Carolyn Sampson, the soprano on this album, has an extensive discography and has received accolades including the Gramophone Awards recital award in 2015 and a Diapason d'Or.
Performer Biography
Joseph Middleton, the pianist on this album, specializes in chamber music and song repertoire and was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society's Young Artist of the Year Award in 2017.
Composer Biography
Clara Schumann, an internationally famous pianist, worried about Robert's expectation that she would be a housewife, especially given his fragile mental health.
Album & Artwork
The album title, "Album für die Frau" (Album for the Woman), is a play on Robert Schumann's "Album für die Jugend" (Album for the Young).
Interpretation
Clara Schumann rarely performed Frauenliebe und -leben complete, likely due to the conflicting portrayal of womanhood in the work.
Composition History
Robert Schumann set eight of Adalbert von Chamisso's poems for Frauenliebe und -leben in 1840, during a period when he was deeply in love with Clara Wieck, who would become his wife.
Interpretation
Clara Schumann, a champion of her husband's works, would select and combine individual numbers from different collections in her concerts to make his music more appealing and varied for audiences across Europe.
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