Michael Cooper writes about Robert Schumann:

>BTW I find it hardly surprising that you enjoy many pianists'
>Kinderszenen.  The music presents few challenges interpretative or
>technical, and obviously is quite accessible to any listener.

I'm not sure about that.  I think the reason I like the versions I've
been listening to lately has to do with the artistry of the performers:
Argerich, Kubalek, Horwzowski, Horowitz, Schnabel, Ashkenazy, Curzon,
Moravec, Moiseiwitsch, and Kempff.

Concerning interpretative challenges, works with themes such as
Kinderszenen are more limiting to the performer than abstract compositions.
It's Schumann's music about his perception and recollection of childhood
memories, so the field is not wide open to the pianist.  Compare this with
any of the pieces from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier where the pianist has
the entire spectrum to choose from.

There is one very challenging aspect to Kinderszenen, and it's to
take the listener back to the child's world.  The articulation, spacing,
inflections, and other technical responses from the pianist must all be
in place.  Most important, the pianist has to take him/herself back in
time and convey a vivid and reasonable projection of the adult's memory
of the distant past.  I don't think these are easy things to do, and plenty
of pianists don't well succeed.  I just happened to pick out a bunch of
great versions from superior artists, some of whom are legends in our time.

About Peter Katin's version of Kinderszenen, I unfortunately did not
express well my thought which was that Katin's reputation is far below most
of the other artists I've been listening to.  Mr. Katin is an excellent
pianist, and his Schumann disc on Olympia has full tenure in my collection.
Competing with the pianists I mentioned earlier is one huge challenge, and
Katin acquits himself very well.

Personally, I do believe that there could be more variety of interpretation
of Kinderszenen.  For whatever reason, there seems to be little desire to
'push the envelope'.  Yet, I can hear it in my head with a host of
deviations from the norm, and it sounds great.

Currently, I'm in the process of reviewing ten versions of Kinderszenen
in Part 1 with a higher number slated for Part 2.  I think that some of
the versions in Part 2 will reveal that Kinderszenen isn't such a snap.

Speaking of great versions of Kinderszenen, the conclusion of the scene
titled "Important event" is magical in Kempff's hands.  The "event" is
winding down, and Kempff does so in such a gradual and subtle manner that
I'm mesmorized and keep playing his performance over and over.

Don Satz