#236 The Smell of Tragedy

Eminent in its sadness, this is a high class tragedy. The one overflowing the body, paralyzing the muscles, stopping the breath. The air is getting thicker, darker. Suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, this is it.

Barenboim is bathing in the grief, building the vibes, concentrating the blood. The final bangs are astounding.

Composer: Robert Schumann
Work: Symphony No 3, IV. Feierlich
Recording: Staatskapelle Berlin, Daniel Barenboim

#207 The Smell of Tense

This song never ends but it's not a stream, it's not a spinning wheel. It's more elastic, tense, and strung. The smell is somehow honey-sweet and honey-fluid.

Hampson keeps the tense constantly, his voice is vehement and insistent.

Composer: Robert Schumann
Work: Diechterliebe, "Aus meinen Tränen sprießen"
Recording: Thomas Hampson, Geoffrey Parsons

#148 The Smell of Nobleness

A classy composition and a classy recording. Very noble and aristocratic. It somehow shifts from romanticism to decadence.

I don't understand Tortelier's Bach but his approach to Schumann totally suits me.

Composer: Robert Schumann
Work: Cello Concerto, III. Sehr lebhaft
Recording: Paul Tortelier, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati

#130 The Smell of Melancholy

What a magical beginning! Soft piano and microscopic violin sounds, trying to grow, to be bigger. But there's no joy in being bigger. In full blossom, the mood is pushing again and again the same melancholy button.

Argerich and Kremer are masters. You can hardly believe it's just music. There has to be more: true magic.

Composer: Robert Schumann
Work: Violin Sonata No 2, III. Leise, einfach
Recording: Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer

#107 The Smell of Oppression

There's a great strength pushing from the very first moment. These confirmatory chords at 0'11'', the prance at 0'20'', the shift at 0'26'', the punches starting from 0'34''. The hidden stress afterwards, leading to Allegro molto vivace at 2'10''. Here's dreadful oppression, tension of forces. Listen how it comes back at 7'25''.

Gardiner is an apostle of such strains. His reading of the symphony allows it to grow within you, for you to reach, to understand your limits. Spring walk with me.

Composer: Robert Schumann
Work: Symphony No 1, I. Andante un poco maestoso
Recording: Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardiner

#61 The Smell of Deliberation

Years ago, I skipped slow movements in symphonies. There was not enough thrill in them for me. Today I'm maybe thrilled in different ways. I'm fascinated with the simplicity of expressive means, with orchestration, with inner intensity.

But perhaps the greatest beauty of this C Major symphony is contained in the third movement, in Adagio of such a lyrical intensity that it stands alone among the slow movements of its time, said young Bernstein about the movement. In this 1953 recording, there's no fear of misunderstanding. Pure music.

Composer: Robert Schumann
Work: Symphony No 2, III. Adagio espressivo
Recording: New York Stadium Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein

#48 The Smell of Montreux

Some smells are very personal, and this is one of them. It's from summer 1999 when I heard Manfred for the first time. John Eliot Gardiner was à la tête and the Swiss city of Montreux shined till late night.

Szell's account is not so ferocious but goes in big romantic waves and has wonderful old school sound of fifties.

Composer: Robert Schumann
Work: Manfred Overture
Recording: The Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell

#33 The Smell of Reproach

The list of things that you should've done. One by one, each of them is claimed loud and clear. Apologies are futile, The Voice is prosecuting.

Szell keeps the monotony of the charges, tempo is "lebhaft" (lively) but also kind of slow, heavy. In the apology parts, listen how the melody goes up: It's not cheerful at all. The music inevitably knows its destiny.

Composer: Robert Schumann
Work: Symphony No 4, III. Scherzo: Lebhaft
Recording: The Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell

#27 The Smell of Longing

First smell is the smell of Tom and Jerry. One goes after the other–pure fun, imitation, frivolity. But then... these are deep undertows. Ambition to be perfect. A younger sibling trying to match, to face up.

The performance is thrilling and intrusive. No wrong sounds, everything in place. It's delivering something complete. Nothing can or should be added.

Composer: Robert Schumann
Work: Sonata No 1 for piano and violin, III. Lebhaft
Recording: Andreas Staier, Daniel Sepec