Arrau Plays Schumann, Vol. 3

The series of Claudio Arrau's recordings of Schumann's piano works reaches its third installment with a fascinating performance of the Symphonic Études coupled with the early Abegg Variations, both from 1970.

Robert Schumann

The Symphonic Études are for the most part variations on a theme by the amateur composer Baron von Fricken. In 1834, Schumann composed the theme and 16 variations, eventually publishing only 11 of the latter. A 12th Étude was added as a finale, but it was based on a melody by Marschner.

I'll spare you the many confusing convolutions of the piece, except to note that the five Études that the composer did not publish were eventually issued by Brahms after Schumann's death, over the objections of Clara Schumann.

These rejected Études are sometimes inserted into performances of the work at various points, as Arrau does here.

Claudio Arrau

The Études were designed to be highly virtuosic, which is certainly the province of Arrau, and he does not disappoint. That is, he does not disappoint me - some critics were less impressed. Some were seeking more animation. Here is the redoubtable Joan Chissell in The Gramophone: 

Arrau plays these five ruminative variations [i.e., the five published by Brahms] perhaps more beautifully than anything else in the work... His own style these days seems to grow increasingly introverted: this music gives him scope to brood and dream. The rest of the performance is affectionately phrased and expansive, but there is not always enough sheer physical exhilaration in the more demonstrative numbers (often taken at rather cautious tempo), not excluding the finale.

David Hall of Stereo Review was closer to my own reaction (to the work, not to Arrau as an artist):

Claudio Arrau has never been a favorite of mine among the veteran superstar pianists: I find much of his interpretation on the cold and somewhat mannered side. So it is a wry sort of pleasure to be able to eat my words, and to commend his new recording of the Schumann Symphonic Études as among the very best ever. Only a certain lack of surge in the exuberant finale keeps me from calling it the single best.

The much shorter Abegg Variations were Schumann Op. 1, a student work from 1829-30. "Abegg" refers to the first five notes of the theme: A, B♭, E, G, and G. It also refers to Paulina von Abegg, an acquaintance and the dedicatee.

The critics were more satisfied with this early work. David Hall: "Arrau tops off this singularly satisfying artistic achievement [i.e., the Études] with an Abegg Variations rendering of the utmost tenderness and charm. Good sound all the way, rich in timbre, clean in texture."

The recording is rich, although quite close.

LINK

Arrau Plays Schumann, Vol. 2

The first entry in this series of the great pianist Claudio Arrau (1903-91) performing the works of Robert Schumann elicited a plea from longtime reader rev.b - could I please present the pianist's recording of Carnaval?

So today I am happy to offer a 1966 disc where Carnaval is coupled with the composer's Fantasie in C major.

Claudio Arrau

Carnaval, Op. 9

The notes for this record are in German, so let me resort to quoting from Wikipedia about the complex program for this work:

Carnaval, Op. 9, is a work by Robert Schumann for piano solo, written in 1834-1835 and subtitled Scènes mignonnes sur quatre notes (Little Scenes on Four Notes). It consists of 21 short pieces representing masked revelers at Carnival, a festival before Lent. Schumann gives musical expression to himself, his friends and colleagues, and characters from improvised Italian comedy (commedia dell'arte) ...

The 21 pieces are connected by a recurring motif. The four notes are encoded puzzles, and Schumann predicted that "deciphering my masked ball will be a real game for you." In each section of Carnaval there appears one or both of two series of musical notes. These are musical cryptograms, as follows:

A, E♭, C, B - German: A–Es–C–H (the Es is pronounced as a word for the letter S)

A♭, C, B - German: As–C–H

E♭, C, B, A - German: as Es–C–H–A

The first two spell the German name for the town of Asch ... in which Schumann's then fiancée, Ernestine von Fricken, was born. The sequence of letters also appears in the German word Fasching, meaning carnival. In addition, Asch is German for "Ash", as in Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Lastly, it encodes a version of the composer's name, Robert Alexander Schumann. The third series, S–C–H–A, encodes the composer's name again with the musical letters appearing in Schumann, in their correct order.

Let me refer you to the Wiki article for an explanation of the work's 21 sections, which is too involved for me to repeat here. The above is complicated enough. Actually, none of this is necessary for enjoyment of this famous work.

Fantasie in C major, Op. 17

The Fantasie had its genesis in 1836, with a work called Ruines that conveyed Schumann's sorrow at being separated from Clara Wieck, who later was to become his wife. This became the first section of the work. The following two were written for possible use to raise funds for a Beethoven monument in Bonn. Failing that, the composer offered the three pieces to the publisher Breitkopf & Härtel, which published it as the Fantasie in C major, the composer's opus 17.

Robert and Clara Schumann

Schumann prefaced the work with a quotation from the writer Friedrich Schlegel: "Resounding through all the notes / In the earth's colorful dream/ There sounds a faint long-drawn note / For the one who listens in secret" - an allusion to Clara Wieck.

The three sections are as follows:

I. Durchaus fantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen; Im Legenden-Ton [Quite fantastic and passionately delivered; In the tone of a legend]

II. Mäßig. Durchaus energisch [Moderate. Quite energetic]

III. Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten. [Taken slowly. Keep quiet throughout.]

* * *

Arrau's performances are outstanding. Here is High Fidelity's Harris Goldsmith on the disc: 

The Chilean-born but German-Romantic trained virtuoso is in peak form on the Philips disc. His tone - deep, right down to the bottom of the keys - is pure velvet. Every nuance and every detail is obviously the fruit of a lifetime quest, yet retains an essential spontaneity that courses through the entire musical structure [of the Fantasie] giving it life and pulse. Carnaval is equally impressive. Many might well favor a more headlong, tightly knit conception than Arrau's leisurely spacious one, but this is pianism and musicianship of a high order. The differentiation between staccato and legato in Pierrot and the resolute, bronzen clarity of his Paganini are but two of the countless felicities to be gleaned from this imaginative, generous rendition. The Philips disc ... is superbly processed and reproduces Arrau's uniquely individual sonority with resplendent realism.

I only disagree about the recording quality. It's impressive, but too close for my taste.

LINK

Arrau Plays Schumann, Vol. 1

I recently had a request to re-upload a Myra Hess program that included Schumann's Études Symphoniques. It inspired me to transfer some other notable recordings by that composer. Today we begin with three relatively neglected pieces, as played by one of the great 20th century pianists, Claudio Arrau (1903-91).

Arrau's pianism was regal without being ponderous, qualities that were well suited to Schumann, although less perhaps in these pieces than some others. The recordings were made in 1967 and 1968. My transfer is from an original Philips pressing with excellent sound.

Claudio Arrau

Leading off the program is the Faschingsswank aus Wien, Op. 26, a title that is variously translated as "Carnival Jest from Vienna," "Carnival Scenes" or "Carnival Tales," etc. The work is episodic, so the latter two are perhaps more appropriate.

That work is followed by the brief and relatively popular Arabeske. The major work is the Humoreske, little played but very worthwhile.

Harris Goldsmith of High Fidelity was convinced of the pianist's merits in these works: "[Arrau's] approach to Schumann combines massiveness with lucidity, freedom with stringent literalness. Arrau has a big plushy tone capable of infinite color gradations and marvelous pianistic control that permits him to weight chords convincingly and articulate all configurations with complete clarity. He sometimes has an undue penchant for the affetuoso touch and the redundant Luftpause, although moments of metrical waywardness are kept to a minimum in these particular performances. Some may think Arrau's playing a mite too studied, though in this instance I found his performances to be an unalloyed joy."

Robert Schumann

The Gramophone's Joan Chissell was of two minds about the recording: "Arrau's playing is extremely searching. Some of the reflective interludes [in the Humoreske] are outstandingly expressive and beautiful. What I miss from time to time is a feeling of glistening, improvisational spontaneity - such as a youngster like Rubinstein would most certainly have brought to the work. Arrau is too serious for Schumann at this time in his life - still only 29."

I do think a few touches of fantasy might not be out of place in these works, but there is no denying that Arrau's pianism is still a source of wonder.

LINK