected the capabilities of modern instruments as much as it clarified (not 'fixed') some of the orchestration. Nothing wrong with Schumann's original orchestration, but I like this disk alot:

 

[geralmar]

Haven't seen this listed:



In the only printed review I've read the reviewer excoriated it as badly conducted and played. So of course I somehow wound up with two copies.

 

[Merl]

Haven't seen this listed:



In the only printed review I've read the reviewer excoriated it as badly conducted and played. So of course I somehow wound up with two copies.

I'll add it to the list. Thanks.

 

[Merl]

Revised list: I found another one apart from the one posted my Geralmar

Barenboim, Teldec, DDD
Bernstein, DG, DDD
Bernstein, Sony, ADD
Butt, Nimbus, DDD
Dohnanyi, Decca, DDD
Eschenbach, RCA, DDD
Eschenbach, Virgin Classics, DDD
Goodman, RCA, DDD, hip
Haitink, Philips, DDD
Inbal, Philips, ADD
Jordan, Erato, DDD
Karajan, DGG, ADD
Klemperer, EMI, ADD
Konwitchny, Berlin Classics, ADD
Kubelik, DGG, ADD
Kublelik, Sony, ADD
Levine, DGG, DDD
Levine, RCA, ADD
Masur, Teldec, DDD
Muti, EMI, ADD
Muti, Philips, DDD
Sawallisch, EMI, ADD
Sinopoli, DGG, DDD
Solti, Decca, ADD
Szell, Sony, ADD
Thielemann, DGG, DDD
Thielemann, Sony, DDD
Zinman, Arte Nova, DDD
Janowski /RLPO
Marriner / ASMF
Marriner / Stuttgart
Rattle/Berlin (BP Recordings)
Ticciati/SCO (LINN)
Gardiner/OReR (Archiv)
Harnoncourt/COE (Teldec)
Herreweghe /Champs-Elysées (Harmonia Mundi)
Sawallisch/Philadelphia (Philadelphia Orchestra Association)
Nézet-Séguin/COE (DG)
Luisi/VSO (Orfeo)
Dausgaard / Swedish CO
Paray / Detroit SO
Celibidache / Munich (2-4 only)
Chailly / Gewandhaus* (Mahler re-orchestrations)
Michael Woods / Philharmnonia
Semkow / St. Louis *
Solti / VPO*
Vonk / Kolner RSO
Skrowaczewski / Saarbrucken (DRP)*
Wit / Polish NRSO*
Gaudenz / Odense**
Noseda / Cadaques
Boult / LPO
Kuhn / Haydn Orch of Trent and Bolzano
Mehta / VPO
Rozhdestvensky / Estonian SSR
Sinopoli / Dresden
Tilson-Thomas / SFSO**
Bostock / Czech PO
Ceccato / Bergen PO (Mahler Edition)
Kletzki / Israel PO*
Beerman / Schumann Philharmonic*
Norrington / SWR
Holliger / Koln WDR*
Lang-Lessing / Tasmanian SO*
Steffens / DSRP*
Barenboim / CSO
Oramo / Royal Stockholm PO*
Schwarz / Seattle SO
Jarvi / Bremen
Nowak / RPO
Schonwandt / Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic
Commissiona / Houston SO (part of the Schumann Big Box)
Markl / NHK
Kovatchev / Verdi Trieste
Inbal / Frankfurt
Foster / CzPO
Naxos cycle #1 (before the better Wit cycle) - Rahbari (1&3) & Wildner (2&4)
Point Classics cycle (Fedoseyev, etc)
Merz / Dusseldorf Philharmonie
Kenneth Woods / Orchestra of the Swan

We're up to 78 cycles.

 

[Guest]

^^ one note is that Harnoncourt recorded both versions of symphony no 4 if you include his earlier recording with the Berlin Philharmoniker.

 

[CnC Bartok]

The Sawallisch on EMI, already mentioned, are reference recordings for many, and well-deserved in my opinion. It's hard to explain the word idiomatic, but there's something that I believe Schumann himself would have liked in the warmth and grace of these memorable performances, at least for this listener. I rarely have a desire to hear other sets. All four can be heard online but are even better on discs.

Nope, nothing wrong with the word "idiomatic". Le mot juste!

 

[Merl]

Revised list: I found another one by Venzago (A Different Schumann Vols 1-3)

Barenboim, Teldec, DDD
Bernstein, DG, DDD
Bernstein, Sony, ADD
Butt, Nimbus, DDD
Dohnanyi, Decca, DDD
Eschenbach, RCA, DDD
Eschenbach, Virgin Classics, DDD
Goodman, RCA, DDD, hip
Haitink, Philips, DDD
Inbal, Philips, ADD
Jordan, Erato, DDD
Karajan, DGG, ADD
Klemperer, EMI, ADD
Konwitchny, Berlin Classics, ADD
Kubelik, DGG, ADD
Kublelik, Sony, ADD
Levine, DGG, DDD
Levine, RCA, ADD
Masur, Teldec, DDD
Muti, EMI, ADD
Muti, Philips, DDD
Sawallisch, EMI, ADD
Sinopoli, DGG, DDD
Solti, Decca, ADD
Szell, Sony, ADD
Thielemann, DGG, DDD
Thielemann, Sony, DDD
Zinman, Arte Nova, DDD
Janowski /RLPO
Marriner / ASMF
Marriner / Stuttgart
Rattle/Berlin (BP Recordings)
Ticciati/SCO (LINN)
Gardiner/OReR (Archiv)
Harnoncourt/COE (Teldec)
Herreweghe /Champs-Elysées (Harmonia Mundi)
Sawallisch/Philadelphia (Philadelphia Orchestra Association)
Nézet-Séguin/COE (DG)
Luisi/VSO (Orfeo)
Dausgaard / Swedish CO
Paray / Detroit SO
Celibidache / Munich (2-4 only)
Chailly / Gewandhaus* (Mahler re-orchestrations)
Michael Woods / Philharmnonia
Semkow / St. Louis *
Solti / VPO*
Vonk / Kolner RSO
Skrowaczewski / Saarbrucken (DRP)*
Wit / Polish NRSO*
Gaudenz / Odense**
Noseda / Cadaques
Boult / LPO
Kuhn / Haydn Orch of Trent and Bolzano
Mehta / VPO
Rozhdestvensky / Estonian SSR
Sinopoli / Dresden
Tilson-Thomas / SFSO**
Bostock / Czech PO
Ceccato / Bergen PO (Mahler Edition)
Kletzki / Israel PO*
Beerman / Schumann Philharmonic*
Norrington / SWR
Holliger / Koln WDR*
Lang-Lessing / Tasmanian SO*
Steffens / DSRP*
Barenboim / CSO
Oramo / Royal Stockholm PO*
Schwarz / Seattle SO
Jarvi / Bremen
Nowak / RPO
Schonwandt / Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic
Commissiona / Houston SO (part of the Schumann Big Box)
Markl / NHK
Kovatchev / Verdi Trieste
Inbal / Frankfurt
Foster / CzPO
Naxos cycle #1 (before the better Wit cycle) - Rahbari (1&3) & Wildner (2&4)
Point Classics cycle (Fedoseyev, etc)
Merz / Dusseldorf Philharmonie
Kenneth Woods / Orchestra of the Swan
Venzago / Basel SO

We're up to 79 cycles. Is this going to end?