The Schumann Project

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, op. 97 (Rhenish), 5th movement: Lebhaft (Lively)

Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen

Conductor: Paavo Jaervi

MP3 recorded by West German Radio, Cologne (WDR), on September 10, 2010 in the Beethoven Hall, Bonn

The opening of the Beethovenfest 2010 included a piece close to home. Robert Schumann's Third Symphony is popularly known as the "Rhenish," a reference to the Rhineland, home to the Beethovenfest.

As Orchestra in Residence, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen commemorates the bicentenary of Schumann's birth in three concerts that feature the composer's symphonies and overtures as part of its Schumann project. This endeavor comes on the heels of the orchestra's highly acclaimed 2009 Beethoven cycle.

In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Jaervi asserted that there is an often-overlooked side to Schumann. His "emotional, dramatic gestures…communicate to you with such directness and sincerity," he said. In this rendition by the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, the orchestra sustains the emotional suspense throughout.

According to Jaervi, the goal of this year's project is much the same as last year’s: "It is amazing how close you can get to a composer if you really make an incredibly concentrated program of his works, follow the same principles and see how they work in other symphonies, in overtures, and so on. It gradually becomes a language that you identify with, not just intellectually, but it becomes part of your genes."

Author: Elaine Yeung

Editor: Rick Fulker