Robert Schumann(1810-1856) Kinderszenen, Opus 15 Annie Fischer, Piano Recorded 1964 EMI Classics 69217(4cds) This set is a 4-cd tribute to Annie Fischer featuring seven Beethoven Piano Sonatas, two Schubert Impromptus, the Schubert Sonata D.960, and Schumann's Fantasy in C, Carnaval, Kreisleriana, and Kinderszenen. I acquired the set through the Berkshire Record Outlet, and the short 10 days from order to delivery was very impressive. To the best of my knowledge, it is currently out of print, but Annie Fischer performances usually get reborn a number of times. Although many of Schumann's piano works deal with his Florestan and Eusebius alter-egos, Kinderszenen revolves around the adult's view of childhood. As such, the extreme contrasts in works such as the Davidsbundlertanze and Kreisleriana are not found in Kinderszenen. Instead, this work is more subtle in nature and simultaneously conveys the adult and child perspectives. The child senses a joy of the world and its wonders through discovery; the adult looks back with nostalgia, regret, and melancholy on what he/she did with those discoveries through maturation. I had not listened to any version of Kinderszenen for a few weeks, so I was looking forward to Annie Fischer's interpretation. Overall, I find it one of the most rewarding versions on record. From my view, the most crucial aspect of a Kinderszenen performance is to fully reflect in a single note both the child and adult. Fischer does this on a consistent basis, and the effect is compelling. Right from the start of the work, "Foreign lands & people", it is obvious that every note does convey the wide-eyed innocence and joy of the child as well as the nostalgic refrains of the adult. Another stunning feature of Fischer's performances is the intense melancholy she offers which permeates the composition. "Pleading Child", "Dreaming", "Almost too serious", and the first section of "Slumbering child" can bring tears to the eyes with Fischer's subtle intensity. In this regard, her version bears much similarity to the outstanding Ivan Moravec release on Supraphon. I do have a couple of small reservations. First, there are certainly versions which are more exciting and powerful. Second, I would have sometimes liked more edge to the contours as in "Curious story" where Fischer's soft edges reduce the music's drive. However, neither of these aspects is very important, because Kinderszenen does not thrive on either excitement or sharpness. Concerning recorded sound, it isn't bad at all for the time period. Piano tone is neither recessed nor abrasive, and Fischer's fully idiomatic interpretations are in no way hampered. There is some congestion in the strongest passages, but only the use of headphones makes this congestion noticeable. Don's Conclusions: We can add Annie Fischer's version of Kinderszenen to the other outstanding performances encountered previously in this review project. For blending of the adult and child roles, Fischer takes a backseat to no other pianist. Further, her display of melancholy goes to the top of the charts. Hopefully, Bershire Record Outlet has more copies of the set, and you can enjoy her artistry as I have done. Every performance on the four discs is either excellent or superb, so I strongly recommend you add the set to your home music library. Don Satz [log in to unmask]