Franz Schubert; Robert Schumann - Piano Quintets (Rudolf Serkin)

Information

Composer: Franz Schubert; Robert Schumann

• Schubert - Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 114, D. 667 "The Trout"
• Schumann - Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44

Rudolf Serkin, piano

Jaime Laredo, violin

Philipp Naegele, viola

Leslie Parnas, cello

Julius Levine, double bass

Budapest String Quartet

    Joseph Roisman, violin

    Alexander Schneider, violin

    Boris Kroyt, viola

    Mischa Schneider, cello

Date: 1967; 1963 / 2002

Label: Sony

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Franz Schubert (31 January 1797 – 19 November 1828) was an Austrian composer who was extremely prolific during his short lifetime. His output consists of over six hundred secular vocal works (mainly Lieder), seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music and a large body of chamber and piano music. Today, Schubert is ranked among the greatest composers of the late Classical era and early Romantic era and is one of the most frequently performed composers of the early nineteenth century. His music is characterized by pleasing tunes while still has "a great wealth of technical finesse".

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Robert Schumann (8 June 1810 – 29 July 1856) was a German composer and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era, and left an array of acclaimed music in virtually all the forms then known. Schumann's published compositions were written exclusively for the piano until 1840; he later composed works for piano and orchestra; many Lieder (songs for voice and piano); four symphonies; an opera; and other orchestral, choral, and chamber works. Schumann suffered from a lifelong mental disorder, and died in 1856 without having recovered from his illness.

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Rudolf Serkin (28 March 1903 – 8 May 1991) was a Bohemian-born Austrian-American pianist. Born into a Russian Jewish family, he demonstrated exceptional musical talent from an early age, making his orchestral debut at twelve. He studied piano with Richard Robert and composition with Joseph Marx and Arnold Schoenberg before establishing an international concert career. In 1939, he became a U.S. citizen and settled in Philadelphia, teaching at the Curtis Institute of Music. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, he continued performing and teaching until declining health led to his retirement.

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