Schumann's prolific 'Year of Song' in 1840 was partly driven by his legal battle to marry Clara Wieck, a piano prodigy and daughter of his former teacher, whose father fiercely opposed their union.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Schumann's songs elevate the role of the 'tone poet' by infusing them with symbolic meaning, often featuring a singer engaged in a 'self-reflective monologue' expressing a dynamic of longing (Sehnsucht).
Compositional Technique
Schumann's Lieder often feature elaborate and eloquent piano preludes, interludes, and postludes, which serve as wordless reflections or commentary, allowing 'The Poet' to express what words cannot.
Composition History
Schumann composed his Liederkreis op. 24, a setting of nine poems by Heinrich Heine, with his beloved Clara Wieck in mind, stating, "without a bride like you one can make no such music."
Performer Biography
Matthias Goerne, a German baritone, is a versatile and internationally sought-after vocalist who has performed at major opera houses worldwide and collaborated with leading orchestras and conductors.
Performer Biography
Leif Ove Andsnes, a Norwegian pianist, is highly acclaimed, with The New York Times calling him "a pianist of magisterial elegance, power, and insight."
Composer Biography
In 1840, Robert Schumann, then aged thirty, composed around 150 Lieder, including the two cycles on this album, during an intensely productive period known as his 'Year of Song'.
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