PACM014:
Piano Quintet in E flat, Op.44 - Schumann
MP3
price
Artur
Schnabel (piano)
The Pro Arte Quartet Recorded
in 1934, issued as four HMV 78s, DB. 2387-2390
Matrix numbers: 2EA535-IIA, 2EA536-I2EA537-III, 2EA538-II, 2EA539-II,
2EA540-1, 2EA541-I, 2EA542-II
(Duration 30'32")
Play
sample movement:
Schumann
(1810-1856) published no chamber music at all prior to 1842, when
a sudden outpouring saw all three String Quartets, a Piano Quartet, the
Fantasiestüke for String Trio, and this, his only Piano Quintet,
all suddenly spring as if from nowhere.
Of
all of his chamber music, the Piano Quintet is perhaps the finest, and
shows the composer in brilliant, extrovert mood - fluent, melodic and
truly captivating. It is also the first Piano Quintet of real greatness
- the form was ignored by Beethoven and Haydn, whilst the closest Mozart
came to it was in his two piano quartets. The Piano Quintet was also the
piece which really established Schumann's name among the great composers.
This
1934 recording brings together some of the finest players of the day;
Schnabel displays sheer brilliance at the keyboard, whilst the
Pro Arte Quartet, at the peak of their powers, spark off each other
to wondrous effect. The interplay between all performers is at once captivating
and dazzling, as this newly remastered recording shows perhaps better
than ever before.
REVIEW
OF SCHUMANN: Piano Quintet in E flat (Schnabel, Pro Arte Quartet, 1934)
I
am used to a powerful, piano-dominated exposition of the first
movement of the Schumann piano quintet and I was taken aback
by Schnabel's lower profile. I also missed the lushness of
the cello playing the glorious second theme of the exposition.
But gradually, the very clear textures and the close integration
between piano and strings made me aware that this was a lean,
classic performance very different from romantic virtuoso
ones I have been brought up on. A rather low-key but tension-filled
development led to a masterstroke-a recapitulation that seemed
unbelievably dynamic and perfectly apt and made me feel that
Schnabel and the Pro Arte really understand classical form.
The
second movement is quieter and more subdued than usual, but
yet manages to be very intense. The third movement is a 3-minute
hurricane of integrated piano and quartet virtuosity. In the
finale, as in the first movement, some energy is saved at
the beginning, only to be released at the wonderful peroration
that is the climax of the quartet.
The
sound is splendid and very clear; it seems like a very good
early 1950's recording. I think of all those people in 1934
who may have sacrificed their lunch money and other necessities
to save up for this release and wish that they could have
been given this restoration. Even so, given the performance,
they must have felt well rewarded.
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