The Schumann Collection, Vol. 1—Nicolas van Poucke, piano/TRPTK vinyl
This is The Schumann Collection, Vol. 1 (Robert Schumann, 1810-1856), the first album in a series and features Carnaval, Op. 9 (1834–1835), Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 (1837) and Arabeske, Op. 18 (1839), three of Schumann’s masterpieces for solo piano.
The Schumann is the first vinyl pressing I’ve received from TRPTK, the Utrecht-based company led by Canadian/Dutch sound engineer Brendon Heinst and his Russian-born, cellist wife Maya Fridman. Up ‘till now, I’ve been the lucky recipient of many of TRPTK’s SACDs for no other reason than to listen, enjoy and gain knowledge about this superb, boutique Dutch label.
The performers in the outstanding TRPTK line up are mostly young but also features some experienced artists, all blessed with the gift of choosing wonderful repertoire to support the artistic direction of their recordings. I’ve heard most of the SACDs—I was so enthused, I recorded a video about them and reviewed several of them informally on our social media channels. This 2 LP set by young Dutch pianist Nicolas van Poucke is the first ‘formal’ Audiophilia review. I couldn’t have chosen better for the first.
Poucke is Amsterdam Conservatory-trained and has been mentored by some of the greatest keyboardists of the past 80 years, including Murray Perahia, Alfred Brendel and Martha Argerich.
The absolutely resplendent recording took place in Westvest Church, Schiedam. van Poucke plays a Steinway Model D-274.
The Netherlands has many flawless examples of Dutch Reform Churches (and other denominations), seemingly all blessed with gorgeous acoustics—the preferred locale for many of the TRPTK recording sessions. Engineer Heinst is particularly good at capturing the ambience of each church. As all the recordings are solo, chamber or small ensemble, there is both intimacy and immediacy. Whether HiRes download, SACD (playable on Red Book CD players) or vinyl, you’ll be getting crackerjack recordings in the format of your choice.
The music & performances
Fortuitously, these Schumann pieces are often paired together on recordings and in concert and are among my favourite works for the piano. The famous duality of Robert Schumann’s musical self, passionate ‘Florestan’ and dreamer ‘Eusebius’, are in full flow in these works. Lovers of turmoil, sturm und drang will certainly get their fill and the more reflective listening audience will appreciate Schumann’s delicate voicings and exquisite melodies. Either way, van Poucke understands the weight and command Schumann’s great works need. So, gentle melodies are dispatched with beautiful, elegant phrasing and Florestan gets weighty and powerful treatment. The very difficult technical demands are no issue for the pianist.
van Poucke’s technical wizardry is always in service to Schumann’s music. Listen to ‘Traumes Wirren’ (Dreams Confusions) from Fantasiestücke to experience solid technique in the service of musicality when the technical demands are famously difficult. With so many young pianists, the technique serves to show off. As the quote on his website landing page says: ‘The young freethinker among Dutch pianists’. van Poucke serves Schumann first, the listener second.
van Poucke allows the phrasing to unfold naturally, eschewing the virtuosity for virtuosity’s sake view of Evgeny Kissin (RCA) in Carnaval or the foursquare phrasing of Brendel (Philips). His Carnaval is more in line with the magical Mitsuko Uchida (DG—my all time favourite performance) and the ultra passionate Martha Argerich in Fantasiestücke, who makes this work sound anew (and with some hinky rhythmic touches).
Want to try a recording that is bone dry, from RCA’s dreaded Dynagroove era, but captures the ‘Commedia dell'arte’ influence of Carnaval better than any? Rubinstein from 1963. Remarkable insight.
None of the Dynagroove nonsense or close miking in van Poucke’s TRPTK gem. What you’ll hear is a brilliant young performer playing a magnificent Carnaval and an equally prodigious Fantasiestücke (with the happy bonus of Arabeske, Op. 18) in a beautiful acoustic. And for vinylphiles, the pressing is flawless—the same for the album’s production values. Very highly recommended.
[The album is available from the TRPTK website. No affiliation].
TTK 0055
Recording resolution: PCM 352.8 kHz 32 bits
Recording location: Westvest90 Church
Schiedam, The Netherlands
