Search - Robert Schumann, Mario Bernardi, CBC Radio Orchestra :: Anton Kuerti Performs Robert Schumann

Little Known Schumann Konzertstuck Gets New Recording

Darin Tysdal | Bloomington, MN 55420 | 10/20/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD was a pleasant suprise. When I saw it, I thought, "Ok, another recording of the Schumann Piano Concerto plus the two Konzerstucks!" I was suprised to find that the other Konzertstuck was the one for Four Horns arranged for piano and orchestra! This was once recorded by Peter Frankl on a Vox Lp with the Mendelssohn Second Piano Concerto which has been long out of print (I wonder why they did not include it on their Romantic Piano Concerto Series?). Like the Beethoven Violin Concerto, this work was arranged in this format to give it more playablilty because of the difficulty of the horn parts in the original. The piano part does not sound or look like anything in the other works-so there is some doubt that Schumann actually arranged the work. A solo horn also has some wonderful passages as not to lose to much touch from the original. Kuerti plays with elegance but not much fire which makes me wonder if the virtuosity of these works is short-shrifted. So the piano concerto recieves a good reading but one wished the tempos went ahead more. The G major Konzerstuck is well-nigh indestructible in my opinion and this recording is no exception. I would also like to hear these artists in the D-Minor Introduction and Allegro. Buy this cd and you are in for a treat. Just be sure to read the contents before purchase!"