COMPOSERS: Schumann
LABELS: Ambroisie
ALBUM TITLE: Schumann
WORKS: Fantasiestucke Op. 12; Kinderszenen Op. 15; Humoreske Op. 20
PERFORMER: Philippe Cassard
CATALOGUE NO: AMB 9961
The French pianist Philippe Cassard
here pairs two of Schumann’s bestloved
piano cycles with one of his
most problematic, the Humoreske. It’s
an unusual combination – at present
there seem to be no matches in the
catalogue – and is rewarding for its
strong levels of character and contrast.
Cassard’s performances have
much to recommend them, too.
Most engaging of all are the warmth
and intimacy of his interpretations,
though throughout the programme
one feels that Eusebius is a more
assured presence than Florestan. The
Fantasiestücke emerge beautifully
characterised, with a lyrical, songful
tone quality and a fine emotional
range; I was particularly taken with
the obsessive quality Cassard imparts
to the repeated sighing semitone fall
in ‘In der nacht’ and his delicacy of
touch in ‘Traumes-Wirren’. Although
Richter (DG) goes that extra mile in
emotional scale, with a heart-rending,
unmatchable ‘Warum?’, this is a
personal, heart-warming performance.
Kinderszenen is a tad less successful,
the slower numbers sometimes
tending to get a little ‘stuck’ in terms
of flow; the Humoreske has its fine
moments, with Eusebian poetry
uppermost and the more outrageous
Florestanian flair slightly downplayed.
In this work, András Schiff’s live
recital on ECM remains on another
level in every way; but Cassard’s
gentler and more confiding approach
has rewards of its own. Jessica Duchen