Schumann: Carnaval; Papillons; Kinderszenen; Arabeske

Artist: Nelson Freire
Total time: 59:32
Label: Decca
SPAR: DDD
Availability: In stock
Item #: 5191662

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Review

Read About This Recording

Brazilian born Nelson Freire presents a program of four of Schumann's most popular and descriptive works for solo piano. The album showcases Freire's complete technical mastery as well as his boldly original sound in music of strong contrasts and virtuosic showmanship. His international career began way back in 1959 and has continued with tours, recordings, awards and honors both at home and abroad.

For Robert Schumann the small-scale "character piece" was a fertile ground for experimentation and imagination and became the ideal medium for what he termed as his "varied states of mind." It was here that he developed an almost poetic approach to music expression with the piano on a small but continuous scale. Schumann, who was interested in codes and messages hidden in his music, created his famous ASCH motif — with S being E-flat and H represented by B-flat. "Carnaval," Op. 9, consists of 20 short pieces connected by this recurring motif. A masked ball provides the setting and features movements based on Schumann's alter-egos including the impetuous Florestan and sensitive Eusebius as well as characters like Pierrot and Harlequin and real people from his life including Chopin, Paganini, his wife Clara Wieck and even the flirtatious servant from his father in-law's home. The work concludes as Schumann's "friends" drown out and overwhelm the Philistines (of art) in the tumultuous Finale. The resplendent choral passages of "Carnaval" and its use of rhythmic displacement have made it a staple of the pianist's repertoire.

"Papillions" (Butterflies), Op 2, brings us to another masked ball and offers irresistibly charming pieces based on changing moods in the form of 12 dance movements. Next up is the famous "Kinderszenen" (Scenes From Childhood), Op. 15, a set of 13 pieces providing us with Schumann's reminiscences of childhood. The titles for each were "delicate directions for playing and understanding of the music." The album concludes with a magical and beautiful version of the "Arabeske."

Each of the works on this disc creates a towering achievement in Mr. Freire's long established career. He is certainly one of today's eminent Schumann interpreters.

—J. Maxwell Fletcher

Quotes

"Nelson Freire, [in] an all-Schumann recital — is an absolute beauty. Don't pass this up!" —Classics Today

Carnaval, Op. 9; Papillons, Op. 2; Kinderszenen, Op. 15; Arabeske, Op. 18.

Nelson Freire, Piano.

Tracklisting

Schumann: Carnaval; Papillons; Kinderszenen; Arabeske
	1.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 2:13
	2.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:05
	3.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:35
	4.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:10
	5.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:28
	6.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:46
	7.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:48
	8.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:25
	9.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:44
	10.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:41
	11.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:50
	12.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:14
	13.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:29
	14.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:16
	15.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:53
	16.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 2:02
	17.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:57
	18.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:53
	19.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:17
	20.	Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 3:26
	21.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:09
	22.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:35
	23.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:14
	24.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:44
	25.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:46
	26.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:02
	27.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:57
	28.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:42
	29.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:04
	30.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:43
	31.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:48
	32.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 2:24
	33.	Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:55
	34.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:27
	35.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:02
	36.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:28
	37.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:50
	38.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:02
	39.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:48
	40.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 2:30
	41.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:52
	42.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 0:35
	43.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:44
	44.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:27
	45.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 1:46
	46.	Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 2:19
	47.	Arabeske for piano in C major, Op. 18 by Schumann, Robert Piano: Nelson Freire Length: 6:27

Performances

Carnaval for piano, Op. 9 by Schumann, Robert

Performer(s): Nelson Freire (Piano)
Recording location: Auditorio Massimo, Radio Televisione Svizzera di Lingua Italiana (RTSI)

Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, Op. 2 by Schumann, Robert

Performer(s): Nelson Freire (Piano)
Recording location: Auditorio Massimo, Radio Televisione Svizzera di Lingua Italiana (RTSI)

Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op. 15 by Schumann, Robert

Performer(s): Nelson Freire (Piano)
Recording location: Auditorio Massimo, Radio Televisione Svizzera di Lingua Italiana (RTSI)

Arabeske for piano in C major, Op. 18 by Schumann, Robert

Performer(s): Nelson Freire (Piano)
Recording location: Auditorio Massimo, Radio Televisione Svizzera di Lingua Italiana (RTSI)

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