Love? Homage to Clara Schumann

 
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JULIE von WEBENAU / THEODOR KIRCHNER / JONNES BRAHMS / CLARA SCHUMANN
Love? Homage to Clara Schumann
Yaara Tal (piano), with Andreas Groethuysen (piano) Julian Pregardien (tenor), Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks

[ Sony Classical / CD ]

Release Date: Friday 6 September 2019

Composer and piano virtuoso Clara Schumann played an influential role both on Robert Schumann and her musician friends such as Brahms and Kirchner. The compostitions on this album express deep feelings of love, affection and friendship.

September 13, 2019 is the 200th birthday of Clara Schumann (1819 - 1896), who was one of the most important musicians of the 19th century. In her honor, pianist Yaara Tal recorded works by Schumann with musician friends as well as pieces by Theodor Kirchner (1823-1903), Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) and Julie von Webenau (1813-1887).

The album opens with a world premiere recording, "L'Adieu et le Retour" op. 25 by composer Julie von Webenau, forgotten today.

The solo piano pieces also include the Trois Romances op. 11 by Clara Schumann, which were dedicated to her fiancé Robert Schumann. Deep feelings also resonate with the selected solo piano works by Theodor Kirchner. Kirchner had briefly been Robert Schumann's student at the Leipzig Conservatory and then piano partner of Clara Schumann.

Also included is Johannes Brahms' "Old Rhapsody" in a version for tenor, female choir and piano. Tal has recorded this version with tenor Julian Prégardien and the Bavarian Radio Choir under the direction of Yuval Weinberg.

In the course of her "Hommage à Clara Schumann", Yaara Tal can also be heard with her longtime piano duo partner Andreas Groethuysen, who jointly recorded the "Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann" for four-hand piano, which Brahms dedicated to Julie Schumann in 1861.

"The relationship between Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms has always been a topic that inspires imagination," says Yaara Tal. "This relationship was marked by deep mutual admiration and admiration, but less well-known are the feelings of love that Johannes Brahms had for Julie Schumann, the third child of Clara and Robert."

Tracks:

Julie von Webenau: L'Adieu et le Retour, Op. 25
Clara Schumann: Romances (3), Op. 11
Theodor Kirchner: Three Preludes
Brahms: Variations on a theme by Schumann for four hands, Op. 23
Brahms: Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53

Trois Romances, Op. 11: II. Andante