Schumann ① Winter's Season 1 op.68-38 ② Sailor's Song op.68-37 ③ Carnaval op.9 ④ Winter's Season 2 op.68-39 * ①②④ are from "Album for the Young" Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano) Recorded: January 1975 The main "Carnaval" is one of Schumann's most brilliant and visually appealing piano collections. Michelangeli, a perfectionist, had a limited repertoire, but he often performed this Carnaval in concerts. When you say "Carnaval," you think of Michelangeli, and it was selected as number one in the 2017 publication "500 Masterpieces." The sequence of placing three pieces from the relatively understated "Album for the Young" before and after Carnaval is also a nice touch. One of Michelangeli's few official recordings at the age of 55. With his impeccable technique and transparent, beautiful tone, he plays with a relatively slow tempo, savoring each note carefully. It is clear what he intends to express with each rapidly changing theme, and each tempo is perfectly maintained, resulting in a very easy-to-understand interpretation, leaving a feeling of exhilaration after listening. Michelangeli's famous "Carnaval" is the 1957 DG recording, which was a monaural recording that was later converted to pseudo-stereo. The artificial acoustics may feel slightly uncomfortable to modern ears, but it is highly regarded for its superior technique compared to later performances. This performance, 18 years later, may have slightly less technical brilliance, but it is a stable stereo recording, and this disc may be more suitable for repeated listening. Those who love "Michelangeli's Carnaval" should have both discs in their collection. Michelangeli's new recording emphasizes richness over sharpness. The instantaneous, boiling sharpness that can be heard in the DG recording is less present here, replaced by a rounded, ample richness. Even though he plays each note carefully, the resulting music is quite different. The expression is slightly more nuanced in the new recording, and the changes are somewhat larger. The sound quality seems lighter in this recording. The recording itself is also different, with the new recording being softer. Japanese pressing, no obi Slight surface scratches on the disc, but no playback issues. * Bulk purchase discounts available (please comment in advance) 150 yen off for each additional item.