Robert Schumann from a lithograph by Josef Kriehuber in 1839

1862 Cavaillé-Coll organ at Saint Sulpice, Paris, France

1993 C.B. Fisk organ, Opus 101, at Caruth Auditorium, SMU, Dallas, Texas

1912 Austin organ at Portland City Hall, Maine

1984 Harrison organ at Westminster Abbey, London, England, UK

1871 Henry Willis; 1924; 1933 Harrison & Harrison; 2004 Mander organ at Royal Albert Hall, London, England, UK

1988 Kleuker-Steinmeyer organ at Tonhalle, Zürich, Switzerland

Savoring Schumann

…on the occasion of the bicentennial of his birth, we enjoy some intriguing scores that Robert Schumann composed in 1845…originally not for the pipe organ!

Program Broadcast dates:

• Week of May 31, 2010

Links and Resources:

• Printable program listings

Music played in the program

Hour 1

ROBERT SCHUMANN: 6 Canonic Studies for Pedal Piano, Opus 56
1 –Georges Delvallée (1894 Cavaillé-Coll/Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts, Paris, France) REM 311135
2 –Thierry Mechler (1975 Kern/Église Saint-Martin, Masevaux, France) Motette CD MOT 11041
3 –Rudolf Innig (1910 Klais/St. Stephanus Church, Beckum, Germany) Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 317.0619
4 –Francesco Finotti (1988 Kleuker-Steinmeyer/Tonhalle, Zürich, Switzerland) Edelweiss 1022
5 –Simon Preston (1984 Harrison/Westminster Abbey, London, England, UK) London 430145
6 –Bruno Morin (1862 Cavaillé-Coll/Église Saint-Sulpice, Paris, France) Triton 331114

ROBERT SCHUMANN: Nachtstück, Opus 23 –Archer Gibson (1918 Aeolian/Gibson Residence, New York, NY) AGR 2009

ROBERT SCHUMANN: Credo, from Missa Sacra in c, Opus 147 –Stuttgart Radio Choir, Rupert Huber, conductor; Stefan Johannes Bleicher (Süddeutscher Rundfunks Studio, Stuttgart, Germany) ebs 6078

ROBERT SCHUMANN: 4 Sketches for Pedal Piano, Opus 58
1 & 2 –Michael Farris (1993 C.B. Fisk/Caruth Auditorium, SMU, Dallas, TX) Gothic G49065
3 & 4 –Jennifer Bate (1871 Henry Willis; 1924; 1933 Harrison & Harrison; 2004 Mander/Royal Albert Hall, London, England, UK) ASV CD-6127

Hour 2

ROBERT SCHUMANN: Traumerei, Opus 15, number 7 –Doublas Rafter (1912 Austin/Merrill Auditorium, Portland, ME) AFKA SK-108

ROBERT SCHUMANN: Kyrie, from Missa Sacra in c, Opus 147 –Cologne Chamber Choir, Peter Neumann, conductor; Christoph Anselm Noll (1880 Gerhardt/Emmanuelkirche, Köln-Rondorf, Germany) Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 332 0598

ROBERT SCHUMANN: Offertorium & Gloria, from Missa Sacra in c, Opus 147 –Stuttgart Radio Choir, Rupert Huber, conductor; Stefan Johannes Bleicher (Süddeutscher Rundfunks Studio, Stuttgart, Germany) ebs 6078

ROBERT SCHUMANN: 6 Fugues for Pedal Piano on B-A-C-H, Opus 60
1 –Thierry Mechler (1975 Kern/Église Saint-Martin, Masevaux, France) Motette CD MOT 11041
2 –Bruno Morin (1862 Cavaillé-Coll/Église Saint-Sulpice, Paris, France) Triton 331114
3 –Philippe Lefebvre (1845 Lété/Abbey of St. Michel, Nantua, France) Solstice 023
4 –Rudolf Innig (1910 Klais/St. Stephanus Church, Beckum, Germany) Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 317.0619
5 –Francesco Finotti (1988 Kleuker-Steinmeyer/Tonhalle, Zürich, Switzerland) Edelweiss 1022
6 –Kevin Bowyer (1965 Marcussen/Odense Domkirke, Denmark) Nimbus NI 5361

 

While his wife Clara and the young Johannes Brahms were getting excited about the pipe organ, Robert Schumann’s momentary fascination was the pedal-piano, an instrument with a short-lived popularity. Even so, his music written for this forgotten medium has found a loving home amongst organists, and in this kaleidoscope of performances we’ll explore Schumann’s complete ‘organ music’ plus some other surprises.