IDAGIO | Schumann: Kreisleriana - Brahms: Two Rhapsodies, Seven Fantasies 196006548148

Featuring

Elena Fischer-Dieskau
Johannes Brahms
Robert Schumann

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Composition History

Brahms composed his Two Rhapsodies, Op. 79, during a period of productivity following the successful premiere of his Symphony No. 1, also when he grew his famous beard.

Performer Biography

Elena Fischer-Dieskau, a German-French pianist, was called 'a great revelation' by pianist Nelson Freire after her performance of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 in Rio de Janeiro.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Robert Schumann found a kindred spirit in E.T.A. Hoffmann's character Kreisler, an 'eccentric, wild, inspired Kapellmeister' who defied conventional taste and was devoted to Bach and Beethoven.

Composer Biography

Johannes Brahms took Kreisler, a character from E.T.A. Hoffmann's stories, as his own alter ego, partly as a tribute to his mentor Robert Schumann.

Recording & Production

This album was recorded in The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, on September 15-16, 2020, with Paul Baxter as producer and engineer.

Instruments

The piano used for this recording is a Steinway model D, from 2015, serial number 599478.

Composition History

Schumann composed Kreisleriana in a matter of days and initially dedicated it to Frédéric Chopin, but privately intended it for Clara Wieck, his beloved.