Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Piano Concerto in A minor, op.54 [29:42]
Violin Concerto in D minor [32:53]
Martha Argerich (piano); Gidon Kremer (violin)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Nikolaus Harnoncourt
rec. Stefaniensaal, Graz, July 1992 (piano); July 1994, live (violin). DDD
WARNER CLASSICS APEX 2564-67716-1 [62:35] 
No notes: just a track-listing. So what! Does the music stand up? It does.
The Piano Concerto starts with an exclamation and continues with an
assertively urgent pulse. This is vintage Argerich. Neither she nor Harnoncourt
have any truck with the etiolated sighing Schumann. In place of wilting lilies
the music is given an imposing momentum that stays in touch with romance (I,
4:33). If you have become impatient with Schumann readings that loll and meander
then this is for you. The Piano Concerto is viewed from the same urgent perspective
as the more inspiriting readings of the French Horn Konzertstück and
The Rhenish. After this comes the Violin Concerto. This provides
an unfamiliar complement – one work is a concert standard; the other still
largely unheard or more often encountered on disc than in the concert hall.
It is given a gripping performance with the same qualities found in the piano
work carrying over without a tremor. This work does not have the beguiling
substance and invention of the piano concerto but the music will lay a hold
on your affections if you open your mind to something a little out of the
way. Beside the Schumann cello concerto this stands higher. Interestingly
the central Langsam shares the same ratio to its flanking movements
as the Intermezzo does to the outer movements of the Piano Concerto.
The haughty and a mite stilted Lebhaft finale connects with the manner
of the Schumanns’ family friend Brahms but with a touch of explosive Polacca
about it. Kremer is recorded with warm and close proximity. Perhaps, one
of these days, we will hear Kremer in the ‘other’ Schumann violin concerto
– the violin version of the Cello Concerto. This might serve to redeem a work
which I would otherwise avoid. With admirably musical qualities this inexpensive
disc will add savour to your Schumann collection. It can also serve as its
centre-piece complementing the rather wonderful Schumann orchestral box from
EMI.
Rob Barnett
Admirably musical qualities to be found in this inexpensive disc.