Album cover for The Schumann Collection, Vol. 2 by Nicolas van Poucke

The Schumann Collection, Vol. 2

Nicolas van Poucke

About the album

In 2020 I was approached by TRPTK to record an album. Due to the lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the world looked very different and live music performances had come to a halt. The idea of using the time in lockdown well, by recording an album while waiting to get back on stage as soon as the circumstances allowed, sounded great.

I chose to record three pieces of Robert Schumann which were already in my repertoire. At the end of the recording period the TRPTK team suggested we call the album “The Schumann Collection Volume l”, implying there would be more to come; I agreed happily.

In the process of preparing for the recording I fully immersed myself in Schumann’s musical universe and my obsession with this music took off. The agreement with TRPTK inspired me to continue my Schumann journey and resulted in this album containing pieces from both Schumann’s early and late period.

Tracklist

Robert Schumann

Gesänge der Frühe, Op. 133

No. 1, Im ruhigen Tempo3:03
No. 2, Belebt, nicht zu rasch2:46
No. 3, Lebhaft3:20
No. 4, Bewegt3:19
No. 5, Im Anfange ruhiges, im Verlauf bewegtes Tempo3:32

Kreisleriana, Op. 16

No. 1, Äußerst bewegt3:09
No. 2, Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch11:26
No. 3, Sehr aufgeregt5:30
No. 4, Sehr langsam4:10
No. 5, Sehr lebhaft4:06
No. 6, Sehr langsam4:51
No. 7, Sehr rasch2:27
No. 8, Schnell und spielend4:20

Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6

No. 1, Lebhaft1:48
No. 2, Innig1:47
No. 3, Etwas hahnbüchen1:36
No. 4, Ungeduldig0:57
No. 5, Einfach2:44
No. 6, Sehr rasch und in sich hinein2:01
No. 7, Nicht schnell mit äußerst starker Empfindung4:56
No. 8, Frisch1:07
No. 9, Lebhaft2:11
No. 10, Balladenmäßig sehr rasch1:58
No. 11, Einfach1:54
No. 12, Mit Humor0:46
No. 13, Wild und lustig3:50
No. 14, Zart und singend3:03
No. 15, Frisch2:26
No. 16, Mit gutem Humor2:01
No. 17, Wie aus der Ferne5:14
No. 18, Nicht schnell2:56

Geistervariationen, WoO 24

Theme - Leise, innig1:53
Variation I1:37
Variation II. Canonisch1:48
Variation III. Etwas belebter2:02
Variation IV2:14
Variation V3:47
Total playing time1:52:35

Artists

Composers

“His careful and well-considered approach to Schumann’s five ‘Gesänge der Frühe’ is a clear and most imposing example of van Poucke’s understanding and empathy for a composer whose feelings in this late work hover between poetry and Introspection. It sets a tone that resonates in the rest of the programme, making this release, like the previous one, irreplaceably wonderful.”

Adrian Quanjer, HRAudio.net

“Van Poucke makes it a real gem, with the theme under his hands truly 'Leise, innig', the shades of shadow nevertheless beautiful in color, with as an absolute highlight the third variation ('Etwas belebter') with that fabulous, so strongly contrasting interplay between left and right hand.”

Aart van der Wal, Opus Klassiek

“There have been quite a few CDs with piano music by Robert Schumann in the player lately. Of those, this double album by Nicolas van Poucke is by any measure the best.”

Paul Herruer, Luister Magazine

“Certainly the arresting interpretations on the double-CD second volume support his statement, “I have really entered the Schumann world”; how fortunate that we can do the same with van Poucke as our portal.”

Ron Schepper, Textura

Credits

Producer, recording & mastering engineerBrendon Heinst
EditorHans Erblich
Piano technicianCharles Rademaker
Liner notesNicolas van Poucke
Cover photographyMaarten Kools
ArtworkBrendon Heinst
GenreRomantic
InstrumentationSolo
Recording dateOctober 2022
Recording locationStudio 1, Muziekcentrum van de Omroep, Hilversum (NL)
Recording formatDSD 11.2 MHz 1 bit
Mastering formatPCM 352.8 kHz 64 bit
Release dateOctober 6, 2023
Booklet

Technical specifications

MicrophonesJosephson C617 w/ Gefell MK221 capsulesDPA d:dicate 4006A
Microphone preamplifiersGrace Design m801mk2
AD/DA conversionMerging Technologies Hapi MkIIMerging Technologies AnubisGrimm Audio CC2 master clock
MonitoringKEF Blade TwoKEF LS50 MetaHegel H30Hegel C55
CablingPurecable Optimus custom microphone cablesFurutech custom microphone cablesFurutech custom loudspeaker cablesFurutech custom power cables
Misc.JCAT Optimo 3 DuoJCAT M12 Switch GoldJCAT NET Card XEComputer Audio Design GC3Furutech NCF Boosters