Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Arabesque in C major, Op. 18 ‘Leicht und zart’ (1839) [6:55]
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 (1838) [36:20]
Carnaval, Op. 9 (1834-35) [34:36]
Klara Min (piano)
rec. 2019/2020, Teldex Studios, Berlin
HÄNSSLER CLASSIC HC19024 [78:07]
Klara Min has now released several albums of piano recitals and for this debut release on Hänssler Classic the South Korea born pianist has turned her attention to Robert Schumann, one of the greatest Romantic era composers. I understand this is the first release of Min’s projected Schumann cycle of piano works for Hänssler.
From a musical family in Seoul, Min initially studied piano at Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School. She moved on to New York’s Manhattan School of Music where she was tutored by Solomon Mikowsky and then to the Musikhochschule Lübeck under Byron Janis in Germany. Now with an international concert career, she divides her time between living in Berlin and New York.
For this Schumann recital album, Min has chosen three works: Arabesque in C minor, and the sets Kreisleriana and Carnaval, all greatly admired in the discography of Romantic solo piano music. These are fairly early works, spanning a four-year period when Schumann was in his twenties. For some reason, Min presents the works in reverse-chronological order. In the introductory notes accompanying this album, she candidly reveals that Schumann’s music did not engage her immediately as it did with, say, Chopin. It took her some time to make sense of Schumann’s piano writing, which on occasions seemed weighty, as if it were wrestling with internal torments and a restless soul. Now, Min reports that she has come to consider Schumann’s music as being ‘more than any other composer‘s, most firmly, closely and freely to my heart.’
Schumann’s mental health has been a subject attracting numerous hypothetical diagnoses and the extent to which his genius for composition was affected by it is a recurring point of discussion. Now, a hundred and sixty-four years since Schumann’s death, various opinions are still being put forward without settling on a consensus. Schumann created two imaginary characters named Florestan and Eusebius which he saw as representing the contrasting sides of his personality. A rather forthright, passionate and often impulsive Florestan is contrasted with an introverted, thoughtful and wistful Eusebius. Balancing and mediating these two side of his personality is Master Raro, which possibly signifies Robert and Clara in union.
The album opens with the single movement Arabesque (or Arabeske) in C major from 1839, composed during a time Schumann when was being prevented from marrying the love of his life Clara Wieck by her disapproving father Friedrich. This difficult situation was eventually settled by a civil court action in Schumann’s favour. Although it soon became a widely-loved piece, Schumann would downplay the merits of the Arabesque referring to it as ‘delicate - a salon piece, feeble - lighter in style’. On the title page of the score the words Leicht und Zart (light and tender) appear with the metronome markings, serving as an indication of the required character. The emotional swing between optimism and seriousness is captured acceptably by Min’s elegant and sensitive playing, although the level of intimacy communicated might have been heightened slightly. Some accounts of Arabesque I have encountered evolve with a special, hard-to-define, beguiling quality - for example, Maria João Pires (rec. 1994 Deutsche Grammophon) and Nelson Freire (rec. 2002 Decca). Of the newer versions, since its release around eight years ago, I have admired the persuasive account from Martin Helmchen (rec. 2011 Pentatone).
Written in 1838, Kreisleriana, subtitled for publication as Phantasien für das Pianoforte, is cast in eight movements. It is a set full of drama which Schumann once described as ‘my favourite work’.
Schumann was inspired to base Kreisleriana on the fictional literary character Kapellmeister Johannes Kreisler who appears in three novels by the Romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann. Kreisler was Hoffmann’s ‘alter ego’ and no doubt Schumann, with his own dual personalities of Florestan and Eusebius, must have identified with the multiple aspects of Kreisler in each of the eight contrasting character pieces. Revelling in Schumann’s depiction of Kreisler’s clumsily oddball personalities, Min seems comfortable with the quicksilver shifts of sharply differing moods and expression. A naturally thoughtful performer, she reveals her ability to stimulate imagination by creating passive states that to me evoke devotion, balance and a dreamy quality, contrasting with more highly-strung characteristics suggesting excitability, impetuosity and storminess. For me, the soloists with the necessary insight who best capture the essence of these multifaceted characters in these fantasy-pieces are Radu Lupu (rec. 1993 Decca) and Mitsuko Uchida (rec. 1994 Philips).
The final work on the album is Carnaval, which Schumann composed during 1834/35. For its publication, it was subtitled Scènes mignonnes sur quatre notes (Little Scenes on Four Notes). At its commencement, Schubert was besotted and had just become engaged to Ernestine von Fricken who was only eighteen years old. In Carnaval, Schumann has created a set that portrays festivities before Lent. It comprises of twenty-one miniature ‘character’ pieces taken mainly from the Italian Commedia dell’arte, including Pierrot the clown, Harlequin, Pantalon et Colombine. Represented, too, are his fiancée Ernestine von Fricken (Estrella), his future wife Clara Wieck (Chiarina) and Schumann’s own fictional creations Florestan and Eusebius, together with a number of dances. Although each piece has a title, the programme is not to be taken too literally. Also featured in the score are recurring motifs and a number of examples of Schumann’s penchant for using musical codes. Carnaval inspires quite enchanting playing from Min, highly refined and firmly controlled. Also very enjoyable is how Min remains mindful of the largely aria-like scheme of the melodic lines. Nevertheless, I am left wanting a less studied approach and broader dynamics. In recordings of Carnaval, my ideal is for more intense accounts of genuine contrasts which bore more deeply into the heart of the music, such as those by Michelangeli, with his most individual style (rec. 1957 Deutsche Grammophon) and the captivating Mitsuko Uchida (rec. 1994 Philips).
Throughout this Schumann, recital Min plays with a pleasing elegance and beauty, together with neatly achieved expressive detail. My preference is for performances of a more spontaneous feeling which have additional emotional intensity and dynamics of wider extremes. Recording earlier this year at Teldex Studios, Berlin, the sound engineers have achieved impressive clarity and balance. Another asset is the appealing tone of Min’s piano. In the accompanying booklet there is an introductory note by Min herself and a most worthwhile essay written by musicologist, teacher and pianist Dr. Daesik Cha.
On this, her engaging debut album for Hänssler Classic, Klara Min reveals and polishes many of the riches contained in these three glorious Romantic masterpieces from Schumann.
Michael Cookson
