Raghu Kakumanu writes:

>The one large scale Schumann piece I am able to appreciate somewhat is
>the Carnaval (both the Cortot and Rachmaninoff versions).  ...
>
>I would like to appreciate and understand this composer much better.
>Am I completely missing something here? Or perhaps I need to appreciate
>Schumann on a different level than I am attempting.  ...

I would recommend Charles Rosen's excellent book _The Romantic Generation_
for a discussion of Schumann's music (and that of his contemporaries).
You may not change your opinion of Schumann (I find him a challenge to
listen to and understand as well), but you'll gain much insight into how
his music is put together.

-Matthew Huston
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