Love Fugue: Robert Schumann

by Uri Caine

Overview

To the serious classical purist, interpreting a composer's work is a major no-no. Such purists insist that when a musician embraces the works of a legendary composer like Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, or Bach, he/she must perform the music exactly as it was written, period, end of story. But thankfully, Uri Caine is no purist. The pianist isn't a classical purist any more than he is a jazz purist, and that open-minded outlook makes Love Fugue the intriguing, chance-taking jazz/classical hybrid that it is. Recorded in 1999, this CD finds Caine turning his attention to the music of the 19th Century classical composer Robert Schumann (b. 1810, Zwickau, Germany, d. 1856, Endenich, Germany). Love Fugue, which unites Caine's ensemble with the Italian quartet la Gaia Scienza, is an unorthodox mixture of classical and jazz. Caine takes more than his share of liberties with Schumann's compositions, bringing both jazz and Latin elements to them and allowing for improvisation some of the time. Vocalist Mark Ledford, known for his work with guitarist Pat Metheny, is featured on some of the material, and poet Julie Patton recites English-language poems that fit in perfectly with Caine's interpretation of Schumann's pieces. Obviously, what one hears on Love Fugue isn't how one would have heard Schumann's work performed in 19th century Germany. Schumann's primary language was German, not English, and jazz had yet to be invented. Classical purists are bound to denounce this CD as musical blasphemy, but for those with more eclectic tastes, Love Fugue is a joy to listen to. ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date:	05/16/2000
Label:	Winter & Winter
UPC:	0025091004928
Rank:	241327

Tracks

1. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Im wundersch¿¿nen monat mai
2. Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47~Allegro
3. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Aus meinen tranen spriessen
4. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Die rose, die lilie, die taube
5. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Wenn ich in deine augen seh'
6. Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47~Scherzo
7. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Ich will meine seele tauchen
8. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Im rhein, im heiligen strome
9. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Ich grolle nicht
10. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Und w¿¿ssten's die blumen
11. Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47~Andante
12. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Das ist ein fl¿¿ten und geigen
13. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~H¿¿r' ich das liedchen klingen
14. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Ein j¿¿ngling liebt ein m¿¿dchen
15. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Am leuchtenden sommermorgen
16. Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47~Finale
17. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Ich hab' im traum geweinet
18. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Alln¿¿chtlich im traume
19. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Aus alten marchen winkt es
20. Dichterliebe (after Schumann), for voices & ensemble~Die alten b¿¿sen lieder

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Uri Caine   Primary Artist,Piano
Mark Ledford   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals
Gaia Scienza   Primary Artist,Ensemble
David Moss   Vocals
Stefano Barneschi   Violin
Uri Caine Ensemble   Ensemble

Technical Credits

David Gilmore   Composer
Uri Caine   Composer
Marco Bianchi   Composer
Gaia Scienza   Performer
David Moss   Composer
Julie Patton   Poetry
Guenter Mattei   Layout Design
Nobuyoshi Araki   Photography
Paolo Beschi   Composer
Adrian von Ripka   Engineer
Mariko Takahashi   Composer,Narrator
Shulamith Wechter Caine   Poetry,Composer
Stefan Winter   Producer