Nicolas van Poucke

The Schumann Collection, Vol. 1

The Schumann Collection, Vol. 1 is the first album in that series, and features Carnaval, Op. 9, Fantasiestücke, Op. 12, and as icing on the cake, Arabeske, Op. 18.

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About the album

Born in 1992 in Baarn, The Netherlands, into a family of professional musicians: his father is a trumpet player and his mother a violist. The piano, which he took up at age six, quickly became the faithful companion for expressing a love of music that, until today, thrives as much on opera, orchestra, and chamber music as on the piano repertoire. After an highly acclaimed recital in a sold-out Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Dutch music magazine De Nieuwe Muze dubbed Nicolas ‘the young freethinker among Dutch pianists’.

Nicolas has performed at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonie Berlin, Philharmonie Essen. In addition, other tours have taken him to Cuba (Havana Mozart Festival), Korea (Changwon and Tongyeong), Italy and France. He has performed with various orchestras in The Netherlands under conductors including Jurjen Hempel, Conrad van Alphen and Roberto Beltran-Zavala. In 2013 Nicolas released his debut album with works by Bach, Beethoven and Brahms which was favourably reviewed.

After two highly successful solo albums, pianist Nicolas van Poucke set to record a collection of his favorite works by Robert Schumann (1810-1856). The Schumann Collection, Vol. 1 is the first album in that series, and features Carnaval, Op. 9, Fantasiestücke, Op. 12, and as icing on the cake, Arabeske, Op. 18. Recorded on one of the most extraordinarily beautiful pianos, and recorded and mastered with newly developed techniques by TRPTK, this album is sure to envelop every listener into the fantasy-riddled world of Robert Schumann.

Tracklist click to play/pause

  • Robert Schumann

    Carnaval, Op. 9

    1. I. Préambule
      2:30 Play button Pause button 2:30
    2. II. Pierrot
      2:50 Play button Pause button 2:50
    3. III. Arlequin
      1:05 Play button Pause button 1:05
    4. IV. Valse noble
      2:18 Play button Pause button 2:18
    5. V. Eusebius
      1:39 Play button Pause button 1:39
    6. VI. Florestan
      0:57 Play button Pause button 0:57
    7. VII. Coquette
      2:02 Play button Pause button 2:02
    8. VIII. Réplique
      1:41 Play button Pause button 1:41
    9. IX. Papillons
      0:45 Play button Pause button 0:45
    10. X. Lettres dansantes
      1:02 Play button Pause button 1:02
    11. XI. Chiarina
      1:39 Play button Pause button 1:39
    12. XII. Chopin
      1:11 Play button Pause button 1:11
    13. XIII. Estrella
      0:35 Play button Pause button 0:35
    14. XIV. Reconnaissance
      1:54 Play button Pause button 1:54
    15. XV. Pantalon et Colombine
      0:58 Play button Pause button 0:58
    16. XVI. Valse allemande
      0:59 Play button Pause button 0:59
    17. XVII. Paganini
      1:28 Play button Pause button 1:28
    18. XVIII. Aveu
      1:13 Play button Pause button 1:13
    19. XIX. Promenade
      2:49 Play button Pause button 2:49
    20. XX. Pause
      0:18 Play button Pause button 0:18
    21. XXI. Marche des "Davidsbündler" contre les Philistins
      4:04 Play button Pause button 4:04
  • Robert Schumann

    Fantasiestücke, Op. 12

    1. I. Des Abends
      3:42 Play button Pause button 3:42
    2. II. Aufschwung
      3:45 Play button Pause button 3:45
    3. III. Warum?
      3:07 Play button Pause button 3:07
    4. IV. Grillen
      3:47 Play button Pause button 3:47
    5. V. In der Nacht
      4:26 Play button Pause button 4:26
    6. VI. Fabel
      3:10 Play button Pause button 3:10
    7. VII. Traumes Wirren
      2:31 Play button Pause button 2:31
    8. VIII. Ende vom Lied
      6:35 Play button Pause button 6:35
  • Robert Schumann

    Arabeske, Op. 18

    7:54 Play button Pause button 7:54

More information

Label TRPTK
Genre(s) Classical – Romantic (1830-1920)
Artist(s) Nicolas van Poucke
Composer(s) Schumann, Robert
Recording location(s) Westvestkerk, Schiedam (NL)
Recording date(s) June 2020
Cat. No.

TTK 0055

Release date

October 30th, 2020

Additional links

Download Booklet(PDF)

"Poetry captured in music which, as in 'Carnival', under the hands of Schumann but also of Van Poucke, acquires an unmistakable, cross-border charge. Intimate, comfortable domesticity that contrasts extremely sharply with the fantasies derived from the thoughtful Eusebius and turbulent Florestan."

Aart van der Wal, Opus Klassiek

"I'm recommending it for two reasons: 1) he really does have a unique voice, something different to share in this music and 2) this is the best sounding recording of Carnaval that you're going to find—it's worth adding to your library just for the superb sound quality."

Rushton Paul, Positive Feedback

"You can already sense in the opening bars the direction he wants to go: that of uncovering all possible facets and faces in Schumann's music."

Maartje Stokkers, De Volkskrant

"Judging from Volume 1, this is something to look forward to. There are not many pianists who are able to approach this musically and psychologically complex world with such obviousness. [...] Even more beautiful are the Fantasiestücke, which Van Poucke brings to life with a wonderfully deadened tone.... [...] In the concluding Arabesque, he displays bold rubati. The nearly eight minutes are over before you know it."

Erik Voermans, Trouw

"None of the Dynagroove nonsense or close miking in van Poucke’s TRPTK gem. What you’ll hear is a brilliant young performer playing a magnificent Carnaval and an equally prodigious Fantasiestücke (with the happy bonus of Arabeske, Op. 18) in a beautiful acoustic. And for vinylphiles, the pressing is flawless—the same for the album’s production values. Very highly recommended."

Anthony Kershaw, Audiophilia

"There are not many pianists who manage to approach this musically and psychologically complex world with so much naturalness."

Erik Voermans, Het Parool

"Judging from Volume 1, this is something to look forward to. There are not many pianists who are able to approach this musically and psychologically complex world with such obviousness. [...] Even more beautiful are the Fantasiestücke, which Van Poucke brings to life with a wonderfully deadened tone.... [...] In the concluding Arabesque, he displays bold rubati. The nearly eight minutes are over before you know it."

Bas van Putten, De Groene Amsterdammer (#2 in 20 Best Classical Albums 2020)

Further reading

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