Tamás Vásáry's reading of these Schumann favorites is not quite what one expects for the music in the sense that usually they are played with intensity and overwhelming or overindulgent passion.
Vásáry's is a more rational, but still expressive, open, and musical approach. The dancelike sections of Carnaval and Kinderszenen have good energy and momentum, with not too much pedal so that there is a clarity to them that contrasts nicely with the more thoughtful scenes. These, in turn, are slightly lush without being dreamy. His excellent technique means that the opening of the Fantasie can sound feathery but still have a cleanness to the notes that is distinctive. The nobility of the piece is present throughout; however, for those looking for the extremes of Schumann's personality,
Vásáry's performance may be too unassuming to satisfy them, in all of these works. The recording's sound is a little problematic, with an occasional unevenness between the channels and in the way the upper and lower registers of the piano were captured.