Robert Schumann, the composer, stated he could not write a concerto for virtuosos, instead aiming for something else characterized by poetic expression, intimacy, and fantasy.
Composer Biography
Schumann's struggle with mental illness may have enabled him to create vulnerable, emotionally loaded, and fantasy-rich music.
Compositional Technique
Schumann's Cello Concerto avoids technical display for its own sake, prioritizing poetic expression, intimacy, and fantasy, despite its technical difficulties.
Recording & Production
This recording was made during the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting logistical challenges, but the opportunity was greatly appreciated by cellist Ella van Poucke.
Composition History
Schumann composed his Cello Concerto in about two weeks in November 1850, soon after becoming municipal music director in Düsseldorf.
Performer Biography
Ella van Poucke, the cellist on this recording, plays a 1620 Maggini cello, kindly lent to her by an anonymous benefactor.
Compositional Technique
The Fantasiestücke, Op. 73, originally for clarinet and piano, were innovatively arranged by Schumann for alternative instruments like violin or cello.
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