Album cover for The Schumann Collection, Vol. 1 by Nicolas van Poucke

The Schumann Collection, Vol. 1

Nicolas van Poucke

About the album

Born in 1992 in Baarn, The Netherlands, into a family of professional musicians: his father is a trumpet player and his mother a violist. The piano, which he took up at age six, quickly became the faithful companion for expressing a love of music that, until today, thrives as much on opera, orchestra, and chamber music as on the piano repertoire. After an highly acclaimed recital in a sold-out Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Dutch music magazine De Nieuwe Muze dubbed Nicolas ‘the young freethinker among Dutch pianists’.

Nicolas has performed at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonie Berlin, Philharmonie Essen. In addition, other tours have taken him to Cuba (Havana Mozart Festival), Korea (Changwon and Tongyeong), Italy and France. He has performed with various orchestras in The Netherlands under conductors including Jurjen Hempel, Conrad van Alphen and Roberto Beltran-Zavala. In 2013 Nicolas released his debut album with works by Bach, Beethoven and Brahms which was favourably reviewed.

After two highly successful solo albums, pianist Nicolas van Poucke set to record a collection of his favorite works by Robert Schumann (1810-1856). The Schumann Collection, Vol. 1 is the first album in that series, and features Carnaval, Op. 9, Fantasiestücke, Op. 12, and as icing on the cake, Arabeske, Op. 18. Recorded on one of the most extraordinarily beautiful pianos, and recorded and mastered with newly developed techniques by TRPTK, this album is sure to envelop every listener into the fantasy-riddled world of Robert Schumann.

Tracklist

Robert Schumann

Carnaval, Op. 9

No. 1, Préambule2:30
No. 2, Pierrot2:50
No. 3, Arlequin1:05
No. 4, Valse noble2:18
No. 5, Eusebius1:39
No. 6, Florestan0:57
No. 7, Coquette2:02
No. 8, Réplique1:41
No. 9, Papillons0:45
No. 10, Lettres dansantes1:02
No. 11, Chiarina1:39
No. 12, Chopin1:11
No. 13, Estrella0:35
No. 14, Reconnaissance1:54
No. 15, Pantalon et Colombine0:58
No. 16, Valse allemande0:59
No. 17, Paganini1:28
No. 18, Aveu1:13
No. 19, Promenade2:49
No. 20, Pause0:18
No. 21, Marche des "Davidsbündler" contre les Philistins4:04

Fantasiestücke, Op. 12

No. 1, Des Abends3:42
No. 2, Aufschwung3:45
No. 3, Warum?3:07
No. 4, Grillen3:47
No. 5, In der Nacht4:26
No. 6, Fabel3:10
No. 7, Traumes Wirren2:31
No. 8, Ende vom Lied6:35
Arabeske, Op. 187:54
Total playing time1:12:54

Artists

Composers

Judging from Volume 1, this is something to look forward to. There are not many pianists who are able to approach this musically and psychologically complex world with such obviousness. [...] Even more beautiful are the Fantasiestücke, which Van Poucke brings to life with a wonderfully deadened tone.... [...] In the concluding Arabesque, he displays bold rubati. The nearly eight minutes are over before you know it.

Erik Voermans, Trouw

None of the Dynagroove nonsense or close miking in van Poucke’s TRPTK gem. What you’ll hear is a brilliant young performer playing a magnificent Carnaval and an equally prodigious Fantasiestücke (with the happy bonus of Arabeske, Op. 18) in a beautiful acoustic. And for vinylphiles, the pressing is flawless—the same for the album’s production values. Very highly recommended.

Anthony Kershaw, Audiophilia

There are not many pianists who manage to approach this musically and psychologically complex world with so much naturalness.

Erik Voermans, Het Parool

You can already sense in the opening bars the direction he wants to go: that of uncovering all possible facets and faces in Schumann's music.

Maartje Stokkers, De Volkskrant

Judging from Volume 1, this is something to look forward to. There are not many pianists who are able to approach this musically and psychologically complex world with such obviousness. [...] Even more beautiful are the Fantasiestücke, which Van Poucke brings to life with a wonderfully deadened tone.... [...] In the concluding Arabesque, he displays bold rubati. The nearly eight minutes are over before you know it.

Bas van Putten, De Groene Amsterdammer (#2 in 20 Best Classical Albums 2020)

Poetry captured in music which, as in 'Carnival', under the hands of Schumann but also of Van Poucke, acquires an unmistakable, cross-border charge. Intimate, comfortable domesticity that contrasts extremely sharply with the fantasies derived from the thoughtful Eusebius and turbulent Florestan.

Aart van der Wal, Opus Klassiek

I'm recommending it for two reasons: 1) he really does have a unique voice, something different to share in this music and 2) this is the best sounding recording of Carnaval that you're going to find—it's worth adding to your library just for the superb sound quality.

Rushton Paul, Positive Feedback

Credits

Producer, recording & mastering engineerBrendon Heinst
Co-producerErnst Spyckerelle
Piano technicianCharles Rademaker
Cover photographyMaarten Kools
Album artworkBrendon Heinst
GenreRomantic
InstrumentationSolo
Recording dateJune 2020
Recording locationWestvestkerk, Schiedam (NL)
Recording formatPCM 352.8 kHz 32 bit
Mastering formatPCM 352.8 kHz 64 bit
Release dateOctober 30, 2020
Booklet

Technical specifications

MicrophonesDPA d:dicate 4006A
AD/DA conversionMerging Technologies HapiMerging Technologies Anubis
Master clockGrimm Audio CC2
MonitoringKEF Blade TwoKEF LS50 MetaHegel H30Hegel C55Sennheiser HD800s
Power conditioningFurutech Daytona 303ECAD Ground Control GC1
CablingFurutech custom microphone cablesFurutech custom power cablesFurutech custom loudspeaker cables