Robert Schumann(1810-1856)
Davidsbundlertanze, Opus 6
Murray Perahia
Sony 32299
Recorded 1973
Coupling: Fantasiestucke, Opus 12
TT 55:06
Although I don't think of Murray Perahia as approaching the elderly stage
of his life, it has been almost thirty years since he recorded Schumann's
Davidsbundlertanze. As is obvious from his photograph on the cd cover,
Perahia was just a young pup back then full of promise and the prospect of
a stunning musical career. As it turns out, the career has been stunning,
he was honored through the Philips Great Pianists series, and the close-out
of his musical life should find him regarded as one of the pianistic
legends of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Having said the above, I am not personally as enamored by Perahia as most
classical music enthusiasts. Fully recognizing all his musical gifts,
Perahia usually seems a little restrained and overly cultivated to me with
some damage done to the most powerful and primitive works he has recorded.
This time around, Perahia appraoches a work which is loaded with
spontaneity, surprise, and abrupt changes mood swings. Concerning these
three qualities, I just reviewed in Part 5 an outstanding version of the
Davidsbundlertanze by Wilhelm Backhaus. Although the sound provided
Backhaus is quite problematic, Perahia has a very tough act to follow.
Let's see how he stacks up to Backhaus and the other exceptional versions
by Kempff, Gieseking, and Anda:
1st Movement - This is a perfect piece with which to maximize the elements
of surprise and extremes. Perahia doesn't take this route, and you know
ahead of time he never will. What does Perahia offer? Well, it's about
as lovely and elegant a reading of the 1st Movement as one could ask for.
Also, his power and determination are at fine levels. Ultimately, I find
the performance a little relaxed and subdued for my tastes.
2nd Movement - Although not a particularly incisive interpretation, Perahia
highlights the mystery and beauty of the music. Since those two qualities
are very important and Perahia handles them with total mastery, the
performance is quite rewarding.
3rd Movement - Perahia plays up the music's exuberance and good cheer in an
exceptional reading having no superiors. He just sounds like he's having
a great time at the keyboard.
4th Movement - This is a movement I figured Perahia would have some trouble
with. The required emotional investment is huge, as the pianist has to
claw his way through the core of human angst. Perahia doesn't like to
claw, and it shows in his performance of the 4th Movement; that last ounce
of feeling is absent. Elegance holds little value in this music.
5th Movement - This is 'questioning' music to savor. Perahia asks the
right questions and certainly savors every note. The reading is a relaxed
one though, and a few other versions offer a very attractive sense of
urgency missing with Perahia.
6th Movement - This is another movement I thought might be problematic for
Perahia, but he does much better here than in the 4th Movement. Although
he doesn't take the brutal route that I find most effective, Perahia
exhibits a vibrancy and sense of proportion second to none.
7th Movement - I tend to see this piece as reaching out for enlightenment,
and Perahia uses excellent inflections to convey that property.
8th Movement - Power and energy need to be at peak levels; Kempff is at
full throttle, Perahia at 80%.
9th Movement - Urgency is the key to the 9th Movement, and Perahia is well
below an admirable level.
10th Movement - The emotional investment needed for the 4th Movment is huge
but takes a back seat to the 10th Movement. Again, Perahia comes up a
little short, although his two interludes have the perfect degree of
urgency.
11th Movement - Excellent and poignant work by Perahia, but I'm not
impressed with the lack of impact from his cascading descending lines.
12th Movement - This is Schumann's humorous entry in the
Davidsbundlertanze. Perahia is sufficiently in good humor but not at any
peak level.
13th Movement - Perahia drives the first section forward with great gusto
and strength; that's very good. Also, his bass line is fantastic in the
poignant second section ; this is one of Perahia's best movements.
14th Movement - Perahia is no stranger to gorgeous performances, and he's
at his best in the comforting 14th Movement. He tugs at my heart very
effectively.
15th Movement - Perahia's exuberance springs out of the speakers in the
first section, and he presents a wonderfully swirling and urgent
interpretation of the extended second section.
16th Movement - The perpetual motion and drive in this music is astounding,
and Perahia comes close to astounding me. Superb in conveying perpetual
motion, his drive could have been stronger.
17th Movement - This is my least preferred Perahia movement of the
eighteen. There's longing in this music, but Perahia surprisingly replaces
it with some bombast.
18th Movement - An elegant waltz, Perahia takes the elegance too far and
offers insufficient vitality.
Overall, I give the performance a mild recommendation, although Perahia
does have much to offer. A few of the excellent traits are his exuberance,
strength, soft-toned urgency, and penchant for finding the beauty in music.
At the other end, there's are musical qualities which Perahia never wants
to address: powerful angst/negativity/austerity. These elements are in
Schumann's music, and the failure to convey them is significant to my mind.
Also, Perahia ends the work on a rather sour note with two movements which
are his least rewarding.
Don's Conclusions: Those who like Perahia's general style will surely
enjoy his Davidsbundlertanze. Personally, I find it too elegant and
lacking in the 'down and dirty' aspects which definitely are part of
Schumann's soundworld.
If all goes as planned, Jorg Demus will be next up to the podium. He
should be a fine antidote to the Perahia elegance, although it's likely
that nobody is as opposite to Perahia as Wilhelm Backhaus.
Don Satz
[log in to unmask]
|