Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Roger Norrington - Schumann: Complete Symphonies (Live) (2022)

Tracklist

CD1
01. Symphony No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Op. 38 "Spring": I. Andante un poco maestoso - Allegro molto vivace (Live)
02. Symphony No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Op. 38 "Spring": II. Larghetto (Live)
03. Symphony No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Op. 38 "Spring": III. Scherzo. Molto vivace (Live)
04. Symphony No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Op. 38 "Spring": IV. Allegro animato e grazioso (Live)
05. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Rhenish": I. Lebhaft (Live)
06. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Rhenish": II. Scherzo. Sehr mäßig (Live)
07. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Rhenish": III. Nicht schnell (Live)
08. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Rhenish": IV. Feierlich (Live)
09. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Rhenish": V. Lebhaft (Live)
10. Concert Introduction to Symphony No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Op. 38 "Spring" (Live)
11. Concert Introduction to Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Rhenish" (Live)

CD2
01. Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61: I. Sostenuto assai - Allegro, ma non troppo (Live)
02. Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61: II. Scherzo. Allegro vivace (Live)
03. Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61: III. Adagio espressivo (Live)
04. Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61: IV. Allegro molto vivace (Live)
05. Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120 "Clara Symphonie": I. Andante con moto - Allegro di molto (Live)
06. Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120 "Clara Symphonie": II. Romanza. Andante (Live)
07. Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120 "Clara Symphonie": III. Scherzo. Presto - Largo (Live)
08. Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120 "Clara Symphonie": IV. Finale. Allegro vivace - Stringendo sin al presto (Live)
09. Concert Introduction to Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61 (Live)
10. Concert Introduction to Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120 "Clara Symphonie" (Live)



Among the works of Robert Schumann, the four symphonies represent the highs and lows of the composer’s life unlike any others. They were composed between 1840 (shortly after his marriage to Clara Schumann) and 1853 (at which point his mental health problems were becoming clearly apparent). They were, at least, where the first symphony is concerned, a leap into the unknown for the young composer who until then had focused on piano and Lied repertoire. In the coming years, Schumann’s life was a series of short, carefree episodes that alternated with considerably longer period marked by pressing worries – recognition often gave way to criticism and rejection. These were the composer’s personal circumstances when writing the four symphonies.

The approach of Roger Norrington, whose artistic credo is the faithful rendition of a composer's intentions, becomes all the more important when considering Schumann’s background as well as the epoch in which he lived and worked. During Norrington’s thirteen years as chief conductor of the former Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (which merged with its sister orchestra from Baden-Baden to form the SWR Symphonieorchester in 2016), he adhered to historically informed performance practice, applying the characteristics of period style to the modern symphony orchestra.

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [flac]