Robert Schumann(1810-1856)
       Humoreske, Opus 20

Schumann finished writing Humoreske in 1839, just a few weeks after
composing the Arabeske.  The late 1830's was a very productive time for
Schumann as a composer.  He was trying his best to achieve musical acclaim
in the hope that Clara's father would soften toward him.  Also, Schumann
was under much stress from her father's ultimatum that Clara and Schumann
not see one another.

The title "Humoreske" does not refer to Schumann having a stint at
a comedy club.  In his days, "humor" related to a person's emotional
states, and Schumann routinely supplied a wealth of different emotions
through his music.  In the Humoreske, one emotional state either glides
or abruptly emerges from the previous one, because the work is played
straight through(sometimes).  What I look for in a great performance of
the work is vitality, sudden changes in mood, a wild streak, intense
poignancy, and rhythmic variety.

These are the eleven versions I have for review:

Nikolai Demidenko....SanCtuS 011(1997)
Paolo Giacometti.....Channel Classics 16798(2001)
Vladimir Horowitz....Philips 456838(1979)
Freddy Kempf.........BIS 960(1999)
Wilhelm Kempff.......Deutsche Grammophon 435045(1973)
Alicia de Larrocha...RCA 68657(1994)
Radu Lupu............Decca 440496(1993)
Ann Schein...........Ivory Classics 71006(1998)
Andras Schiff........Denon 7573(1977)
Andras Schiff........ECM 472119(1999)
Uriel Tsachor........Discover International 920185(1994)

Admin.  Notes - All the artists play on a modern piano except for Paolo
Giacometti who performs on a Johann B.  Streicher piano built in 1847;
amazingly, the liner notes say nothing of the instrument.  The two Schiff
performances should provide an interesting comparison to hear how his
view of the work has changed, if at all, over the span of 22 years; the
Denon is a studio performance, while the ECM is a concert recital.

The presentation of the Humoreske on record brings up the issue of the
number of movements/tracks to offer.  Most recordings give the work four
or five tracks, but the Horowitz goes with 11 tracks; at the other end,
both Schiff recordings and the Giacometti have just one.  Personally, I
don't feel a need for more than one track; the work is a continuous
dialogue.  I also think that the Humoreske can not be fully appreciated
by listening to it in segments; only a full hearing in one sitting will
bring out all its splendor, logic, and architectural sweep.

Each of the 11 versions is a fine representation of the music.  Overall,
poignancy levels are high, abrupt and dramatic changes in emotional
states are well presented, and the vitality of the work is fully conveyed.
However, when compared to one another, some fall to the bottom while
others clearly are the cream of the crop.

Problematic Versions - Nikolai Demidenko's performance is toward the
bottom of the group, with half the reason going to the pianist and the
other half to the sound characteristics.  Demidenko offers little rhythmic
juice and variety in the poignant emotional states such as "Einfach" and
"Innig".  What exacerbates this problem is a rich and blowsy sound that
muddies the lines constantly; there is simply no incisiveness to the
articulation.  In the powerful music like "Mit einigem Pomp", the sound
is not so problematic, and Demidenko is most enjoyable when Florestan
is in town.  Still, other pianists are just as compelling in Florestan's
music.  The coupling on this SanCtus disc is the complete Novelletten,
and my comments about Demidenko's Humoreske equally apply to this work
as well.  Overall, I can give a luke-warm recommendation to the disc;
it is enjoyable, but your monies can be better expended on alternative
recordings.

Neither the sound nor the performance of the Radu Lupu recording
is very enjoyable.  I've never been a fan of Decca's piano sound
characteristics, and Lupu is given a glassy soundstage which turns raw
at climaxes.  As for Lupu himself, I want more incisiveness from the
Eusebius music.  Also, he tends to come up with flourishes in the Florestan
music which sound self-serving.  On the plus side, "Hastig" is given a
power-packed reading which is impressive.  Lupu's couplings are Kinderszenen
and the Kreisleriana; I've already reviewed the Lupu Kinderszenen and
found it well below the best versions, and the Kreisleriana will be
reviewed at a future date.  At this point, I can't recommend the disc.

Very often, a recorded performance of a piece of music increases in
enjoyment with additional hearings as listeners settle in and get familiar
with the performer's interpretive stance.  However, there are other
performances which give their best shot the first time around and only
decrease in impact with continued listenings.  That's how I feel about
Freddy Kempf's performance of the Humoreske; additional hearings only
tell me that Kempf doesn't seem to have any particular interpretive
stance.  Yes, he's poignant in the Eusebius music, but he never pierces
my heart; his articulation, accenting, and spacing are on the slack side.
Even his exciting take on Florestan seems not to be plugged into Schumann's
psychology; the interpretation has a measured quality at odds with the
Schumann soundworld.

So, I end up feeling that Kempf is generic.  His BIS disc has the following
other Schumann works: Carnaval, the Toccata, and the Arabesque.  Given
that Kempf isn't so good on poignancy and is on the generic side, his
Toccata performance is the best thing on the disc; this work thrives on
speed, excitement, and technical virtuosity which are all fine strengths
of Kempf's.  Perhaps with added maturity and life experiences, Kempf
will handle Schumann's more inspired music much better in the next decade
or two.  In the meantime, you can safely walk past this recording.

Recommended Versions - Moving up a few notches, we have the fine version
from Paolo Giacometti which is distinctive for the use of the Streicher
piano which offers a grand sound with stature *and* lightness.  Also,
this period piano delivers plenty of punch and sustained power.  Of
course, much credit goes to Giacometti who supplies an enticing blend
of tenderness and spontaneous energy; there's nothing measured about
this fine intepretation.  Giacometti is likely most effective in "Noch
rascher" where he gives us tremendous drive and tension, but he also
pleases greatly throughout the work.  The couplings on his all-Schumann
program are the Phantasiestucke Op.12 and the Toccata.  The disc is a
good choice for all except those who are allergic to a period piano, and
there are a few exceptional versions on modern piano to satisfy their
needs.

Another very good reading comes from Uriel Tsachor whose rather vivid,
gruff, and rustic interpretation is quite attractive.  Most appealing
is his strong accenting and superb pacing with meaningful intervals.
The sole reason I don't place this version with the best is that the
overall emotional intensity could be greater.  Tsachor's coupling is the
Bunte Blatter where he is a little less effective than in the Humoreske.
Adding it up, this super-budget disc is easily worth consideration.

Excellent Versions - Andras Schiff's studio performance on Denon is an
excellent one and gives a thoroughly idiomatic portrait of both Eusebius
and Florestan.  I love the bitter/sweet piano tone he conveys in the
opening "Einfach", and his x-ray examination of the second section of
Hastig is revelatory.  As for power and lightning, just listen to Schiff
rip through the super-charged "Sehr lebhaft".  This is certainly a reading
with much to offer through repeated listenings including some fantastic
and lovely phrasing.  With Schumann's Arabesque and Papillons as couplings,
the Denon offering is heartily recommended.

Exceptional Versions - The recent Schiff concert performance on ECM is
a 'knockout' version, about the best Schiff I've heard in a few years.
I prefer it to the Denon for three reasons.  First, the soundstage is
rich without damaging any details; the Denon sound quality is rather
clinical and dry.  Second, there's an added level of insight and maturity
in the ECM version; Schiff might be a little more spontaneous for Denon,
but the ECM is hardly a measured reading.  Third, I sense a greater
degree of architectural sweep and connection between different emotional
states in the newer performance.  Other than these three items I've
mentioned, the readings from Schiff are quite similar.  The prime couplings
on the ECM 2-cd set are Schumann's Novelletten and the Opus 14 Piano
Sonata.  Overall, I consider the set an integral part of a Schumann
lover's music library; performances and sound quality are at high levels.

Outstanding Versions - In this category we find those versions which
make the listener forget about judgements of tension, rapture, or poignancy
as they draw us in to Schumann's soundworld to the extent that it seems
we are in Schumann's company while he plays his own music.  These versions
are from de Larrocha, Schein, Kempff, and Horowitz.

Alicia de Larrocha is so strongly associated with Spanish piano music
that it's easy to forget that she is no slouch when it comes to the
Austrian/Germanic repertoire.  Her performance of Schumann's Humoreske
is a great achievement.  Most impressive are her architectural sweep,
fantastic accenting and spacing, and bold presentations of all emotional
states.  She sharply etches each emotion, and they all come through with
strong impact.  Her "Hastig' section may well be the best of all eleven
reviewed versions; completely sublime at the beginning, de Larrocha then
turns on the heat with superb clarity and detail.  Frankly, I didn't
expect anything this good from her Schumann playing, and she now has me
convinced that she's a highly versatile artist.  The disc's coupling is
Schumann's Fantasy in C, and I regret to have to say that RCA currently
appears to have this disc in their 'deleted' category.  Do try to locate
it on the used market; it's well worth the effort.

Nobody captures Schumann's sublime sadness and lyricism better than Ann
Schein.  She also gives a glowing performance of the Humoreske and seems
ready to envelop all of us with her gracious arms in "Zum Beschluss" as
if she was the Earth Mother.  Schein also does not neglect the Florestan
music which is exciting and effervescent; I love her power and confidence
in the descending lines of the ending Allegro.  Coupled with an exceptional
performance of the Davidsbundlertanze, Schein's disc is a 'must-buy'
item for every Schumann piano enthusiast.

Wilhelm Kempff entirely wins me over with the detail of his performance
where you will definitely hear inner architecture that can't be obtained
through any other recording of Humoreske.  To pick just one example,
listen to "Sehr lebhaft" where Kempff brings out the smallest inner
workings which make for a revelatory performance.  As for lyricism,
Kempff's "Einfach und zart" is the most poignant of all readings I know.
Perhaps best of all, this is a version which increases in pleasure as
one listens to the entire work; capping it off is Kempff's Allegro which,
although quite slow, has great ceremony and swagger.  This superb offering
is part of a 4-cd set of Schumann's solo piano music which is an essential
component of a Schumann piano enthusiast's music library.

Vladimir Horowitz carves out a unique niche for himself among the best
versions.  First, he keeps pauses between emotional states at a minimum;
this enhances the sense of extreme mood swings and can be quite startling.
Second, he is easily the most abrupt of the ten pianists.  Third, he
sounds the most improvisatory.  Fourth, his tempos tend to go to extremes
as well; I've never heard "Enfach" played so slowly, and "Hastig" is the
fastest on disc.  As is usual with Horowitz, not all the risks pay off
well, but he keeps the losses to a minimum in Humoreske.  The performance
is part of a 2-disc set devoted to Schumann's solo piano music and is
also essential for the music library.

Don's Conclusions: de Larrocha, Kempff, Horowitz, and Schein lead the
field with both Schiff performances fine alternatives.  For those wanting
only one recording of Humoreske, I'd go with the Schein which should
please the greatest number of listeners.  However, getting the four
highest recommended performances will give the complete picture of
Schumann's Humoreske.

Don Satz
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