Schumann's sudden urge to write many songs in 1840, his 'Liederjahr', was due to his overwhelming love for his future wife, Clara.
Composer Biography
Robert Schumann, the composer, spent the 1830s writing 'Romantic' piano pieces that are still popular today.
Compositional Technique
Schumann freed the voice and piano accompaniment from dependence on each other, allowing the piano an additional voice that intensifies emotion.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The song cycle 'Myrthen' (The First Green) was conceived by Schumann as a wedding gift for Clara, exploring the complexity of love between man and woman.
Composition History
In his 'Liederjahr' of 1840, Schumann wrote about 140 songs, including all the song cycles for which he is famous.
Performer Biography
Charlotte de Rothschild, the soprano on this album, was the first foreigner to record classical Japanese songs in the native tongue, promoting their beauty worldwide.
Compositional Technique
For his 'love' cycle, Schumann included eight poems by Robert Burns, the Scottish poet, in German translation, creating music with German lied and folk song gestures.
