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Robert Schumann Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 London Symphony Orchestra/ Sir Eugene Goossens, Conductor/Peter Katin, Piano 1 I. Allegro affetuoso 14:46 2 II. Intermezzo - Andante grazioso 05:01 3 III. Allegro vivace 11:22 César Franck London Symphony Orchestra/ Sir Eugene Goossens, Conductor/Peter Katin, Piano 4 Variations Symphoniques for Piano and 15:10 Orchestra, M. 46 SCHUMANN: Concerto for Piano and Clara was a devoted sweetheart, and later, fledged, three-movement Piano Concerto in Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 54 an even more devoted and cooperative wife. A Minor, though at its first performance it But in those early days she must have been was billed as Allegro affettuoso, Andantino FRANCK: Variations Symphoniques afraid that Schumann’s music, not yet famil- and Rondo. for Piano and Orchestra iar to her audiences, would be too difficult for them to understand. The still struggling Considering that she had asked for such a Peter Katin, piano, with the London young composer, on the other hand, may work more than six years earlier, it is hardly Symphony Orchestra, conducted by have been just the least bit hurt that she was surprising that Clara Schumann was herself Sir Eugene Goossens playing so few of his works in public. Now, the piano soloist when the Concerto in A at last, he was to be given the opportunity of Minor had its world premiere in the Hall of writing something especially for her use. the Hotel de Saxe in Dresden on December 4, 1845. The orchestra on that occasion was Recording engineers and hi-fi enthusiasts It wasn’t until the spring of 1841, some under the direction of another noted pian- are in general agreement that possibly the six months after they were married, that ist, the Schumann’s close friend Ferdinand most difficult of all musical instruments to Schumann found the time and inspiration Hiller, to whom the concerto is dedicated. reproduce on records is the piano. Nothing is to write the requested work. It turned out to too difficult for the Everest engineers, how- be a one-movement Phantasie for Piano and Though it had some success at this first per- ever, as you will discover when you listen to Orchestra in A Minor. formance, the new concerto took awhile to the extremely lifelike sound not only of the catch on with the public. Clara was a staunch solo piano but also that of all the orchestral In April, 1841, Schumann tried over his propagandist for her husband’s new work. In instruments in this pair of beautifully con- new First Symphony at a rehearsal of the the years that followed its completion, she certed works from the nineteenth century. Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. At that played it all over Europe. At its initial pres- same rehearsal, Clara ran through the new entation in Vienna, on New Year’s Day, 1847, Phantasie twice with the orchestra. Her ver- Clara was again the soloist, and this time Schumann: Concerto for Piano and dict was that it was magnificent. On August Schumann himself conducted. But the audi- Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 54 13th, she gave a semi-public performance of ence was small, and the work was not well the Phantasie, again at the Gewandhaus. received. A few years later, a critic for the When he was a lad of seventeen, and again London Times called the concerto “a labored when he was twenty, Robert Schumann tried The Phantasie was considered by Schumann and ambitious work”, and referred to Mme. his hand at writing a piano concerto. Neither to be an entity in itself. But two years later, Schumann’s “praiseworthy efforts to make effort was successful. Then in 1839, his when he attempted to have the work pub- her husband’s rhapsody pass for music.” bride-to-be, Clara Wieck, not yet out of her lished under various titles – Phantasie, teens but already a highly successful concert Concert Allegro and Allegro affetuoso – no There was probably a good reason why early pianist, wrote to Schumann asking him to publisher would accept it. They just weren’t audiences and critics were somewhat hostile compose something brilliant for her to play interested in a one-movement work for piano to this concerto. They were used to hearing at her concerts. She stipulated that it should and orchestra. such a work begin with a long orchestral not be too long or too short - something, too, exposition, which was then repeated by the that the public could understand easily. At Nothing happened to the Phantasie for two soloist. Here, however, the piano enters right the same time, she apologized for asking a years. Then, early in the summer of 1845, at the outset and takes part in the unfolding genius to compromise his high standards. Schumann, who was then living in Dresden, of the music all the way through. There is composed an Intermezzo and Finale to go much closer integration between the piano with it. The finished product became the full- and orchestra in this concerto, too, whereas in the classical concertos the pianist and sandwiched the theme and six variations. orchestra were in competition with each Furthermore, neither the introduction nor other. the finale is based on the principal theme, and both of these sections assume equal The lack of proper recognition for the con- importance with the theme and variations certo annoyed Clara no end. But Schumann proper. Though there is ample opportunity calmed her with assurance that in ten years for the display of virtuosity, the solo piano all that would be changed. It surely was part has been so designed that it engages in changed. Within ten years the concerto won frequent intimate dialogues with the orches- wide acceptance – and its composer was tra. In this respect, the Symphonic Variations dead. bear a close relation to the Schumann Concerto. Franck: Variations Symphoniques Original Liner Notes by PAUL AFFELDER for Piano and Orchestra In 1884, Cesar Franck, impelled by a desire to revive some of the old forms of piano music in terms of modern keyboard technique, began work on a series of compo- sitions for the piano. These included the symphonic poems Les Djinns, in which the piano was treated more as a member of the orchestra than as a solo instrument; the Prélude, Choral et Fugue and Prélude, Arie et Final, both for piano solo, and the Variations Symphoniques for piano and orchestra. Franck wrote the Symphonic Variations in 1885, and they had their first hearing at a concert of the Societe Nationale de Musique on March 1st of that year, with Louis Dièmer as the piano soloist. Though Franck used as his inspiration the variation movements of Bach and Beethoven, two of his greatest idols, he developed his Symphonic Variations along what were then new lines. No longer do we have the simple theme with a series of variations. Instead, there is a lengthy introduction and an even longer finale, in between which are Some notes on the history of Everest Below is a graphic representation of this new “wow and flutter” to an absolute minimum. recordings made anywhere in the world. By Records and the digital remastering material. What you see here, your ears will The film has another advantage in its great utilizing specially designed portable versions quickly verify when you listen to an EVER- tensile strength which effectively eliminates of EVEREST 35 mm equipment, EVEREST When Everest Records was founded by Harry EST recording. pitch changes due to “tape stretch”, a condi- engineers are able to make recordings and Belock in 1958 as a division of Belock Instru- tion heretofore almost impossible to control. maintain the rigid standards and excellence ment Corp., the aim was to produce a cata- Notice that now EVEREST engineers have of quality available in the Studios. logue of stereo recordings of the highest pos- over 3 times the normal space available Drawing on the extensive experience in the sible technical standard, with interesting and [than] on ¼” tape. This means distortion free, motion picture sound field BELOCK INSTRU- The advanced engineering and special equip- innovative classical repertoire played by some perfect sound. 35 mm magnetic film allows MENT (of which EVEREST is a division), ment, in addition to meticulous attention of the best artists and orchestras. EVEREST engineers to make recordings with requested Westrex Corporation to build spe- to detail, results in the EVEREST sound, a cial equipment to EVEREST’S exacting sound that has been acclaimed as superb by For the first Everest recording sessions in • No distortion from print through specifications in order to accomplish these critics and record enthusiasts throughout the 1958, an Ampex 300-3 half-inch three- • No distortion from lack of channel width advantages. This equipment includes the use world. channel recorder was used. Later on the label • Absolute minimum of “wow or flutter” of special recording heads which afford com- moved to use a Westrex 35 mm 3-track mag- • Highest possible signal to noise ratio plete wide band frequency response beyond netic film recorder, which had a wider possible • Greatest quality and dynamic range ever that normally specified in any present-day dynamic range, less print-through, less tape recorded motion picture recording. It is of interest to stretch and less ‘wow and flutter’, and which note, that when soundtracks of great motion Executive Producer: Mark Jenkins for Countdown was the basis for the highly acclaimed typical With 35 mm magnetic film, the base mate- pictures originally recorded on 35 mm mag- Media/Everest • Project Coordinator: Helge “Everest-sound”. rial on which the magnetic oxide is coated netic film are released as phonograph records, Jürgens for Countdown Media • Digital Transfer and Remastering: Lutz Rippe at Countdown Media using is five times thicker than conventional tape that normal technique is to re-record the the original master tapes • Artwork preparation: For the process of digital remastering of the and is similar to the film used for motion pic- sound from 35 mm magnetic film to conven- Eckhard Volk at Countdown Media • Digital Booklet: 35 mm master tapes an Albrecht MB 51 tures.

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