Raghu Kakumanu wrote:

>What I find in Schumann are some incredibly beautiful passages, but an
>overall lack of cohesion and structure.  His large scale compositions
>such as the Fantasy or Davidsbunderlantze (sp?) don't seem to tie together
>at all.  They seem to me to be a collection of wonderful miniatures which
>when put together make no collective sense.  Is there an overall message
>Schumann is trying to convey with his large scale pieces or are they
>instead a collection of random thoughts?

Are you familiar with the 4-note inspiration for Carnaval? If not, read up.
Yes, they are miniatures, but there is a cohesion there.  Rachmaninoff's
recording almost defies belief in the "Paganini" section.  I have loved
Carnaval for many years.  My first introduction to it was when my piano
professor in college played the Rachmaninoff Rhapsody with the University
orchestra, and he played the Schumann "Chopin" as his sole encore.  I
didn't know what it was until he told me - so I went out and bought a
record and the sheet music the same day.

Another wonderful piece - I am listening to it now - is the
Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op 26.  It's rather wild with a beautiful
Romanza.  I have the mono Michelangeli version from 1957 which is very taut
and fast.  I also have the excellent Ivan Davis version where he seems to
actually define rubato - some great lessons here.  A fantastic performance
of a great piece.

Recently, I picked up a Naxos CD with Denis Varjon playing the Intermezzi,
Op 4, Impromptus on a Theme by Clara Wieck and a bunch of Albumblatter.
I have listened to it a few times, but am totally unimpressed!!!  I also
have never quite been able to get into the Etudes Symphoniques.

You win a few ......

Joel Hill
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Tallahassee, FL