Although written in the same key and composed barely a month apart, Schumann's Piano Quintet, Op. 44, and Piano Quartet, Op. 47, are rather divergent works that have received vastly different uneven numbers of performances in the last century and a half. The Piano Quintet is not only one of Schumann's finest chamber works, but also one of the cornerstones of the repertoire as a whole. The somber and instantly recognizable second movement and sometimes intense finale are brilliantly offset by the exuberance of the first two movements. The Piano Quartet, while perhaps slightly less memorable, is nevertheless a masterpiece. Schumann's writing here relies more on a free, improvisatory feeling, with more intricate and even-keeled interaction between the piano and three strings. In both instances, many performances of these works suffer from stodginess, unnecessarily dreary tempos, and undue weightiness. Not a trace of these humdrum issues can be detected in this Aeon album featuring the
Quatuor Schumann and violinist Gyula Stuller (for the quintet). They are one of the few dedicated piano quartets in existence, a fact that is immediately obvious by their tight-knit playing, precise intonation, meticulous balance, and careful adherence to the score. What's more,
Quatuor Schumann chooses tempos throughout this album that are at least a click or two more sprightly than most other available recordings. While playing faster just for the sake of playing faster is to be frowned upon, in this case the more energetic pace ensures a captivated audience whose interest and enjoyment are maintained from start to finish.