In his new GENUIN album, pianist Viktor Soos presents a musical dialogue between three individuals bound together by love, friendship, and artistic mastery. The prizewinner of the 2021 International Robert Schumann Competition performs works by Clara and Robert Schumann, as well as Johannes Brahms - three of the most renowned musicians of the Romantic era. These are key works from their respective oeuvres that move us today just as they did two centuries ago. In his historically grounded interpretation, Soos places particular focus on the hidden dedications found throughout the pieces on this album.
Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8, 1810, Zwickau - July 29, 1856, Bonn) was one of the most significant composers of the 19th century and a pioneering music critic. His works represent some of the purest expressions of Romanticism in music. The son of a bookseller, Schumann was deeply influenced in his youth by German Romantic literature, particularly the writings of Jean Paul and E.T.A. Hoffmann.
Violist Marc Sabbah and pianist Eliane Reyes explore the beauty of the viola and piano repertoire together and have recorded their first album together, "Appassionalto". The theme is "The Romantic Era of the Viola". They recorded works by Robert Schumann, Manuel de Falla, Henri Vieuxtemps, and Frank Bridge. Eliane Reyes, born in Vervier, Belgium, is currently professor of piano at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels and at the famous Paris Conservatory. Her concerts have taken her to stages in Europe, Latin America and Asia. Her unique tone, technical ease and lively musicality have enabled her to collaborate with some of the most renowned artists and writers of our time. With numerous recordings, awards and the French Medal of Honour for Culture, Eliane Reyes is one of the most exciting pianists of her generation. Marc Sabbah, born in New York City, USA, has been soloist of the Belgian National Orchestra since 2012 and professor of viola at the Royal Conservatory of Mons, Belgium since 2017. Winner of numerous 1st prizes, he has performed on stages such as Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Paris Philharmonie and many others. As a soloist and chamber musician, Marc performs on stages throughout Europe, gives master classes and organizes a chamber music festival in a historic Belgian castle. His musical elegance and mastery of the viola leave the listener amazed and at ease at the same time.
Masks under the Mask is an album of some of the greatest piano works by Robert Schumann. The pianist, Ham Can, comments: In this album, I have included six sets of character pieces, ranging from his early "Papillons, Op. 2," inspired by the idea of a masked ball, to one of his later, more chromatic works, "Drei Fantasiestucke.
For his tenth solo recording for Alpha Classics and Outhere Music, Nelson Goerner returns to a composer he particularly cherishes: Schumann, here with the Davidsbündler, his imaginary music society created to combat the Philistines, musicians considered decorative and traditionalist (such as Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti). Robert began the Davidsbündlertänze a few days after 14 August 1837, the date of his engagement to Clara. Between idyllic dreams and impassioned protests, Goerner is able to develop his full sense of narrative... In addition, he puts his sensitivity to work on Handel's 21 variations on the Chaconne in G major, published in 1735 under the title 'Suite No. 2'. Viennese sweetness and virtuoso intoxication conclude this recital with the Arabesques on 'The Blue Danube' by Johann Strauss Jr., written by the Polish composer Adolf Schulz-Evler (1852/4-1905).
An internationally renowned oboist, Victor Aviat was a soloist with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, the Orchestra Mozart under Claudio Abbado, and Ivan Fischer's Budapest Festival Orchestra for 20 years. He also studied piano, composition, and conducting. His first work as a composer was performed by the Orchestre National de France under the baton of Emmanuel Krivine (his stepfather) in 2019. Victor Aviat died on 1 May 2025 in Berlin following a sudden illness. This double album pays tribute to this multi-talented artist. Victor was also a painter and author of poems, which he set to music and performed himself. This portrait presents a double programme, with pieces for oboe and piano by Robert Schumann (recorded in 2024 with pianist Kim Barbier) and his 17 songs... The booklet accompanying this double album includes an illustration for each song as well as some of his paintings and a text he wrote 'to young musicians'. Like his self-portrait, with his face half submerged in darkness, Victor Aviat's songs offer us glimpses of his inner life and feelings through allusions and clues. To keep alive the memory of Victor Aviat, both as an artist and as a man.
Schumann & Strauss: Matters of the Heart - A Journey through a Woman´s Love & Life / Brady, Delaney
Prospero Classical
CD
$21.99Apr 01, 2022
Singer Sarah Brady on the genesis of the album: "We grasped the idea of an album entitled "Matters of the Heart" in the spring of 2020, at the time of the first lockdown during the Covid 19 pandemic. Stephen made the suggestion to put together a concert program for future performances. Women's Love and Life had been on my mind earlier, as I had wanted to work on this cycle since college. So it was soon clear that we both wanted to rehearse these Schumann songs. But what should we add? Stephen initially thought of a combination of several composers in the sense of a crossover album - including songs by the Beatles, for example! We came up with several program ideas and ultimately thought songs by Richard Strauss were best suited to expand on the emotional themes of the Schumann songs."
Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner & Schumann: Mannerliebe und Lebe
Gramola Records
CD
$24.99Oct 04, 2024
Following the successful album "Nicht Wiedersehen!", the internationally acclaimed bassist Gunther Groissbock and one of the most distinguished pianists in his field, Malcolm Martineau, are now dedicating their new program to the subject of love; under the title "Mannerliebe und Leben" (A Man's Love and Life), they explore love from a man's point of view - based on Schumann's well-known cycle "Frauenliebe und -leben" (A Woman's Love and Life). Beginning with what is probably the first known song cycle in music history, "An die ferne Geliebte" by Ludwig van Beethoven, the well-rehearsed duo then present Schumann's "Dichterliebe". Three songs by Anton Bruckner ("I'm April", "Herbstkummer" and "Mein Herz und deine Stimme") are preceded by further selected songs by Johannes Brahms, including "Wie bist du, meine Konigin", "Unbewegte laue Luft", "Die Mainacht" and "Nicht mehr zu dir zu gehen".
Leonard Bernstein conducted regularly in Munich from the 1980s onwards. It was then that he learned to appreciate and love the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in particular. In October 1976, Bernstein appeared with an all-Beethoven programme, and in 1983 he began a series of annual concerts with the orchestra. In November of that year, he rehearsed Robert Schumann's Second Symphony and his own Divertimento (1980), which were performed in the Herkulessaal of the Munich Residenz. This BR-KLASSIK CD presents the live recording of that concert event. Bernstein commendably championed Robert Schumann's Second Symphony - a work from 1845 that was repeatedly perceived as still immature and in need of improvement, and which Schumann himself confessed to having written in poor health. The critic Joachim Kaiser picked up on both facts in his concert review for the Suddeutsche Zeitung: "So what did Bernstein do differently to silence this scholarly talk, at least for all those who were lucky enough to listen to his Schumann? (...) Bernstein believed not only in Schumann's melodies - not difficult in itself - but also, and fervently, in the work's great symphonic developmental arcs. And because he was able to inspire the musicians of the superbly organised Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in such a natural, free and yet highly differentiated way, the power of Schumann emerged!" Bernstein's Divertimento, composed in 1980 for the 100th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, consists of eight miniatures developed from the semitone B-C. It begins with a fanfare and progresses through a waltz, a mazurka, a samba and a blues to a Radetzky-like march. The music is jazz-like, full of happy syncopation, unusual time signatures and dance-like verve. Bernstein also draws on memories of his first concerts - popular programmes that he attended as a child with his father in Boston's Symphony Hall.
Florian Uhlig‘s recent recording of French Piano Concertos created a sensation. Though originally conceived as a respite from his ongoing project to record the first, truly complete edition of the piano works of Robert Schumann, Mr. Uhlig’s excursion into late 19th and 20th century French repertoire demonstrated his knack for the brilliant, urbane sound-world of the great French composers. He continues his explorations in this new recording of the piano works of Maurice Ravel.
Farrenc & R. Schumann: 3rd Symphonies / Ward, Philzuid
Fuga Libera
CD
$20.99Apr 26, 2024
Philzuid's sixth album includes works by Louise Farrenc and Robert Schumann. This brave and welcome attempt to rewrite or at least re-evaluate music history features live recordings of Louise Farrenc's Third Symphony and Robert Schumann's Third (Rhenish) Symphony under chief conductor Duncan Ward. Female composers in the 19th century were not expected to pursue a career, let alone compete with the great symphonists of the period; Schumann, however, had all eyes and ears on him whenever he premiered a new work or took up a new position.
Introducing the latest recording with Luisa Imorde and the Bremer Philharmoniker, featuring two great romantic Piano Concertos from Clara Schumann and Carl Maria von Weber. Following the success of her previous albums dedicated to Beethoven/Wölfl, Bach/Kapustin, and Couperin/Messiaen, the pianist now presents her latest recording that explores the romantic repertoire with orchestra. This album features two Piano Concertos that beautifully capture the essence of the romantic era, complemented by solo piano pieces by Robert and Clara Schumann and C.M. von Weber. Weber's departure from the classical to the romantic era and Schumann's legacy as a female composer bear witness to the mastery of both in Luisa Imorde's outstanding interpretation.
With Myrthen, baritone Christian Gerhaher, winner of the 2019 Male Singer of the Year from Opus Klassik, embarks on the second chapter of his once-in-a-lifetime project: the complete recording of Robert Schumann’s lieder output.
Since Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau’s epoch-making recording of the 1970s, no singer has devoted himself more thoroughly to the lied output of Robert Schumann than Christian Gerhaher. Lauded as the greatest lied singer of our time, he launched his complete cycle of Schumann’s lieder with the album Frage, for which he was named Opus Klassik’s 2019 Male Singer of the Year. The complete recording is the fulfilment of a long-cherished dream and, he emphasises, “probably the most important project of my life”. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung spoke of “consummate vocal artistry. Gerhaher has opened a new door in lied interpretation”. The Guardian named it one of the year’s best new classical releases.
As always, Gerhaher is accompanied by the equally brilliant pianist Gerold Huber. Most of the lieder he will sing himself, but for the other parts, duets and ensembles he has invited singers from his intimate circle of friends who number among the best in their vocal category, including Camilla Tilling, Julia Kleiter, Sibylla Rubens, Wiebke Lehmkuhl and Martin Mitterrutzner.
The complete project will encompass ten CDs, to be issued in a boxed set in 2020. Gerhaher himself is in charge of the project’s conception. Besides Sony Classical, with which he has held an exclusive contract since the onset of his career, he has managed to gain two of his longstanding partners as co-producers in this lavish undertaking: Bavarian Radio and the Heidelberg Spring Festival’s International Song Centre, whose goal is to make artists, concert organisers and audiences alive to the relevance of art song today. Both partners will lend media support to the project.
In the second instalment Gerhaher, Hubert and the Swedish soprano Camilla Tilling will devote themselves to the song cycle Myrthen (Myrtles). It was composed in 1840, Schumann’s “year of song”, when most of his works for voice and piano originated. Conceived as a wedding present for his fiancée Clara Wieck (2019 marks the bicentennial of her birth), Myrthen contains settings of words by nine different poets. As Gerhaher stresses in his notes for the recording, the poems are tightly interrelated in their contents. The sequence Schumann selected creates “not just a picture-book”, Gerhaher writes, “but an anticipatory narrative of the path longed for and awaited by two lovers”, producing “one of the loveliest presents ever bestowed by a loving heart upon another”.
It was in this spirit that Schumann handed Myrthen to Clara on 12 September 1840 in a specially produced luxury edition. Since then it has numbered among the great song cycles in music history.
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REVIEWS:
Tilling’s bright, flexible sound is a perfect foil for Gerhaher’s honeyed warmth. Highlights dotted through the disc include Gerhaher’s performance of Byron’s Aus den Hebräischen Gesängen, with its chromatic, almost Schoenbergian piano introduction. Overall, the disc certainly maintains the standard set by the first one.
– Guardian (UK)
Christian Gerhaher is a deeply impressive singer, as fine as any baritone around in this repertoire. He is expertly accompanied as ever by Gerold Huber, and there is clear well-balanced sound, a very interesting booklet note on the cycle by Gerhaher himself, and full texts and translations.
– MusicWeb International
Written during the late stages of a courtship fraught by opposition from Clara’s father, these 26 songs exalt in the transcendent power of love, and are voiced with exquisite tenderness by German baritone Christian Gerhaher and his partners.
Dutch violinist Niek Baar joins the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie under the direction of Christoph Poppen to perform two classic violin concertos from the mid-19th century: Robert Schumann's Violin Concerto in D minor and Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor. Both of these violin concertos were written for the legendary Joseph Joachim, who had a hand in shaping the final form of both pieces, although ultimately his changes to the Schumann were rejected by the composer. The highly original, introverted and melancholic concerto is a moving self-portrait of the 43-year-old Schumann a few years before his death, and Bruch's No. 1 is one of the most beloved concertos of the entire repertoire.
Taneyev & Schumann: Piano Quintets / Donohoe, Sacconi Quartet
Signum Classics
CD
$10.49$20.99Save 50%May 03, 2024
The two towering masterpieces of the piano quintet genre on this disc were written seventy years and a thousand miles apart, but for all this, they are closely related – Marina Frolova Walker.
Signum artists Peter Donohoe and the Sacconi Quartet join forces to bring piano quintets by Sergey Taneyev and Robert Schumann in their latest album. Their performances of Taneyev’s spectacular Piano Quintet in early 2020 were received with universal acclaim. This resulting album recording felt inevitable, coupling the Taneyev with Schumann’s earlier quintet, itself of such significance to Sergey Taneyev.
Schumann: Arabesque, Kreisleriana, Carnaval / Klara Min
Haenssler Classic
CD
$10.49$20.99Save 50%May 15, 2020
“Schumann soaked into my life not too fast. It might have been the over intertwining of inner voices…it might have been the broad spectrum of his emotions that needed time to mature and grow within myself….. I did not fall in love with him at first sight as I did with Chopin. Processing his music at times felt heavy. It was like a map in which I had to discover the evolvement of my own searching. The inner struggles, the layers of his wandering spirit embedded in his music either subtle or obvious way (with his own marking) brought me deeper into the cave of my own inner world. To understand him and to ultimately empathize with him required integrity and effort. Nevertheless, contrary to this weight, the duality of Florestan and Eusebius and many between them lift off the certain seriousness in my approach to his music. His music evokes the lightness of the existence. Perhaps the distance which enabled him to observe the alter egos within himself is the humor to his music. I learned to love him in time more than any other composers, most firmly, closely and freely to my heart.“ (Klara Min)
Schumann Collection – Works for Strings, Winds and Piano (Li
B Records
CD
$29.99Nov 28, 2025
Schubert's influence, the spirit of fantasy, and pictures from fairy tales are the common themes in this fifth volume of the Schumann Collection. For this great journey across the Schumannian realm, which starts off with one of his early works, the expansive Quartet for Piano and Strings WoO 32, and concludes with the twilight miniatures of Marchenerzahlungen (Fairytale Narrations), brothers Pierre and Theo Fouchenneret are still at the head of a fine team of chamber musicians bringing together long-time collaborators and great talents of the young generation.
Bruno Maderna's Requiem was long considered lost and was indeed only premiered in the Teatro la Fenice in Venice in November 2009 - about 36 years after his death. In 1943, Maderna was called up for military service and fought as a partisan against Italy's erstwhile allies, the Germans. He was taken prisoner by the SS, who interrogated him in Dachau and released him shortly afterwards. 'At that moment, it was the only possibility to write a requiem and then to die', Maderna said later. The Requiem suggests an intensive study of the models in the genre, e.g. those by Giuseppe Verdi and Hector Berlioz. At the same time, as a 'War Requiem' the work is a pacifist manifesto.
