Arch-Romantic Robert Schumann’s (1810-1856) first two-dozen or so opuses feature some of the finest solo piano compositions of the era. Included among these are the works on this two-disc set of WWII-era recordings by the great yet controversial Franco-German pianist Walter Gieseking (1895-1956). +Most noted for his sublime pedal technique and contrapuntal clarity, his performances of Debussy, Ravel and the modernists were often revelatory and are still considered benchmark interpretations.