Robert Schumann - Complete Symphonies & Overtures (Kazufumi Yamashita)

Information

Composer: Robert Schumann

• Symphony No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Op. 38 "Spring"
• Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61
• Genoveva, Op. 81: Overture
• Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Rhenish"
• Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120 (1851 Revised Version)
• Manfred, Op. 115: Overture

Aichi Chamber Orchestra

Kazufumi Yamashita, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: MClassics

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Kazufumi Yamashita and the Aichi Chamber Orchestra present the complete Schumann symphonies, a project marking both the orchestra’s 20th anniversary and Yamashita’s tenure as Music Director since 2022. Their collaboration, refined over time, has drawn high acclaim for its unity, tonal richness, and expressive power. A former assistant to Herbert von Karajan, Yamashita brings deep insight into the German-Austrian tradition, shaping Schumann’s works with grandeur, passion, and vitality. The Aichi Chamber Orchestra contributes a fresh, vibrant sound that enlivens the music. This recording captures the ensemble at its peak, reflecting both achievement and promise for future artistic growth.

Kazufumi Yamashita (b. 1961, Hiroshima) studied at the Toho-Gakuen School of Music with Seiji Ozawa before continuing in Berlin under Professor Rabenstein and at the Berliner Philharmonie’s Orchester-Akademie with Herbert von Karajan. In 1986, after winning first prize at the Malko Competition for Young Conductors, he gained international recognition by stepping in for Karajan to conduct Beethoven’s Ninth with the Berlin Philharmonic, earning acclaim from the Berlin press. He later debuted with the NHK Symphony Orchestra and held posts as first guest conductor of the Helsingborg Symphony, and music director of both the Kyushu and Sendai Symphony Orchestras.