Harmonia Mundi http://store.harmoniamundi.com/classical-music.html
have just released the final instalment of their Schumann Trilogy project
conceived by cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras www.jeanguihenqueyras.com ,
violinist Isabelle Faust http://artsmg.com/Strings/IsabelleFaust/index.html
and pianist Alexander Melnikov http://www.artsmg.com/Piano/AlexanderMelnikov
whereby his works for piano, violin and cello could be placed in a broader
context by recording each with one of the composer’s concertos.
They soon decided to play the works on these recordings
using historical instruments, fortepiano, stringed instruments with gut strings
and orchestral forces to match. Pablo Heras-Casado http://pabloherascasado.com and the
Freiburger Barockorchester www.barockorchester.de
were chosen as the partners for this project.
This first volume brought these artists together for
Schumann’s Violin Concerto in D minor
coupled with the Piano Trio no.3 op.110
(1 CD + DVD - HMC902196). Next came the Piano
Concerto in A minor, Op.54 with the Piano
Trio No.2 in F major, Op.80 (1 CD + DVD - HMC902198).
Now from Harmonia
Mundi http://store.harmoniamundi.com/classical-music.html comes Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, Op.129 with the Piano Trio No.1 in D minor, Op.63 which, as with the two previous
releases in this series, comes with a bonus DVD.
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| CD + DVD HMC 902197 |
The year 1850 was a good one for Robert Schumann (1810-1856), a year that brought the completion of
his Faust music, his songs Opp. 77,
83, 87, 89, 90 and 96, his Symphony in E flat major ‘Rhenish’ and his Cello Concerto in A minor, Op.129.
Here Jean-Guihen Queyras weaves some lovely textures with
the Freiburger Barockorchester in the opening of the concertos Nicht zu schnell, rising through a
vibrant, beautifully transparent orchestral passage, bringing some exquisite
moments as he finds his way through Schumann’s twists and turns. He provides lightly
sprung timbres with both he and the orchestra alive to every dynamic. They
often bring a chamber like intimacy to this music with some beautifully shaped
phrases and a fine, close partnership between soloist and orchestra. Queyras
brings a playful sense of enjoyment as he shapes and springs some of the little
phrases. Pablo Heras-Casado and the orchestra bring some beautifully
Schumannesque broader orchestral passages before gently slipping into the
second movement.
Queyras provides a lovely gentle cello line over a
quietly rhythmic orchestra in the Langsam,
this cellist drawing some lovely slowly drawn textures, finding a real sense of
wonder as he reveals every nuance and detail before subtly finding a rhythm to
lead into the final movement, Sehr
lebhaft where cellist and orchestra find a lovely buoyant gently sprung
rhythm. Queyras’ textures, sonorities
and dynamics bring this music alive. He has a terrific dialogue with the
orchestra whose accompaniment is quite wonderful with some wonderfully vibrant,
incisive passages. There is a beautifully done accompanied cadenza where this
soloist reveals so many subtleties, before leading quickly to a fine coda.
The Piano Trio No.1
in D minor, Op.63 dates from 1847, the year that also brought the Piano
Trio No.2 in F major, Op.80. Alexander Melnikov, Isabelle Faust and Jean-Guihen
Queyras bring a finely undulating opening to the Mit Energie und Leidenschaft, with a lovely rubato. As the music
rises in passion, a terrific ensemble is revealed as they shape and vary the
music to bring out every nuance. Their use of dynamics is superb with the
textures of these period instruments adding much. They rise through passages of
volatile emotion bringing a quite wonderful blending of textures and timbres.
Part way there is a quite lovely hushed passage, beautifully controlled. This
trio bring a tremendous emotional strength with fine taut shaping of phrases. Lebhaft, doch nicht zu rasch moves off
full of energy and rhythmic buoyancy, these players finding a terrific swagger.
They are not only top rate soloists on their own account but they also show
their tremendous, instinctive collaborative abilities right up to the
beautifully shaped coda.
The violin and piano bring an exquisitely gentle opening to
the third movement Langsam, mit inniger
Empfindung before the trio slowly and subtly weave Schumann’s fine textures.
This trio find a lovely flow with a subtle and gentle swell before leading to
the most wonderfully controlled coda and straight into the concluding Mit Feuer that brings a lovely rolling
flow, soon rising in passion with some sparkling playing, terrific textures and
timbres. These artists bring a superb use of rubato to propel this music
forward with a terrific energy, finding some fine textures and sonorities before
a brilliant, vibrant coda.
This is an absolutely terrific performance full of poetry,
fire and passion.
The recording is excellent as are the booklet notes.
As a substantial bonus this new release comes with a DVD
recording of an equally fine live performance of the concerto from the Berliner
Philharmonie that receives a rapturous reception.
See also:
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