Robert Schumann - The 4 Symphonies (George Szell)

Information

Composer: Robert Schumann

• Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 38 "Spring" (2025 Remastered, Cleveland 1958)
• Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61 (2025 Remastered, Cleveland 1960)
• Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 97 "Rhenish" (2025 Remastered, Cleveland 1960)
• Manfred Overture, Op. 115 (2025 Remastered, Cleveland 1960)
• Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 (2025 Remastered, Cleveland 1960)

Cleveland Orchestra

George Szell, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording

_____________________

George Szell believed Schumann’s symphonies deserved the same popularity as Tchaikovsky’s—and his performances make a convincing case. While Schumann’s orchestration can sound dense under less capable hands, Szell achieves remarkable clarity through subtle adjustments and the precision of his exceptional orchestra. His interpretation balances strict discipline with bursts of Romantic vitality, allowing the music’s emotional power to shine without losing structural control. With outstanding remastered sound, this recording showcases Szell’s mastery and the Cleveland Orchestra’s brilliance, reaffirming the symphonies’ rightful place among the great works of the Romantic repertoire.

George Szell (1897–1970) was a Hungarian-born conductor and pianist who became one of the 20th century’s most influential orchestral leaders. Trained in Vienna under Mandyczewski, Foerster, Reger, and Robert, he debuted as a pianist at ten and as a conductor at sixteen with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. After early posts in Berlin and Prague, he became music director of the Cleveland Orchestra in 1946, transforming it into one of the world’s finest ensembles through his exacting standards and precision. Though known for his strict discipline, Szell earned deep respect from musicians. His acclaimed recordings remain landmarks of orchestral performance.