Schumann: Piano Music Leon McCawley

• 1 I. Allegro: Sehr lebhaft 08:41
• 2 II. Romanze 02:45
• 3 III. Scherzino 02:05
• 4 IV. Intermezzo 02:12
• 5 V. Finale 05:30
• 6 No. 1. Von fremden Landern und Menschen (Of Foreign Lands and People) 01:50
• 7 No. 2. Curiose Geschichte (A Strange Story) 01:03
• 8 No. 3. Hasche-Mann (Catch-as-catch-can) 00:31
• 9 No. 4. Bittendes Kind (Pleading Child) 00:57
• 10 No. 5. Gluckes genug (Happy Enough) 01:12
• 11 No. 6. Wichtige Begebenheit (An Important Event) 00:50
• 12 No. 7. Traumerei (Dreaming) 02:46
• 13 No. 8. Am Camin (By the Fire-side) 00:53
• 14 No. 9. Ritter vom Steckenpferd (Knight of the Hobby-horse) 00:38
• 15 No. 10. Fast zu ernst (Almost Too Serious) 01:52
• 16 No. 11. Furchtenmachen (Frightening) 01:43
• 17 No. 12. Kind im Einschlummern (Child Falling Asleep) 02:28
• 18 No. 13. Der Dichter spricht (The Poet Speaks) 02:43
• 19 Thema: Andante 01:22
• 20 Etude 1: Un poco più vivo 01:16
• 21 Variation 3 01:12
• 22 Etude 2: Espressivo 02:52
• 23 Etude 3: Vivace 01:25
• 24 Etude 4 00:53
• 25 Etude 5: Scherzando 01:17
• 26 Variation 4 02:58
• 27 Etude 6: Agitato 00:58
• 28 Etude 7: Allegro molto 01:15
• 29 Variation 2 02:13
• 30 Variation 5 02:23
• 31 Etude 8: Sempre marcatissimo 01:42
• 32 Etude 9: Presto possibile 00:41
• 33 Variation 1 01:29
• 34 Etude 10: Sempre con energia 01:17
• 35 Etude 11: Con espressione 01:54
• 36 Etude 12: Finale: Allegro brillante 06:11
• Total Runtime 01:13:57

Info for Schumann: Piano Music

The wonderful Leon McCawley continues his exploration of 19th century repertoire for SOMM with the piano music of Robert Schumann, one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. He begins with the delightful five-movement Faschingsschwank aus Wien, tender, stormy and passionate by turns, ending with a triumphant Finale, a real tour-de-force. He continues with Kinderszenen, one of Schumann's most charming and imaginative creations written for his beloved Clara in 1838, and which, although simple to play, they are not pieces for children but poetic evocations of the child's world, from a nostalgic adult perspective.

McCawley ends with the Études Symphoniques, one of Schumann's most important and characteristic piano compositions. He wrote the Études in 1836 and dedicated them to William Sterndale Bennett who performed them widely. Schumann revised them in 1852 and at the request of Clara Schumann, they were further edited by Brahms in 1873 who restored the five variations which Schumann had inexplicably cut out. Leon McCawley, in a wholly complete performance here has chosen to play the twelve Études plus the five so-called 'posthumous' variations, placing them in an order in which, by instinct, feels it provides a welcome contrast between the dreamy, romantic Variations and the powerful virtuosity of some of the Études.

“his expressive directness and unfussily supple phrasing is especially effective in Kinderszenen. He eschews self-indulgence - perhaps slightly underegging the beautiful 'Träumerei' - and yet beneath the surface there is plenty going on, small details of voicing and phrasing and little emphases that speak more on repeated listening.” (BBC Music Magazine)

“It's the faster movements which come off most convincingly [in the Faschingsschwank], with the pianist finding the right combination of accentuation and momentum...Where I think he's less telling is in the Romanze...McCawley produces some beautiful sounds...[he] is just a little low in the volatility stakes.” (Gramophone Magazine)

Leon McCawley, piano

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