Ann Schein – Lecture-Recital

Ann Schein, Pianist
Steinway Hall
New York City

Program
Chopin: Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61
Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6
Liszt: Venezia e Napoli III – Tarantella

The New York based Associated Music Teachers League continues to attract a very interesting audience, as well as top-flight performers to its events.

Among the audience members at Saturday evening’s program was Ruth Slenczynska who, despite her youthful appearance, probably has one of the longest continuous careers among pianists now active. i asked what she was doing these days, and she told me that her recording of the last several dozen solo works of Brahms would soon be out. I congratulated her, and asked “Are these reissues?”

“Oh no!” she exclaimed! “They’re new!!”

While it was great to hear how productive Ms. Slenczynska is, this evening belonged to another American pianist, Ann Schein, whose name I had heard for many years, but whose playing I had never experienced. And so I learned what I had been missing!

Ms. Schein, who studied with Mieczyslaw Munz, Arthur Rubinstein and Dame Myra Hess has had a long and distinguished career as a performer. She also served on the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory for 20 years, and she has been an artist-faculty member of the Aspen Music Festival and School since 1984.

It was apparent from the first few phrases of the Chopin Polonaise-Fantasie what a thoughtful and genuine artist she is. The precise polonaise rhythms, the coloristic opportunities and the unfolding drama of the work were all wonderfully done.

There is no vanity in her playing. Others may sometimes play louder or faster, though she has plenty of strength and technique. But, as with her teacher, Dame Myra, everything is done in the service of the music, never to show off.

The Schumann work, one of his most difficult to play, is also hard to bring off convincingly. For me, the recording of the Swiss pianist, Adrian Aeschbacher, has always been the standard. On this occasion, I heard a totally different, but also completely compelling account of this work. As in the Chopin, there was always depth and meaning in everything she did, never just notes for the sake of notes. Particularly effective was Ms. Schein’s idea of moving with only the shortest pauses between movements so that one was more than usual aware of Schumann’s fascinating contrasts of key.

Also impressive was Ms. Schein’s easy ability to finish playing a difficult work, and then stand up and start talking about the next one without pause. Her readings emphasized, among other things, the importance of the women in the lives of these composers. I learned, on this occasion, that Chopin wrote the Polonaise-Fantasie at the Nohant home of Georges Sand, and that Schumann wrote the Davidsbündlertänze just after Clara had agreed to marry him. Ms. Schein also read an amusing description by Countess d’Agoult of her first meeting with Liszt.

The Tarantella from Venezia e Napoli was great fun, and ended with a terrifically strong and exciting climax, after which Ms. Schein graciously thanked the enthusiastic audience for coming, and expressed her support for music teachers, and the important work they do.

Post by Donald Isler