Robert Schumann(1810-1857)
     Kinderszenen, Opus 15

Radu Lupu
Decca 440496
Recorded 1993
Compared Versions: Haskil-Moravec-Moiseiwitsch

I feel that Radu Lupu rates his own space for being such a true
phenomenon.  First, I know of no other pianist so highly touted who
records so infrequently.  Second, I have yet to encounter a recording
from him which astounds me or that I'd place at the highest level.

Lupu's Kinderszenen is no exception.  Don't get me wrong.  The
performance is certainly professional and competitive with most other
recorded versions.  However, I think that Lupu 'misses the boat' on quite
a few of the scenes, sometimes glossing over contemplative passages and
sometimes not supplying a consistent stream of power and gusto to the fast
and strong scenes.  Also, add in unattractive key-banging in a couple of
scenes, and the result is a less than excellent Kinderszenen.

The 'misses' are as follows:

1st Scene(Foreign lands & people) - Lupu well conveys the youthful nature
of the music and is quite poetic, but he glosses over the contemplative
descending lines.  Compared to the stunning version from Moiseiwitsch on
Testament or the Haskil performance on Philips, Lupu is one-dimensional and
nowhere as emotionally rich.

3rd Scene(Catch me) - Lupu starts out like a 'ball of fire' but eventually
loses the initiative to keep the listener in his grasp; he softens up and
damages the flow.

6th Scene(Important Event) - All is proceeding splendidly with great
vigor until Lupu enters the world of "key-banging"; he's simply too loud,
although the engineers might have had a hand in it.  It's a shame since all
other aspects of the performance, including the winding-down conclusion,
are excellent.

9th Scene(Knight of the hobby-horse) - More key-banging makes this version
less than enjoyable.

11th Scene(Being frightened) - There are three 'frightening' passages,
and Lupu couldn't frighten a fly in two of them.  It amazes me how many
pianists don't pay sufficient attention to the surprise and fright that
should be conveyed.

12th Scene(Slumbering child) - The performer needs to mix intense
melancholy with the serenity of a sleeping child.  Lupu provides all
the melancholy I could want, but the serenity is on the low side.  It all
results in a more limiting interpretation than found in the best versions
such as from Moravec on Nonesuch.

Not to be one-sided, there is some 'gold' in Lupu's Kinderszenen.  The
"Pleading child" scene couldn't be played better: luxurious, subtlety
of tension, gorgeous in the extreme, and great left-hand projection.
"Happiness" glows in Lupu's reading, and his "Dreaming" is a scrumptious
dessert played a little quicker than the norm.

Don's Conclusions: Perhaps I've been too hard on Lupu, but I expect
a great deal from an artist of his stature and rarely receive it.  At
any rate, the performance is a good one burdened with a few significant
problems which hold it back from being strongly recommended.  I should
mention that many regard Lupu's Kinderszenen as one of the best ever
recorded.  There are no easy answers when dozens of recordings of a work
are available to us.  If your tastes slant toward my direction, think twice
before opening your wallet for Lupu.  I will keep the recording if for no
other reason than his outstanding "Pleading child".

One last item which also is not advantageous.  Decca's sound, although
better than the norm provided to Ashkenazy, is nothing to admire.  It's
slick and glassy, just about the opposite of 'clinical/dry'.  I much prefer
the clinical sound to a syrupy one, although a mix of the two would be the
best alternative.

Part 6 will come shortly and belongs to Clara Haskil who should be a highly
worthy member of the Kinderszenen Club.

Don Satz
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