Robert Schumann(1810-1856)
     Kinderszenen, Opus 15

Jurgis Karnavichius
High Definition Classics 12
Recorded?(DDD)
All-Schumann Program:
Kinderszenen
Kreisleriana
Arabeske
TT 58:34

As with Chopin's Barcarolle, recordings of Schumann's Kinderszenen keep
showing up in the Albuquerque record shops.  I could have purchased this
High Definition disc from the Internet, but I decided to take a pass.
However, when these perhaps 'marginal' discs are sitting on the local
store shelves, I can't resist.  Further, the cost is less than a Naxos
offering, so there isn't much to lose.

Who is Jurgis Karnavichius?  I really have no idea; there is no mention
of him in the liner notes, and I never heard of him before.  The disc
also gives no information about recording date or venue, but the sound
characteristics place the recording in the late 1990's.  I did try a
search on the internet but came up with zero data for both record company
and performer.

As it happens, Mr. Karnavichius is no slouch when it comes to Schumann's
Kinderszenen.  His performance isn't among the best on record, but it
compares favorably with many others including the Decca version from
Radu Lupu which I find of inflated reputation.

In commenting on the Karnavichius performance, I feel compelled to offer
a preliminary foundation.  Although quite a simplification, I feel that
two ingredients are essential for an exceptional musical performance.
First, the pianist must have an excellent perception of the music's
themes and composer's psychology.  Second, the pianistic expertise has
to be in place to fully convey the perception.

Karnavichius certainly has the perception well in hand as he displays
a fine sense of the man/child mix in Kinderszenen as well as Schumann's
general soundworld.  However, Karnavichius doesn't quite seem to have
the exceptional piano skills to fully convey his perception.  His
inflections are often weakly delivered, and phrasing is far from supple
and could be described as lumpy at times.  A further negative is that
Karnavichius is not sufficiently angular, although he also seems to
dislike a true legato.

His best scenes are "Perfect Happiness" and "Important Event".  In the
former, the music's joy is delightfully conveyed, while Karnavichius
offers an exuberant "Important Event" with a very effective wind-down
at the conclusion along the lines of Wilhelm Kempff.

The only scene I don't care for is "Knight of the hobby-horse" where
Karnavichius becomes much too loud and grating on the ears.  In this
scene, he loses all sense of proportion.

Although the negatives I've mentioned above are not insignificant, I
continue to enjoy listening to Karnavichius whose absorption in Schumann's
soundworld is very convincing.  Sound quality is excellent with fine
clarity; the air might be a little thin, but it doesn't do any harm.

Don's Conclusions: Jurgis Karnavichius gives a very pleasing performance
of Schumann's Kinderszenen.  His technique isn't the greatest, but
immersion in the composer's soundworld always overcomes technical
considerations - mind over matter.

Given the very low price, I consider the disc a fine purchase for newcomers
to Schumann and others like myself who grab up every Schumann piano disc
in sight.  Also, I can assure you that the Karnavichius readings of
Arabeske and Kreisleriana are at least as fine as his Kinderszenen.

Concerning Schumann reviews, I am in the review mode with Kreisleriana.
I've collected my 35 or so versions in the house and have started ordering
additional ones from the Internet.  Karnavichius has been so pleasing
that I'll include him in Part 1 along with most of the 'big guns' such
as Cortot, Kempff, Argerich, Brendel, Moiseiwitsch, and Gieseking.

Don Satz
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