Goethe’s Faust is one of the highest peaks of German Romantic poetry, and fascinated composers across Europe: Berlioz, Liszt and Gounod were just some of the many entranced by its visionary power. Schumann too set what he called “Scenes from Goethe’s Faust”, but he made a point of selecting excerpts rather than using a libretto, focusing more on Part 2 of the play. The result is a work of astonishing passion, which includes some of the most dramatic music Schumann ever wrote, and some of the most beautiful as well, embracing elements of oratorio, opera, song and orchestral poem. Antoni Wit’s recording has been acclaimed for “tempos which flow with unforced naturalness and real excitement.” (ClassicsToday.com)
May 2012
*****
“Wit and his well-drilled Warsaw forces are...impressive in Schumann's Scenes from Goethe's Faust. The rarity of this masterpiece is baffling, and this unaffected performance should win many friends, especially in the much-better Blu-ray sound.”
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