Robert Schumann(1810-1856)
      Kreisleriana, Op.16

7th and 8th Movements(Molto presto/Vivace e scherzando) - The 7th
Movement has a powerful and fast primary subject, but it is the fugal
interlude and the comforting conclusion which get my attention.  Concerning
the conclusion, its contrast with the primary subject of the final
movement is stunning.  This subject has a delicate staccato which at the
same time conveys shadowy figures lurking about and up to no good; danger
and fear surround the music.  The interval between the 7th Movement's
conclusion and the 8th's primary subject can be transcendent if spaced
perfectly, and there is only one version that emerges victorious.

Before citing that version, I have to say that the 8th Movement's
primary subject is an amazing piece of music.  Its intricacy requires
a sharp definition of every tone, and Gieseking/BBC fails miserably.  I
place most of the reason at the doorstep of the soundstage; the shadowy
figures have zero definition as they succumb to an underwater effect.

Anda's 7th Movement is probably the least rewarding version I've ever
heard.  Thriving on excitement and constant forward momentum, Anda instead
has slow-down moments and a generally relaxed disposition.  He essentially
robs the music of its tension.  In the final movement, Anda's upper voice
displays little rhythmic variety in the primary subject.

Edelstein can be found just one step up from Gieseking.  She neglects
to convey the contrast in the primary subject which is its main allure.
Instead, Edelstein offers a petite primary subject without the danger
and lurking; I'll pass on this one.

Wirssaladze disappoints again with a sometimes slack Florestan in the
7th Movement.  The all-important primary subject of the final movement
is given a congenial reading, dispensing with danger and tension.  I
expect a great deal from Wirssaladze, and she hasn't come close to meeting
the standards.

There is sufficient definition of sound in Gieseking's Classica D'Oro
performance, but I find him much too quick in the last movement's primary
subject.  The mystery in this subject needs some time to flourish, and
Gieseking simply doesn't allow it.  On the plus side, his two interludes
in the last movement are quite dramatic and stirring.

Monique Duphil's 7th Movement is frustrating.  She alternates between a
wonderfully wild abandon and an ineffectual restraint; I would have much
preferred she stay on the wild side.  In the 8th Movement, the tension
she offers is too low throughout; her second interlude could particuarly
use some of the power in Argerich's dynamic reading.

Pollini's last two movements are very good, but he fails to cover the
primary subject's intricate figures in the last movement; there's too
much blending and lack of definition.  In this case, the recorded sound
can not be blamed.

Although Rubinstein's first interlude of the 8th Movement is outstanding
in conveying the triumph of reaching the top of the mountain, significant
problems reside elsewhere.  Throughout the 7th Movement, he shows restraint
to the point where he seems a little technically challenged.  In the 8th
Movement's primary subject, his bass strokes are much too demure, and
the approach results in the upper voice having to deliver all the emotional
impact; that's a hard road to take which even Rubinstein can't negotiate
with total success.

One thing you always know about Horowitz is that he never gives a
mainstream by-the-numbers performance.  In the 1985 interpretation, the
7th Movement is rather odd as he seems to play games with accenting,
pulse, and tempo; whatever his goal, I find the performance overly
deliberate and lacking in momentum.  But then comes a wonderfully poignant
conclusion, great bass strokes and spontaneity in the 8th Movement's
primary subject, a dynamic second interlude, and a conclusion which winds
down with inevitability.  Adding it all up, I can't place Horowitz's
final two movements among the best; others are as compelling as he is
in the concluding movement and much more impressive in the 7th Movement.

Kempff's situation is similar to Horowitz's in that the final movement
is exceptional but the 7th is too deliberate.  By the way, it's Kempff
who comes up with the transcendent spacing between the 7th and last
movements; its short interval creates a stunning contrast.

Kissin's 7th Movement is a triumph of virtuosity; such power, speed, and
tension is rarely encountered as Kissin conjures up a commanding vision
of Florestan.  Alas, the 8th Movement is defintely lacking in tension
and is rather superficial.

O'Rourke saves his best for last.  There's nothing earth shattering here,
but the 7th Movement packs plenty of punch and the 8th Movement's primary
subject is appropriately mysterious.  Most appealing are O'Rourke's
ascending lines in the two interludes.  Least appealing is his blunt
conclusion to the work; there needs to be some degree of subtlety.

I'm probably being a little churlish not rating Brendel's last two
movements as outstanding, but I have a couple of quibbles.  His strength
in the 7th Movement doesn't really bust out until toward the end, and
he lacks some subtlety at the conclusion of the 8th Movement.

The Neuhaus performances are particularly stunning in the 8th Movement's
primary subject where he exceptionally conveys an unbalanced mental
condition through his upper voice rhythmic pattern which varies greatly.
I am much less enthusiastic about the weak start to the toccata section
of the 7th Movement; I think this music needs to blast out its calling
card.  All in all, excellent playing but not at the top level.

Argerich and Cherkassky round out the excellent performances of the
last two movements.  They do their best work in the last movement's two
interludes, but I'm a little skeptical of their respective 7th Movements
concerning continuity; Cherkassky shortens note values, and Argerich has
a few odd tempo slow-downs.

Moving up to the exceptional category, Jerome Rose offers his best work.
His 7th Movement is a wild affair, just a little less commanding than
Kissin.  The bass strokes in the 8th Movement's primary subject are strong,
mystery is of primary importance, and the interludes are uplifting and
appropriately dramatic.

The most rewarding performances come from Schliessmann, Cortot,
Horowitz/Sony, Moiseiwitsch, and Karnavichius.  What sets these versions
apart are fantantic rhythmic patterns in the 8th Movement's primary
subject.  Of special notes is the transcendent conclusion to the work
provided by Horowitz; also, he doesn't mess around in the 7th Movement
as in his later version.

Summary: The three basic features of Kreisleriana that recieved the
greatest weight in my conclusions were Florestan, Eusebius, and their
interaction.  Before commenting on each version, I'd like to summarize
what I look for from each performance concerning the three features.

Florestan is one-dimensional.  He acts on rather primitive instincts and
never ponders or projects.  Neither long-run planning nor consequences
are considered.  Florestan destroys enemies, and the cost is of no
concern.  Being an unbalanced alter-ego, he often loses composure and
becomes a 'wild man'.  His strength and determination are supreme.  If
Florestan comes to your town, watch out!

Given the above picture, I expect great power, tension, and drive from
portrayls of Florestan.  However, I want his unbalanced and fractured
personality as well; there are numerous passages in Kreisleriana that
easily accomodate an 'over the edge' Florestan.

Eusebius would do you no harm if he showed up at your door, but he also
wouldn't be helping out with the chores.  Eusebius thinks all the time
and accomplishes nothing.  He stands for beauty, truth, nostalgia, and
a sense of the world.  Eusebius needs Florestan to carry out his thoughts,
but Florestan has his own limited agenda.

When Schumann's two alter-egos hook up, life is never easy.  An inner
tension prevails as Florestan and Eusebius are two opposites in mental
processing.  The interludes are where they most clash, and an excellent
performance of Kreisleriana makes those clashes very interesting.

For the specific versions, I'll work my way up from the bottom:

Not Recommended: Monique Duphil, Irina Edelstein, and Miceal O'Rourke.
The common thread among these three versions is that they convey neither
Florestan nor Eusebius very well.  Duphil has some major gaps in tension
which adversely impact Florestan and his interactions with Eusebius.  As
for Eusebius, Duphil isn't sufficiently supple; many of my notes on her
performance point to a lack of fluidity.  The coupling on her disc is
Chopin's Piano Sonata in B minor which I will review at a later date.

Irina Edelstein's best moments come in the 1st Movement where she
uses detached notes in a most alluring manner.  Other than that, the
interpretation is problematic.  Her innocuous primary subject of the
final movement and the bumpy Eusebius of the 6th Movement stand out
as examples of a lack of total understanding of Schumann's alter-egos.
Edelstein's coupling on the disc is Schumann's Fantasy in C; I'll also
be reviewing this performance at a future date.

Miceal O'Rourke's version is pretty much a disaster until the last three
movements.  All of a sudden, the lack of fluidity and tension is gone,
and O'Rourke is able to deliver three fine performanes.  However, it's
too little and too late to give the version a recommendation.  The
coupling is Schumann's Carnaval, and I might as well review that later
also.

Low Recommendation: Geza Anda, Arthur Rubinstein, Elisso Wirssaladze,
and Evgeny Kissin.  The problem with Anda's version is that he's like
two different pianists.  In four of the movements, he is a tower of
strength, nuance, and poignancy.  However, he is too fast in the 3rd and
5th Movements, too slow and plodding in the dynamic 7th Movement, and
quite ordinary in the finale.  The sound isn't bad for its time, but my
copy had significant tracking problems in the last three movements.
Because of Anda's exceptional first two movements and a program which
includes Schumann's Symphonic Etudes and the Carnaval, I can give the
recording a luke-warm welcome.

Arthur Rubinstein's version is also problematic.  He is much too tame
in the crucial 2nd Movement, the 5th Movement has insufficient tension,
the 6th is also low on tension and poetry as well, the 7th is a restrained
affair, and his bass strokes in the final movement are extremely weak
and inconsequential.  Overall, I don't find that Rubinstein identifies
well with Kreisleriana.  The coupling is Schumann's Fantasy in C which
will be reviewed at a later date.

I am very disappointed in Elisso Wirssaladze's interpretations which are
greatly lacking warmth and depth when needed.  The only reason I give
the version any type of recommendation is her outstanding 6th Movement
of haunting proportion.  Joining her Kreisleriana is Schumann's
Phantasiestucke Opus 12.

Like Wirssaladze, Evgeny Kissin gets a recommendation on the worth of
one movement.  In this case it is the 7th Movement, and I doubt I'll
ever hear a version as powerful, fast, and virtuosic as Kissin's.  In
this movement, he blows away all competition.

Healthy Recommendation: Jerome Rose, Wilhelm Kempff, Martha Argerich,
Maurizio Pollini, Shura Cherkassky, Heinrich Neuhaus, and Alfred Brendel.

Until the 6th Movement, Jerome Rose's performances are simply too quick
in the interludes, not allowing time to effectively convey nuance.  From
the 6th Movement to the work's conclusion, Rose puts it all together as
he finally slows down when necessary.  If he had done this from the start
of the work, the version would be among the best on record.  As it stands,
I can confidently recommend the performance which is coupled with a
fairly good Davidsbundlertaze that I reviewed a few months ago.  This
isn't essential Schumann, just a good addition to the music library.
Rose can have trouble portraying Eusebius, but his Florestan is consistently
interesting, sharply phrased, and well detailed.

Wilhelm Kempff's version has one thing going for it that surpasses any
other version - detail; his outstanding display of Schumann's architecture
is often illuminating.  However, Kempff's phrasing can sound stilted at
times, and the overall performance is a bit too controlled and lacking
in adventure.  There are some wild happenings in Kreisleriana, and Kempff
does not get caught up in the action.  His performance is part of a 4-cd
set devoted to Schumann, and I can assure readers that the set is an
essential component of a Schumann fan's music library.

To my surprise, Martha Argerich's best performances are of the Eusebius
figure.  She sometimes is far too reticent when Florestan takes center
stage as in the 1st, 5th, and 7th Movements.  Still, her crucial 2nd
Movement is outstanding and the disc's coupling is an excellent Kinderszenen.
The disc is strongly recommended.

The opposite of Argerich, Maurizio Pollini excels in the Florestan music
but is often lacking some poignancy in conveying Eusebius.  Also, Pollini
leaves much to the imagination in covering the intricate figures of the
8th Movement's primary subject.  The disc's other Schumann works are the
Allegro in B minor and the five pieces of Op.133.  The recording is a
fine one and worthy of consideration.

Shura Cherkassky's main advantage is excellent detail just a little
less incisive than Kempff's.  Overall, none of Cherkassky's movements are
among the most rewarding, but he's usually not far below the top level.
His is a very consistent interpretation, and the performance is part of
his second volume of the Philips Great Pianist series.  The other major
works on the set include Schumann's Symphonic Etudes and the first two
piano concertos of Tchaikovsky.

Consistently fine performances are also provided by Heinrich Neuhaus.
I love his primary subject from the 8th Movement which conveys an
unbalanced state of mind, but the 7th Movement's Toccata is much too
weak at its inception.  Recording quality isn't very good, but it easily
surpasses what Gieseking and Moiseiwitsch have to endure.

Another consistent winner comes from Alfred Brendel.  I have a few
quibbles about certain parts of his performance, but Brendel well portrays
both Florestan and Eusebius as well as their interactions.  Also, his
1st Movement may well be the best on record with a perfect blend in the
interlude between Schumann's alter-egos and gret concentration of energy
in the primary subject.  Brendel's disc also has a fine Kinderszenen and
Phantasiestucke Opus 12.

Strongest Recommendation: Jurgis Karnavichius, Vladimir Horowitz(both),
Benno Moiseiwitsch, Walter Gieseking(both), Alfred Cortot, and Burkard
Schliessmann.

Karnavichius started off as a 'sleeper' but he is now getting my full
attention.  He is so unassuming, giving us nothing but pure Schumann and
his alter-egos.  In the early movements of Kreisleriana, Karnavichius's
Florestan is outstanding but his Eusebius a little lacking in poignancy.
However, as he progresses through the work, even Eusebius gets exceptional
treatment; the final movement is a jewel of rhythmic tension.  The disc's
couplings are Schumann's Arabeske and Kinderszenen.  With a cost well
under the Naxos price tag, this disc is essential material.  Although
most readers have likely never heard of Karnavichius, he is the 'real
deal' in Schumann and documented proof that total service to the composer
can yield exceptional results.

Horowitz does not offer totally outstanding performances in either of
his recordings, but when he's at his best, the rewards are transcendent.
For Horowtiz '85', the 2nd Movement is a triumph, but it is his 4th
Movement which is most memorable; his definition and interaction between
Florestan and Eusebius is the work of a genius.  For Horowitz '69' on
Sony, the 8th Movement is magnificent with the most effective conclusion
I've ever heard.

The defining characteristics of the Benno Moiseiwitsch performace
are intensity and an exceptional contrasting of Florestan and Eusebius.
With the exception of the 5th Movement where Moiseiwitsch becomes awkward
and loses continuity, every movement is outstanding.  The performance is
part of a 2-cd set having wonderful works including Schumann's Symphonic
Etudes and Carnaval, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, and Chopin's
Piano Sonata in B minor.  All of the performances are from private
recitals in 1961, and it was in these intimate surroundings that
Moiseiwitsch was most spontaneous and incisive.  I do have to warn you
about the sound; it's pretty bad and should be avoided by those allergic
to most historical recordings.

Walter Gieseking is always a wild man with Schumann.  More than any
other Schumann performing artist, Gieseking targets the unbalanced nature
of Florestan and with a fury that is immensely effective.  At the same
time, he always offers us a Eusebius of great beauty and poignancy.
The BBC performance isn't quite as wild as in his earlier effort, but
the differences are not huge.  Recording quality is a different matter,
both issues having major problems which erupt with a vengence in the
8th Movement of the BBC performance where the intricacy of the primary
subject's figures is shot to hell by an underwater effect.  Regardless,
these two interpretations are absolutely essential for Schumann piano
enthusiasts, because nobody contrasts Schumann's alter-egos more incisively
than Gieseking.  The BBC couplings include some Debussy and Ravel pieces,
while the Classica D'oro 2-cd set is an all Schumann program: Carnaval,
Opus 11 Piano Sonata, Fantasy in C, Davidsbundlertanze, and "Traumerei"
from Kinderszenen.  That's one super line-up you don't want to miss.

 From my view, the most outstanding aspect that runs through Cortot
performances is the urgency he injects into his interpretations.  In
Kreisleriana, he does not disappoint.  Every movement is treasurable,
and the sound quality is significantly better than for Gieseking or
Moiseiwitsch.  This Philips Great Pianist set also has Choopin's 24
Etudes, two of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies, and Schumann's Symphonic
Etudes and Carnaval.  Do I hear 'mandatory acquistion' for this one?
Just a rhetorical question.

For those who want a great sounding Kreisleriana, the version from
Schliessmann takes pride of place.  He offers many of the best traits
of a Cortot, Moiseiwitsch, or Gieseking, and the state-of-the-art sound
is an extra bonus of great enjoyment.  This young pianist impresses me
much more than what I've heard of Volodos and the other wonderful young
artists garnering heaping amounts of praise.  His displays of power and
desperation are stupendous, and I believe that he will eventually achieve
legendary status if he ever gets a recording contract from a more popular
recording company than Bayer.  If you love the early 20th century masters,
Schliessmann is their reincarnation and essential for the music library.
If I had to live with only three recordings of Kreisleriana, Schliessmann
and the two Giesekings would be my personal selections.

That's the end of this review, but I have many more versions of Kreisleriana
coming up.  Part 3 will cover the performances of Sergio Fiorentino,
Natan Brand, and the composer/pianist George Walker.

As an aside, I received an e-mail a few weeks back from an interested
party concerning how I decide which versions constitute the first group
for consideration.  The overiding consideration is to review no more
than 20 or so performances at a time.  My past attempt to review every
Bach Goldberg Variation recording I have clearly proved to me that my
reasonable limit is in the 20 category.  However, I feel a little
incomplete in that I can't well handle more, so I know that I'll give
it another try fairly soon.  The other main consideration is the versions
I have on hand and can find for the first grouping.  Concerning the
versions for review in Part 3, I had the Walker but couldn't locate it
until recently, and the Fiorentino and Brand recordings are fairly new
to my library(acquired after starting the reviews of the first 22
versions).  What a system!  I don't try to make sense of it - just going
with the inherent flow within me.

Don Satz
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