Post
by Jack Kelso » Tue Jun 08, 2010 12:08 pm
How right you are, Ken! Our Heidelberg/Mannheim area is packed with Schumann's music---live, t.v., radio. The "Mannheimer Morgan" newspaper called him "Letzter romantischer Universalist", including lots of recommendations of recordings, a brief bio and a summation of his importance as composer. Stefan M. Dettinger covered every aspect of the Master's output---songs, piano solo, chamber works, concerti, symphonic, dramatic/choral compositions. That surprised me (pleasantly!) a little.
Even the local plumber here, with no knowledge of art-music, knows who Schumann was.
Radio (SWR2) will be bringing from 1 thru 30 June many concerts, analyses and interviews with artists concerning his music.
We just finished a "Wunschkonzert", which my wife and I selected (secretly!) what we wanted to play and then planned it out. It included:
Part I: 'Cello Concerto in A Minor, op. 129.
Part II: Trio in D Minor, opus 63 (1st mvt) and Piano Quintet, op 44 (1st mvt).
Part III: Overture and incidental music to Byron's "Manfred", op. 115
Part IV: Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, op. 120 (DVD with Muti/BRSO, recorded with CD stereo sound from t.v. connected to our stereo set).
First I wanted to read what I knew you (and perhaps others) might have posted today. Now I'm going up to our "concert room" to conduct the Third Symphony, with the Zwickauer Philharmonie, a fine CD we bought when we visited Zwickau three years ago.
Enjoy whatever you choose to hear!
Tschüß,
Jack
"Schumann's our music-maker now." ---Robert Browning