This piece originates from Robert Schumann's 'Album für die Jugend' - a collection of 43 short works that were composed for his three daughters. The opus 68 'Album für die Jugend' is, unlike 'Kinderszenen', meant to be played by children, although the collection is divided in two parts - and the second is marked 'Für Erwachsenere', from no. 19, 'Kleine Romanze', onwards. 

'Wilder Reiter', or - as it is more commonly referred to, 'The Wild Horseman', is the eight piece of the collection. It is a short and easy, albeit wonderful piece due to its evocative, enthralling composition. It is essentially a lesson in staccato phrasing (one can really imagine the horseman trotting about), and teaches the pianist how to lead the cantabile with both hands, while accompanying with the other. The first section, where the melody is led by the right hand, is repeated. What follows is an intermezzo, if you will, where the left hand leads the melody - an inverse variation on the first section. The piece concludes with a third repetition of the first section. 

I am fascinated by the images that the piece conjures. Is the horseman clad in medieval armour, riding past you in a jousting roundabout? In measures 5 through 8 I deliberately retained some intensity in favour of conveying how the horseman has galloped past the listener (who is of course, stationary), and is making another pass. The second section, measures 9 through 16, seem to indicate the 'wild' in the horseman. Is he perhaps struggling to contain the horse, who has run amok? But then the first section is repeated, and the controlled, frivolous atmosphere reassures and consoles the listener. 

illustration: Géricault - 'Head of White Horse', ca. 1810, Musée du Louvre, Paris

R. Schumann - Wilder Reiter (The Wild Horseman) op. 68 no. 8 in A minor

Bruckner Symphony No.8 in C minor
ブルックナー　交響曲第８番ハ短調
Hans Knappertsbusch
ハンス・クナッパーツブッシュ
Münchner Philharmoniker
ミュンヘン・フィルハーモニー管弦楽団
1963 Live recording
1963年ライブ音源
Monoral
モノラル

Pre-performance 00:35

I. Allegro moderato 15:19

II. Scherzo. Allegro moderato; Trio. Langsam 30:04

III. Adagio. Feierlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend 56:01

IV. Finale. Feierlich, nicht schnell 1:21:29

Applause 1:22:52

Bruckner Symphony No.8 in C minor / Hans Knappertsbusch / Münchner Philharmoniker

lego house (beautiful piano)

Truth - Arknights アークナイツ 明日方舟 S3 焔燼曙明/RISE FROM EMBER - Ending Theme - Piano Cover

Tchaikovsky

Serenade For Strings in G Major - Valse

Sergei Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in A minor, Op.43

The Seasons, Op. 37a - October, Autumn Song, composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Brian Crain   Dream Of Dreams

The pizzicato part from Act III of the famous ballet ‘Sylvia’ by Leo Delibes.

Pizzicato - from the ballet 'Sylvia'

Delibes - Sylvia - Pizzicato

IZZO

This is my second recording taken from Mr Stephan Beneking's rich archive of wonderful pieces.
Having been already recorded by much better pianists than me  I  tried to differentiate a little introducing some little dissonance and a closed "finale" which probably is not in Stephan's intentions. But as he already said me once  "the interpreter  is not the slave of the compeser". So I did it;  forgive me Stephan if  you should not like it :)

Brian Crain Dream Of Dreams

lisa_stempfel

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