Schumann: Davidsbundlertanze, Concert sans orchestre

Maurizio Pollini (Artist), Robert Schumann (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 18, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B00005OKSI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,485 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding - Pollini's best release of recent years, November 26, 2001

By 

Rupert Stone (Utopia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schumann: Davidsbundlertanze, Concert sans orchestre (Audio CD)

Maurizio Pollini's latest recordings have proved consistently engaging and never lacking in insight or drive - but none are classics in there own right. The Ballades, with the F Minor aside, are impressive without being remarkable, whilst the Debussy Preludes are, again, interesting but lacking in colouristic diversity. This disc, however, is entirely different. The Davidsbundlertanze, written at a time of great emotional torture for the composer, are carried off with ferocious impetuosity and momentum - never is the tension allowed to drop in the fast and furious 'Florestan' tanze. The more quiet moments, such as the penultimate piece, are whistful, elegaic but chillingly mournful, expressing a solitude of icy cold intensity. As ever, this recording is a paragon of performance structure - the architecture is, as far as I can tell, near perfection - he rounds off the cycle with the supremely judged, slightly melancholic finale. The Concerto sans orchestre, although a work of inferior stature to the wonderful Davidsbundler, is no less fascinating in this rendition; as before, the rapid tempi create an endless striving feel and one can often hear Pollini gasping for help amidst the flurries of notes. The final episode of the middle movement is particularly affecting, whilst the last piece carries one away with the awesome muscularity of his playing. This is one of the finest Schumann discs of recent years and ranks with Gieseking and Cortot as classic Davidsbundlertanze. Although the cd is pricey and the running time slightly short, it is definitely worth the expense. A must.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Schumann by Pollini, July 12, 2010

By 

Antonia Brentano (Leiden, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schumann: Davidsbundlertanze, Concert sans orchestre (Audio CD)

Although I consider myself a fan of Pollini, I don't like all his recordings equally. For example, I feel that some of his Chopin lacks some lyricism, his Liszt sonata did not convince me, and there are more examples in his vast catalogue. But on the other hand, there are so many other recordings to enjoy: Beethoven's Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, many sonatas, his Chopin: Etudes, his Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Webern, etc / Maurizio Pollini (WOW is the word that comes to mind) to name just a few.
But for some reason I especially love his Schumann recordings, the Piano Concerto and symphonic etudes, the Schumann fantasy (which is truly fantastic) to name a few. Pollini's qualities (virtuosity, sense of muscial architecture) seem to work especially well with Schumann.
For some reason utterly unknown to myself I only just recently purchased this cd. The only regret I have I didn't buy it sooner! You can hear (sometimes literally) him enjoy playing these wonderful, fantastic pieces, which seem to be very close to his muscial heart. The necessary virtuosity is (as usual with Pollini) a simple given, so let's not spoil words on that.
Well, you have read my review, so no more excuses that you didn't know this cd existed.

Highly recommended. Enjoy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Generally excellent, but there are a couple of caveats, December 21, 2010

By 

G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Schumann: Davidsbundlertanze, Concert sans orchestre (Audio CD)

After a long hiatus, Pollini's return to Schumann offers the familiar Davidsbundlertänze and the much less heard first edition of the third piano sonata. It is, in general, a success, but I wouldn't rate it among Pollini's greatest recordings. The Davidsbundlertänze should ideally contain a little more humor and a few more smiles in certain of the movements, and certain of them (no.2, in particular) are almost a little tart. Of course, the work is characterized by its diversity of moods and atmospheres, and it is perhaps too much to ask - even of Pollini - that the performer should be equally convincing in all of them. And there are certainly many very good things here. The overall virtues are clarity of projection, attention to detail and superb control of dynamic swings and changes. Among the particular virtues are the absolute mastery of the technically very challenging sixth movement, the utterly gorgeous, reflective seventeenth movement, as well as the pulling together of strings in the final movement.

As for the sonata, the outer movements are scintillating. Not only is the clarity of projection and attention to detail superb here as well; Pollini's ability to shape the music into coherent, single arguments is truly admirable and second to none. The middle movement is lovingly done as well, but tends at times to become a little unfocused (but perhaps only because I cannot help comparing it to the marvelously focused outer movements). The sound is generally good, although a little close, but the auditory experience is stymied by extraneous noises from the performer himself. Still, this is a very fine release and certainly a must for Pollini fans, and to be honest I realize that I may be a little mean when I subtract one star, mostly for those extraneous sounds, given the masterly performance of the outer movements of the sonata.