Adrien Boisseau, one of the viola players on this album, joined the world-famous Quatuor Ebène in January 2015.
Performer Biography
Gaspard Dehaene, the pianist on this album, received special mention for his interpretation of Pierre Boulez's 'Une page d'éphéméride', a work he created and developed with the composer himself.
Composition History
Schumann's 'Fantasiestücke' (Fantasy Pieces), Op. 73, originally for clarinet and piano, were also published with the option for violin or cello, a concession to the publisher to boost sales.
Composition History
Schumann's 'Märchenerzählungen' (Fairytale Stories), Op. 132, for clarinet, viola, and piano, was inspired by a performance of Mozart's 'Kegelstatt-Trio' that his wife, Clara Wieck, played with Johann Kochner (clarinet) and Wilhelm Joseph von Wasielewski (viola).
Composition History
Robert Schumann's 'Märchenbilder' (Fairy Tale Pictures), Op. 113, was his first solo chamber music composition for the viola, an instrument often overshadowed by the violin at the time.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Schumann, the son of a bookseller, always connected literary arts with musical arts, incorporating forms like 'Novelettes', 'Album Leaves', 'Arabesques', 'Ballades', 'Romances', and 'Fairytales' into his musical poetry.
Composer's Artistic Vision
For Robert Schumann, fairytales held an internal truth, reflecting human feelings and thoughts behind their fantastical elements, which he aimed to convey through his musical poetry.
