GEORG SCHUMANN (1866-1952): Piano Quartet in F Minor, Op. 29, Cello Sonata in E Minor, Op. 19.

Description: When two of his piano trios came out three years ago (12N050) we said, "These are gorgeous works and you'll want to play them again right away; he wrote a cello sonata, two violin sonatas, two piano quintets and a piano quartet too. Will we get to hear any of them?" Well, the answer is yes! With this new release Georg Schumann passes Heinrich von Herzogenberg in the "sounds like Brahms" sweepstakes. These works from 1898 and 1901 are full of memorable melodies and motifs and just as full of youthful fire and passion - no late-Brahms autumnality here. These plants have plenty of sap running through their veins. The four-movement, 37-minute piano quartet in addition has an almost symphonic sweep that is going to require listening to it straight through, yes, again, right away. Munich Piano Trio, Dietrich Cramer (viola).