Robert Schumann(1810-1856)
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Paul Gulda, piano
Recorded 1990
Naxos 8.550401
Program:
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Waldszenen, Op.82
Blumenstuck, Op.19
Jeno Jando, piano
Recorded 1992
Naxos 8.550783
Program:
Kreisleriana, Op.16
Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op.26
Arabeske, Op.18
I checked my copy of the Naxos 2003 Catalogue, and Paul Gulda and Jeno
Jando are the two Naxos representatives for Schumann's Kreisleriana.
I've run across these two guys before in Schumann. With Gulda, it was
his Waldszenen which isn't one of the better performances of the work
on disc. The same applies to Jando with his version of Schumann's
Kinderszenen. Neither pianist seemed fully engaged in Schumann's
soundworld, but Kreisleriana is a unique creature and just might bring
out the best in both pianists.
If I had to pick one composer that Jeno Jando excels in, it would be
Franz Liszt. In addition to the national heritage aspect, Jando excellently
identifies with Liszt's volatility and Schumann's Kreisleriana is as
volatile as any work Liszt ever composed. True to form, Jando excellently
handles the sudden mood swings in Kreisleriana. He also does a great
job of blending the Florestan and Euseibus figures such as in the 1st
Movement's interlude.
Actually, each of the eight movements receives an incisive interpretation
from Jando. Particularly rewarding are the second interlude of the 2nd
Movement and the entire 7th Movement where Florestan is in all his glory.
Most memorable from my perspective is the first interlude from the final
movement; Jando's ascendency to enlightenment is as fine as any on record.
Unfortunately, not all is golden. As with Marta Felcman's reading on
Jay records which I reviewed in Part 4, Jando is problematic with upper
voices in the Eusebius music; his right hand often doesn't ring out or
inflect sufficiently, resulting in a loss of poignancy in the primary
subject of the 2nd Movement and other sections of the work where Eusebius
is offering us his comfort and insight. On the plus side, Jando is a
pro with his left hand bass strokes such as in the final movement's
primary subject, and he generally offers a very strong Florestan.
On balance, Jando delivers a better than average Kreisleriana which
increases in desireability with Naxos' very low price tag. The soundstage
is excellent, although a small increase in sharpness would be advantageous.
I recommend Jando without reservation, particularly to those on a tight
budget. The performance is not in the 'desert island' category, but it
is a fine representation of Schumann's psychological turmoil during the
time period when Clara's father would not allow any interaction between
her and Schumann.
Through the first four movements, Paul Gulda's interpretations are
exceptional and well above what Jando has to offer. Gulda gives Florestan
more desperation and tension, and his upper voice projection and accenting
in the Eusebius sections are strong and compelling. Especially memorable
is Gulda's heart-piercing primary subject of the 2nd Movement.
Matters take a downward turn in the 5th Movement; the powerful primary
subject is merely subdued and innocuous in Gulda's hands. It's the only
spot in the entire performance where he does not supply the required
strength, and I'm dumbfounded at his decision to retrench. The 6th
Movement often finds Gulda too loud, and his 7th Movement is curiously
lacking some tension. Gulda does get back on track in the final movement
where his right hand figures are very interesting and mysterious in the
primary subject.
Don's Conclusions: Ultimately, I have to call it a 'draw' between Gulda
and Jando. When Gulda's at his best, Jando can't touch him, but Jando
has the edge on providing consistently engaging performances. The main
consideration is that both versions should offer many hours of enjoyment.
I have about 15 versions left on my plate, and Part 6 will cover the
performances of Klara Wurtz on Brilliant Classics, Avner Arad on Musicians
Showcase, and James Mathis on Pierian.
Don Satz
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