Robert was, at first, not a great song enthusiast, writing as late as 1839 that he thought song a second rate art form compared to instrumental music.
Then, in 1840, the year of his marriage, having previously composed exclusively for piano, he wrote – during that year alone – somewhere in the region of 140 settings of poetry for voice and piano. Whatever the reason for this volte-face (his quixotic personality? the transformative effect of his marriage to Clara?) these songs number amongst them some of his finest compositions.
Robert Schumann:
Dichterliebe
1. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai 0:00
2. Aus meinen Tränen sprießen 1:30
3. Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne 2:25
4. Wenn ich in deine Augen seh 3:02
5. Ich will meine Seele tauchen 4:32
6. Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome 5:28
7. Ich grolle nicht 7:17
8. Und wüßten’s die Blumen, die kleinen 8:34
9. Das ist ein Flöten und Geigen 9:57
10. Hör’ ich das Liedchen klingen 11:32
11. Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen 13:30
12. Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen 14:32
13. Ich hab’ im Traum geweinet 17:21
14. Allnächtlich im Traume 19:56
15. Aus alten Märchen winkt es 21:30
16. Die alten, bösen Lieder 24:13
If you want to compare the above with the 1957 Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Jörg Demus performance click this link.
Translations available here
Clara Schumann:
Piano Trio in g
As wedding anniversary presents go, this trio must rank amongst the best. Presented by the twenty-seven year old Clara Schumann to her husband on their sixth year together, it’s confirms her stature as Romantic (and romantic) composer:
00:15 – 11:12 Allegro moderato
11:20 – 16:25 Scherzo – Tempo di Menuetto
16:30 – 21:25 Andante – più animato
21:30 – 29:40 Allegretto
Here, as promised last week, is a performance of Robert’s First Symphony:
00:00 Andante maestoso – Allegro molto vivace
12:39 Larghetto
19:31 Scherzo. Molto vivace
25:11 Allegro animato e grazioso
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The Art of Listening 