DACOCD 986 Booklet_DACOCD 901-902 17/12/24 08.

05 Side 1

DACOCD 986

DANIEL GRIMWOOD

SCHUMANN CARNAVAL
LISZT SONATA

PIANO ERARD LONDON 1856

DACOCD 986 Booklet_DACOCD 901-902 17/12/24 08.05 Side 2

Robert Schumann (1810-1856) prestigious Husum Piano Festival in Germany, with a stunning concert of works including Field, Blumenfeld, Liszt, William

Carnaval, Op. 9 26:10 Sterndale Bennet, Henselt and his own transcription of Purcell's Chacony. A part of that concert can be found on Danacord
[ 1 ] I. Prélude, Préambule: Quasi maestoso 2:43 DACOCD 979. His discs of Liszt and Chopin, performed on an 1851 Erard piano, received a unanimous chorus of praise from the
[ 2 ] II. Pierrot: Moderato 1:55 press; the Liszt album was Daily Telegraph CD of the week and Editor’s Choice in Gramophone Magazine.
[ 3 ] III. Arlequin: Vivo 1:13
[ 4 ] IV. Valse noble: Un poco maestoso 2:07 Daniel has performed at many of the world’s leading concert halls, including the Wigmore Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham, the
[ 5 ] V. Eusebius: Adagio 1:26 Rachmaninoff Hall in Moscow, as well as venues in Germany, Austria, Italy, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Estonia, Taiwan, Azerbaijan,
[ 6 ] VI. Florestan: Passionato 1:03
Egypt, Lebanon, Oman and Australia. In demand for his thoughtful, innovative, and ingenious programming, Daniel enjoys a busy
[ 7 ] VII. Coquette: Vivo 1:42
solo and chamber music career, and alongside Joseph Wolfe and Jonathan Ayling is a founding member of the Tier3 Piano Trio and
[ 8 ] VIII. Réplique: L´istesso tempo - Sphinxes 0:48
the Paddock Wood Proms. Daniel's dynamic mastery of the piano is combined with a laser-like curiosity about composers, and
[ 9 ] IX. Papillions: Prestissimo 0:46
historical performance practice. A highly informative and entertaining speaker, Daniel has thrilled audiences with his
[10] X. ASCH-SCHA (Lettres dansantes): Presto 0:59
lecture/recital programmes.
[11] XI. Chiarina: Passionato 1:31
[12] XII. Chopin: Agitato 1:08
[13] XIII. Estrella: Con affetto 0:25 He is currently a Research Associate at the University of York, specialising in 19th Century Performance Practice. Daniel's
[14] XIV. Reconnaissance: Animato 1:47 award-winning Urtext edition of the Adolph von Henselt Etudes is published by Edition Peters and his book about the Etudes of
[15] XV. Pantalon et Colombine: Presto 0:56 Adolph von Henselt has been met with enthusiasm. Daniel regularly performs on live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, and has been
[16] XVI. Valse allemande: Molto vivace - XVII. Paganini (Intermezzo): Presto 2:22 featured in BBC Four’s TV documentary series “Revolution and Romance”. His musical interest started as a 3-year-old playing the
[17] XVIII. Aveu: Passionato 0:43 next-door neighbour's piano in Kent, and by the age of 7 he was performing in front of audiences. His training continued with
[18] XIX. Promenade: Comodo 2:27 Graham Fitch at the Purcell School, where he also studied violin, viola and composition, giving him a broad appreciation of classical
[19] XX. Pause: Vivo - XXI. Marche des Davidsbündler contre les Philistins: Non allegro 4:00
music, and later with Vladimir Ovchinnikov and Peter Feuchtwanger.
Away from the piano, Daniel is a keen distance runner, and member of Paddock Wood Athletic Club.
[20) Prélude - Arabesque, Op. 18 6:11

I would like to thank Aiden Delacey-Simms for his open-mindedness and expertise, University of York for use of the Sir Jack Lyons
Clara Wieck Schumann (1819-1896) Concert Hall and Erard piano, Camilla Köhnken who has been so generous with her research, and Emily Worthington for her
[21] Prélude - Soirées musicales Op. 6 No. 2 Notturno 4:58 intelligence and encouragement.
2 7
DACOCD 986 Booklet_DACOCD 901-902 17/12/24 08.05 Side 3

choice of unequal temperament brings extra resonance to the instrument as well as colour to the music. Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Sonata in B minor, S178 28:49
I spend a lot of time listening to recordings from the start of the 20th Century, pianists and singers especially, and made a point of [22] Lento assai - Allegro energico - 12:13
studying piano roll recordings of the large works on the disc, to gain insights into general performance styles of pianists who knew [23] Andante sostenuto - 6:29
Liszt. This has involved re-setting my defaults to some extent on matters of asynchronicity, arpeggiation and pedalling. The old [24] Allegro energico (fugato) 10:07
practise of improvising preludes and modulations between works is well-known and I have incorporated it here, as I often do in my
concerts. [25] Prélude - Consolation No. 3 in D flat major, S172: Lento placido 4:50

I acted as my own sound engineer and producer for this recording, in order to maintain creative autonomy over the entire process. Daniel Grimwood
I chose an ambisonic Core Sound TetraMic to capture the sound of the piano in the wonderful acoustic of the Sir Jack Lyons
Piano Erard London 1856
Concert Hall as faithfully as possible, without trying to mitigate the swirl of overtones which are so much a part of these
instruments. I am not interested in achieving disembodied perfection, and so decided to record in long takes with as little
Robert Schumann, Carnaval Op. 9
spot-editing as possible. The occasional extraneous sound from the room and the instrument and even a few fleeting inaccuracies
are less important to me than capturing the energy and flow of a live performance, and creating a recording that I feel faithfully “I am aware that my Carnaval is provocative; the heart of an artist is sometimes a strange thing, and the shrieking dissonances
reflects my own sound and musical personality. that life delivers are softened by reconciling art, which often clothes pleasures in long, dark veils, so that one maynot see them
openly”
www.danielgrimwood.eu Robert Schumann

Daniel Grimwood is best known as a world-leading exponent of 19th century virtuosic piano repertoire. Received with critical The son of a bookseller and publisher, from the onset Robert Schumann was at least as interested in literature as he was in music,
acclaim, Grimwood’s recordings and performances of the music of Adolph von Henselt ensure his international reputation as a so it is natural that literary influences and techniques pervade much of his music, particularly from his favourite writer, Jean Paul
groundbreaking, inspirational musician, marking him out as a unique voice amongst his generation of pianists. His recording of Friedrich Richter - he even said he learnt “more counterpoint from Jean Paul than from my music teacher."
Henselt's Complete Etudes garnered "instant classic status" by Gramophone Magazine, which also named it piano release of 2023.
Schumann was 24 when he wrote this collection of scenes from a masked ball. The separate sections are bundled together by 3
With an astonishing range of music within his repertoire, Daniel’s superlative level of pianism means that he is equally at home ‘sphinxes’ which appear in the middle and are directed by the composer to not be performed, but hold the answer to the riddle:
performing the music of J.S. Bach, as he is of Rubinstein or Liszt. In 2023 Daniel was invited to open the 34th Season of the highly spelling ‘ASCH’, the birthplace of Ernestine von Fricken, to whom Schumann was secretly engaged at the time of composition.
6 3
DACOCD 986 Booklet_DACOCD 901-902 17/12/24 08.05 Side 4

Most of the movements derive from these tiny acronymic fragments creating a subliminal sense of unity amongst the seemingly Franz Liszt, Sonata S. 178
disparate musical aphorisms. The scenes unfold with a dizzying rapidity and include characters from the composer’s life: ‘Estrella’
was Ernestine; ‘Chiarina’ was Clara Wieck, whom he later married but was then only 15; Paganini and Chopin (who according to “… beyond all conception, beautiful, great, lovely, deep and noble – sublime.”
Frederick Niecks viewed Schumann with some disdain, and considered that Carnaval was not music at all); and traditional Richard Wagner
characters from commedia de l’arte. The sections alternate the physicality and hedonism of dance with more introspective and
highly personal flights of fancy. The final March is a polemic representing the triumph of the Davidsbündler against the Philistines, Liszt was an early champion of Carnaval and his so-called Sonata in B minor is dedicated to Schumann. Like Schumann, he wrote a
the eternal battle between the outmoded and the new — an appearance of the Großvatertanz, a folk tune from the 17th Century, considerable amount of programme music and works with descriptive titles, so it is surprising that the major piano work
seemingly causes a refrain from the Finale of Beethoven’s “Emperor” concerto to take flight from it in distress! considered by most to be his finest is called simply Sonata (Grande Sonata pour le Pianoforte in the first edition, later simplified to
just Sonata). Though the piece carries no programme, the musical ideas themselves suggest Liszt had a specific narrative in mind,
Robert Schumann, Arabesque Op. 18 the Faust legend often being suggested. Through Liszt’s ingenious use of thematic transformation, the Sonata blends a freely
rhapsodic musical language with the suggestion of a multi-movement formal structure.
The graceful Arabesque Op. 18, a simple Rondo in all but name, is a counterbalance to some of the more emotionally and physically
demanding of Schumann’s piano works. Composed in 1839 when Schumann was forcibly separated from his future wife Clara and Franz Liszt, Consolation in D-flat major S. 172 no. 3
communicating only through letters and the medium of music, like many pieces from this time it can be viewed as a love letter.
It is said that Schumann, when improvising, would endlessly repeat an idea that pleased him: I have this in mind in the three Deservedly one of his most celebrated works, the third Consolation is Liszt at his most restrained and graceful. A beguiling melody
returns of the C major Rondo theme, where repetition is saved from monotony by the sheer charm of the musical idea. The unfolds over a harp-like accompaniment. Liszt’s pedal markings, often over many bars and changes of harmony, work magnificently
contrasting episodes, by turn oppressive and stormy, are also short-lived. The real surprise is the Coda - music of breath-taking on pianos of the mid-nineteenth century with clearer articulation, shorter decay and livelier overtones.
and pristine beauty.
About the piano and the performance
Clara Wieck, Notturno from Soirées Musicales Op. 6 no. 2
The University of York is very fortunate to own this exquisite 1856 Erard London concert grand piano, lovingly restored by Nigel
Contemporary with the two works of Schumann, Clara Wieck’s Notturno from her Soirées Musicales Op. 6 was composed when Scaife and tuned to the Bach-Lehman temperament by Aidan Delacey-Simms. The piano is straight strung allowing greater
she was 16 or 17 yet is a remarkably mature composition. The delicacy of melodic ornamentation over a simple melodic outline separation of registers compared to its more homogenised modern counterpart. The strings are damped from below, rather than
provides clues as to how pianists of the past may have improvised and ornamented, and may even signal musicians today how above as in a modern piano, a less efficient design that results in pleasing result is a wash of colour and a ring of complex
simple melodic phrases were expected to be graced with improvised arabesques in the 19th Century. overtones that was surely an aesthetic choice. Pianos were likely not tuned in equal temperament in the mid-19th century and my
4 5
DACOCD 986 Booklet_DACOCD 901-902 17/12/24 08.05 Side 4

Most of the movements derive from these tiny acronymic fragments creating a subliminal sense of unity amongst the seemingly Franz Liszt, Sonata S. 178
disparate musical aphorisms. The scenes unfold with a dizzying rapidity and include characters from the composer’s life: ‘Estrella’
was Ernestine; ‘Chiarina’ was Clara Wieck, whom he later married but was then only 15; Paganini and Chopin (who according to “… beyond all conception, beautiful, great, lovely, deep and noble – sublime.”
Frederick Niecks viewed Schumann with some disdain, and considered that Carnaval was not music at all); and traditional Richard Wagner
characters from commedia de l’arte. The sections alternate the physicality and hedonism of dance with more introspective and
highly personal flights of fancy. The final March is a polemic representing the triumph of the Davidsbündler against the Philistines, Liszt was an early champion of Carnaval and his so-called Sonata in B minor is dedicated to Schumann. Like Schumann, he wrote a
the eternal battle between the outmoded and the new — an appearance of the Großvatertanz, a folk tune from the 17th Century, considerable amount of programme music and works with descriptive titles, so it is surprising that the major piano work
seemingly causes a refrain from the Finale of Beethoven’s “Emperor” concerto to take flight from it in distress! considered by most to be his finest is called simply Sonata (Grande Sonata pour le Pianoforte in the first edition, later simplified to
just Sonata). Though the piece carries no programme, the musical ideas themselves suggest Liszt had a specific narrative in mind,
Robert Schumann, Arabesque Op. 18 the Faust legend often being suggested. Through Liszt’s ingenious use of thematic transformation, the Sonata blends a freely
rhapsodic musical language with the suggestion of a multi-movement formal structure.
The graceful Arabesque Op. 18, a simple Rondo in all but name, is a counterbalance to some of the more emotionally and physically
demanding of Schumann’s piano works. Composed in 1839 when Schumann was forcibly separated from his future wife Clara and Franz Liszt, Consolation in D-flat major S. 172 no. 3
communicating only through letters and the medium of music, like many pieces from this time it can be viewed as a love letter.
It is said that Schumann, when improvising, would endlessly repeat an idea that pleased him: I have this in mind in the three Deservedly one of his most celebrated works, the third Consolation is Liszt at his most restrained and graceful. A beguiling melody
returns of the C major Rondo theme, where repetition is saved from monotony by the sheer charm of the musical idea. The unfolds over a harp-like accompaniment. Liszt’s pedal markings, often over many bars and changes of harmony, work magnificently
contrasting episodes, by turn oppressive and stormy, are also short-lived. The real surprise is the Coda - music of breath-taking on pianos of the mid-nineteenth century with clearer articulation, shorter decay and livelier overtones.
and pristine beauty.
About the piano and the performance
Clara Wieck, Notturno from Soirées Musicales Op. 6 no. 2
The University of York is very fortunate to own this exquisite 1856 Erard London concert grand piano, lovingly restored by Nigel
Contemporary with the two works of Schumann, Clara Wieck’s Notturno from her Soirées Musicales Op. 6 was composed when Scaife and tuned to the Bach-Lehman temperament by Aidan Delacey-Simms. The piano is straight strung allowing greater
she was 16 or 17 yet is a remarkably mature composition. The delicacy of melodic ornamentation over a simple melodic outline separation of registers compared to its more homogenised modern counterpart. The strings are damped from below, rather than
provides clues as to how pianists of the past may have improvised and ornamented, and may even signal musicians today how above as in a modern piano, a less efficient design that results in pleasing result is a wash of colour and a ring of complex
simple melodic phrases were expected to be graced with improvised arabesques in the 19th Century. overtones that was surely an aesthetic choice. Pianos were likely not tuned in equal temperament in the mid-19th century and my
4 5
DACOCD 986 Booklet_DACOCD 901-902 17/12/24 08.05 Side 3

choice of unequal temperament brings extra resonance to the instrument as well as colour to the music. Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Sonata in B minor, S178 28:49
I spend a lot of time listening to recordings from the start of the 20th Century, pianists and singers especially, and made a point of [22] Lento assai - Allegro energico - 12:13
studying piano roll recordings of the large works on the disc, to gain insights into general performance styles of pianists who knew [23] Andante sostenuto - 6:29
Liszt. This has involved re-setting my defaults to some extent on matters of asynchronicity, arpeggiation and pedalling. The old [24] Allegro energico (fugato) 10:07
practise of improvising preludes and modulations between works is well-known and I have incorporated it here, as I often do in my
concerts. [25] Prélude - Consolation No. 3 in D flat major, S172: Lento placido 4:50

I acted as my own sound engineer and producer for this recording, in order to maintain creative autonomy over the entire process. Daniel Grimwood
I chose an ambisonic Core Sound TetraMic to capture the sound of the piano in the wonderful acoustic of the Sir Jack Lyons
Piano Erard London 1856
Concert Hall as faithfully as possible, without trying to mitigate the swirl of overtones which are so much a part of these
instruments. I am not interested in achieving disembodied perfection, and so decided to record in long takes with as little
Robert Schumann, Carnaval Op. 9
spot-editing as possible. The occasional extraneous sound from the room and the instrument and even a few fleeting inaccuracies
are less important to me than capturing the energy and flow of a live performance, and creating a recording that I feel faithfully “I am aware that my Carnaval is provocative; the heart of an artist is sometimes a strange thing, and the shrieking dissonances
reflects my own sound and musical personality. that life delivers are softened by reconciling art, which often clothes pleasures in long, dark veils, so that one maynot see them
openly”
www.danielgrimwood.eu Robert Schumann

Daniel Grimwood is best known as a world-leading exponent of 19th century virtuosic piano repertoire. Received with critical The son of a bookseller and publisher, from the onset Robert Schumann was at least as interested in literature as he was in music,
acclaim, Grimwood’s recordings and performances of the music of Adolph von Henselt ensure his international reputation as a so it is natural that literary influences and techniques pervade much of his music, particularly from his favourite writer, Jean Paul
groundbreaking, inspirational musician, marking him out as a unique voice amongst his generation of pianists. His recording of Friedrich Richter - he even said he learnt “more counterpoint from Jean Paul than from my music teacher."
Henselt's Complete Etudes garnered "instant classic status" by Gramophone Magazine, which also named it piano release of 2023.
Schumann was 24 when he wrote this collection of scenes from a masked ball. The separate sections are bundled together by 3
With an astonishing range of music within his repertoire, Daniel’s superlative level of pianism means that he is equally at home ‘sphinxes’ which appear in the middle and are directed by the composer to not be performed, but hold the answer to the riddle:
performing the music of J.S. Bach, as he is of Rubinstein or Liszt. In 2023 Daniel was invited to open the 34th Season of the highly spelling ‘ASCH’, the birthplace of Ernestine von Fricken, to whom Schumann was secretly engaged at the time of composition.
6 3
DACOCD 986 Booklet_DACOCD 901-902 17/12/24 08.05 Side 2

Robert Schumann (1810-1856) prestigious Husum Piano Festival in Germany, with a stunning concert of works including Field, Blumenfeld, Liszt, William

Carnaval, Op. 9 26:10 Sterndale Bennet, Henselt and his own transcription of Purcell's Chacony. A part of that concert can be found on Danacord
[ 1 ] I. Prélude, Préambule: Quasi maestoso 2:43 DACOCD 979. His discs of Liszt and Chopin, performed on an 1851 Erard piano, received a unanimous chorus of praise from the
[ 2 ] II. Pierrot: Moderato 1:55 press; the Liszt album was Daily Telegraph CD of the week and Editor’s Choice in Gramophone Magazine.
[ 3 ] III. Arlequin: Vivo 1:13
[ 4 ] IV. Valse noble: Un poco maestoso 2:07 Daniel has performed at many of the world’s leading concert halls, including the Wigmore Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham, the
[ 5 ] V. Eusebius: Adagio 1:26 Rachmaninoff Hall in Moscow, as well as venues in Germany, Austria, Italy, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Estonia, Taiwan, Azerbaijan,
[ 6 ] VI. Florestan: Passionato 1:03
Egypt, Lebanon, Oman and Australia. In demand for his thoughtful, innovative, and ingenious programming, Daniel enjoys a busy
[ 7 ] VII. Coquette: Vivo 1:42
solo and chamber music career, and alongside Joseph Wolfe and Jonathan Ayling is a founding member of the Tier3 Piano Trio and
[ 8 ] VIII. Réplique: L´istesso tempo - Sphinxes 0:48
the Paddock Wood Proms. Daniel's dynamic mastery of the piano is combined with a laser-like curiosity about composers, and
[ 9 ] IX. Papillions: Prestissimo 0:46
historical performance practice. A highly informative and entertaining speaker, Daniel has thrilled audiences with his
[10] X. ASCH-SCHA (Lettres dansantes): Presto 0:59
lecture/recital programmes.
[11] XI. Chiarina: Passionato 1:31
[12] XII. Chopin: Agitato 1:08
[13] XIII. Estrella: Con affetto 0:25 He is currently a Research Associate at the University of York, specialising in 19th Century Performance Practice. Daniel's
[14] XIV. Reconnaissance: Animato 1:47 award-winning Urtext edition of the Adolph von Henselt Etudes is published by Edition Peters and his book about the Etudes of
[15] XV. Pantalon et Colombine: Presto 0:56 Adolph von Henselt has been met with enthusiasm. Daniel regularly performs on live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, and has been
[16] XVI. Valse allemande: Molto vivace - XVII. Paganini (Intermezzo): Presto 2:22 featured in BBC Four’s TV documentary series “Revolution and Romance”. His musical interest started as a 3-year-old playing the
[17] XVIII. Aveu: Passionato 0:43 next-door neighbour's piano in Kent, and by the age of 7 he was performing in front of audiences. His training continued with
[18] XIX. Promenade: Comodo 2:27 Graham Fitch at the Purcell School, where he also studied violin, viola and composition, giving him a broad appreciation of classical
[19] XX. Pause: Vivo - XXI. Marche des Davidsbündler contre les Philistins: Non allegro 4:00
music, and later with Vladimir Ovchinnikov and Peter Feuchtwanger.
Away from the piano, Daniel is a keen distance runner, and member of Paddock Wood Athletic Club.
[20) Prélude - Arabesque, Op. 18 6:11

I would like to thank Aiden Delacey-Simms for his open-mindedness and expertise, University of York for use of the Sir Jack Lyons
Clara Wieck Schumann (1819-1896) Concert Hall and Erard piano, Camilla Köhnken who has been so generous with her research, and Emily Worthington for her
[21] Prélude - Soirées musicales Op. 6 No. 2 Notturno 4:58 intelligence and encouragement.
2 7
DACOCD 986 Booklet_DACOCD 901-902 17/12/24 08.05 Side 1

DACOCD 986

DANIEL GRIMWOOD

SCHUMANN CARNAVAL
LISZT SONATA

PIANO ERARD LONDON 1856

DACOCD 986 Inlaycards_inlaycards 17/12/24 07.57 Side 1

DACOCD 986
DIGITAL

DANIEL GRIMWOOD · SCHUMANN · LISZT · PIANO ERARD 1856

DANIEL GRIMWOOD · SCHUMANN · LISZT · PIANO ERARD 1856

Robert Schumann
[ 1 ] Carnaval Op. 9
DACOCD [20] Arabesque Op. 18
986
Clara Wieck-Schumann
Total playing time:
75:03
[21] Soirées musicales Op. 6,2

Recorded Franz Liszt

November 2 & 3, 2024
Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, [22] Sonata B minor
University of York, UK [25] Consolation No. 3
Producer, engineer and editor
Daniel Grimwood DANIEL GRIMWOOD
Mastering Michael Wight

London Erard 1856 tuned to

Bach Lehmann temperament by
Aidan Delacey-Simms

Photos Emily Brown

Executive Producer Jesper Buhl

DACOCD 986

www.danacord.com

DIGITAL
©2024
LC 07075