The album features variations by Arielle Beck on a theme by Robert Schumann, a theme that also inspired variations by Brahms and Clara Schumann, highlighting their shared musical exchanges.
Composition History
Brahms's Klavierstücke Op. 76, often considered the beginning of his late creative period, includes a Capriccio in F sharp minor that he composed in 1871 and gave to Clara Schumann as a birthday present.
Composition History
Schumann composed his Humoresque in just eight days, during a period of great musical fervor in 1839.
Album & Artwork
The album title, "Moons and Flames," symbolizes the antithesis and complementarity of melancholic introspection (moon) and vital energy (flames), a contrast frequently found in Schumann's work.
Recording & Production
The album was recorded using a Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert piano, a hand-crafted instrument from Japan known for its remarkable touch and nuanced timbre.
Performer Biography
Arielle Beck, born in 2009, recorded this album at the age of 15, making it her debut album.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Schumann's aesthetic concept of "Humor" (Humour) is central to this album, referring to the constant correlation of emotions where tragedy and carelessness, shadow and light coexist.
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