Lise de la Salle plays Schumann:
- Kinderszenen, Op. 15
- Abegg Variations, Op. 1
- Fantasie in C major, Op. 17
Performed by Lise de la Salle (piano)
As a young person, I simply did not understand the concept of passion in music. For that matter, nobody actually talked with me about the topic. Yet music without passion is not music; it’s… what can I say? It’s dead. It is mostly music that does not communicate much feeling.
My experience is that pianist Lise de la Salle plays with great passion. At least I can say that I experience her passion when I listen to her performances.
Here’s what Ms. de la Salle writes:
“I’ve always listened to a lot of Schumann. He fascinated me when I was a little girl of six or seven. I’ve always been attracted by the manic side of him, his very individual ‘touch’, and I’ve always loved surrendering myself to his music. I feel very close to it. But although Schumann is one of the composers I get most out of, I waited a long time before I played him ‘seriously’… I think I didn’t want to risk being disappointed by myself. I couldn’t bring myself to imagine that everything I had dreamt about this music might not take shape exactly as I wanted. So I waited until I was completely ready, and that moment came a few years ago…”
And here is what the Sunday Times wrote on the 13th of July, 2014.
“The intimacy she brings to the smaller pieces — a rapt Träumerei, best known of the Op 15 collection — makes way for her majestic account of Op 17, the composer’s grandest masterpiece for his own instrument.”
Here are the selections on this CD:
Robert Schumann: Kinderszenen (Scenes of Childhood), Op. 15
No. 1. Von fremden Landern und Menschen (Of Foreign Lands and People)
No. 2. Curiose Geschichte (A Strange Story)
No. 3. Hasche-Mann (Catch-as-catch-can)
No. 4. Bittendes Kind (Pleading Child)
No. 5. Gluckes genug (Happy Enough)
No. 6. Wichtige Begebenheit (An Important Event)
No. 7. Traumerei (Dreaming)
No. 8. Am Camin (By the Fire-side)
No. 9. Ritter vom Steckenpferd (Knight of the Hobby-horse)
No. 10. Fast zu ernst (Almost Too Serious)
No. 11. Furchtenmachen (Frightening)
No. 12. Kind im Einschlummern (Child Falling Asleep)
No. 13. Der Dichter spricht (The Poet Speaks)
Robert Schumann: Theme and Variations on the name Abegg, Op. 1
- Theme and Variations on the name Abegg, Op. 1
Robert Schumann: Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17
I. Durchaus phantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen – Im Legendenton – Erstes tempo
II. Massig
III. Langsam getragen
Here is Lise De la Salle, playing Schumann for you: (Four delightful minutes!)
And here she is, playing the Chopin Piano Concerto #2, first Movement; Yes, this is very familiar music, but as played by Ms. De la Salle, it is exciting and fresh:
Let me end with the Rachmaninov Prelude Op. 23 No. 7, as played by pianist Lise De La Salle:
Tags: Lise de la Salle, pianist, Robert Schumann, Kindeszenen, Fantasie