On this week’s episode of the ASCAP Deems Taylor Virgil Thomson Award winning program Between the Keys, the Classical Network’s Artist-in-Residence Jed Distler explores Schumann’s popular piano cycle Kinderszenen Op. 15 in comparative performances for all of its thirteen movements.
“I thought it would be both fun and illuminating to compare each of the thirteen pieces in at least two different interpretations,” explains Distler. “Since my ground rule was not to feature a particular pianist more than once, we’ll have an amazing variety of artists, with recordings going back as far as 1930 up through today.”
Distler won’t reveal who plays what piece, you’ll simply have to tune in and find out. “But I can tell you that we’ll mix familiar faces with plenty of unexpected treasures.”
Does the list include Vladimir Horowitz playing his signature encore “Träumerei,” which is the cycle’s seventh piece and arguably Schumann’s greatest hit?
“Are you serious? Would I be so obvious?," says Distler. "Naturally we have to include Horowitz, but in another movement, and I think you will be surprised, maybe even shocked at some of my choices in pianists. In any event, it’s going to be what I call a mega Kinderszenen taste test!”
Tune in Tuesday at 10:00 PM for Between the Keys only here on The Classical Network and WWFM.org