WEEK OF 080721: SCHUMANN
Schumann: Symphony 4 (Op.120)
Bravo! I like it a lot. This final symphony of his ("Zwickau" is incomplete) is the only one that touches on Schumann's anguish. I listened to a few different versions -- a fast one, and a slow one, and one in between. I can't decide which I like best, but I see how important it is to listen to multiple versions. The version with the in-between tempo was actually the "revised" version (Brahms said he preferred the original version, though). I didn't sit and scrutinize the two versions, and so I can't really tell the difference.
Schumann: ABEGG Variations (Op.1)
These piano variations are lighthearted and not too complicated. I'll take what I can get. It's nice to hear the seeds of the style that will later characterize Schumann's excellent sweep of grandiose and morose. It's there in these pieces, but it is barely there.
Here I list the "record of the week" (often a few records), which I listen to repeatedly all week long while I work, letting the music seep deep into my mind, and painting my activities with a color that I will forever remember whenever I later recall each piece. I also post other thoughts on music here too.
2008-07-21
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