There are more impressive versions of some of these symphonies–Bernstein in No. 3, Slatkin in No. 10–but these performances maintain a very high standard throughout. To be frank, I’m not a big fan of the works after No. 5: the music’s lack of distinctive ideas allied to a formulaic approach to orchestral sound (strings, then winds, then brass and percussion in predictable layers) starts to turn gray after a while. The non-symphonic works, especially Judith, New England Tryptych, and Night Journey, strike me as more inventive and more deserving of attention. Still, Gerard Schwarz, his orchestra, and Naxos deserve a great deal of credit for lavishing such care on these pieces, and for making a strong case for Schuman’s claim to be regarded as a major voice in 20th-century American music. Only time will tell. [8/11/2010]
