Piano Concertos by Schumann & Kuhlau by Felicja Blumental, Vienna Pro Music

Camille Saint-Saëns, Friedrich Kuhlau, Robert Schumann

Felicja Blumental, Vienna Pro Music

Piano Concertos by Schumann & Kuhlau

Price: € 11.95
Format: CD
Label: Brana Records
UPC: 0821158101629
Catnr: BR 0016
Release date: 01 December 2008
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Label
Brana Records

UPC
0821158101629

Catalogue number
BR 0016

Release date
01 December 2008

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

About the album

This album presents the beautifully restored recordings by pianist Felicja Blumental of Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, the rarely recorded Piano Concerto in C by Kuhlau as well as Saint-Saëns’ quirky ‘Wedding Cake’ for piano and orchestra.

Robert Schumann spent his early years composing for piano, an instrument he favoured throughout his career. He received music lessons from Friedrich Wieck and it wasn’t long before Schumann fell in love with Friedrich’s young daughter, Clara. Despite his teacher’s wishes to separate them, Schumann married Clara in 1840 and the love-struck composer was inspired to write songs, many of which with a romantic theme (Dichterliebe and Frauenliebe among others). In 1841, Schumann began composing a one-movement Fantasy for piano and orchestra. The unorthodox genre was not received favourably by publishers who turned it away suggesting the addition of a further two movements. Schumann didn’t take the advice immediately, but eventually revised the work to become his one and only Piano Concerto, Op. 54, completed in c. 1845.

While compiling this CD series of piano concertos recorded by Felicja Blumental, we discovered some charming shorter pieces, which we wanted to make available. One such piece is Saint-Saëns’ Wedding Cake (Op. 76). This lively, dance-like caprice valse was composed in 1886 as a wedding present for pianist, Caroline de Serres. In the same year, he completed Symphony No. 3 “The Organ,” which was dedicated to memory of his friend and composer Franz Liszt.

Sadly, Kuhlau only wrote two concertos, Concertino for 2 French horns (Op. 45) and Piano Concerto, Op. 7 performed here. The Danish composer, who unfortunately lost his eye in an accident at the age of 7, dedicated this work to his friend, the composer C.E.F. Weyse. Both composers represented the late classical and early romantic periods in their native country and Kuhlau also gained a wide reputation as a pianist in Scandinavia. Kuhlau’s Piano Concerto is one of his more significant works and it’s structure is similar to Beethoven’s early concertos, whom he met during his many travels.

Prachtige gerestaureerde opnames van Blumenthal
Dit album bevat een prachtig gerestaureerde opname van Robert Schumanns Pianoconcert in a klein, het zelden opgenomen Pianoconcert in C van Friedrich Kuhlau en Camille Saint-Saëns eigenaardige Wedding-Cake voor piano en orkest, uitgevoerd door Felicja Blumental.

In 1841 begon Schumann een eendelige Fantasie voor piano en orkest te componeren. Het onorthodoxe genre werd niet gunstig ontvangen door de uitgevers, die het afwezen en de toevoeging van twee extra delen voorstelden. Schumann volgde het advies niet onmiddellijk op, maar paste het werk uiteindelijk aan tot zijn enige Pianoconcert, opus 54, voltooid in circa 1845.

Kuhlau schreef jammer genoeg slechts twee concerten, het Concertino voor 2 Franse hoorns en het Pianoconcert opus 7 dat op het album wordt uitgevoerd. Het Pianoconcert is een van Kuhlaus belangrijkere werken en zijn structuur is vergelijkbaar met de vroege concerten van Beethoven, die hij tijdens zijn vele reizen ontmoette.

De samenstellers van deze albumreeks met opnames van pianoconcerten door Blumenthal ontdekten tijdens het proces enkele aantrekkelijke kortere werken, die ze beschikbaar wilden maken. Een van deze werken is Wedding Cake opus 76 van Saint-Saëns. Deze levendige en dansachtige Valse-Caprice werd in 1886 gecomponeerd als een huwelijksgeschenk voor pianist Caroline de Serres.

Artist(s)

Felicja Blumental (piano)

Vienna Pro Music

Composer(s)

Robert Schumann

Robert Schumann was a German composer and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He had been assured by his teacher Friedrich Wieck that he could become the finest pianist in Europe, but a hand injury ended this dream. Schumann then focused his musical energies on composing.
Schumann's published compositions were written exclusively for the piano until 1840; he later composed works for piano and orchestra; many Lieder (songs for voice and piano); four symphonies; an opera; and other orchestral, choral, and chamber works. Works such as Carnaval, Symphonic Studies, Kinderszenen, Kreisleriana, and the Fantasie in C are among his most famous. His writings about music appeared mostly in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Journal for Music), a Leipzig-based publication which he jointly founded.
In 1840, Schumann married Friedrich Wieck's daughter Clara, against the wishes of her father, following a long and acrimonious legal battle, which found in favour of Clara and Robert. Clara also composed music and had a considerable concert career as a pianist, the earnings from which, before her marriage, formed a substantial part of her father's fortune.
Schumann suffered from a mental disorder, first manifesting itself in 1833 as a severe melancholic depressive episode, which recurred several times alternating with phases of ‘exaltation’ and increasingly also delusional ideas of being poisoned or threatened with metallic items. After a suicide attempt in 1854, Schumann was admitted to a mental asylum, at his own request, in Endenich near Bonn. Diagnosed with "psychotic melancholia", Schumann died two years later in 1856 without having recovered from his mental illness.

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Friedrich Kuhlau

Camille Saint-Saëns

Camille Saint-Saëns was a French composer, conductor, pianist and organist. He was a musical prodigy, writing his first pieces of music at the age of four and making his concert debut at the age of ten. During this concert he astonished the audience by playing one of the 32 piano sonatas of Beethoven at its request. After his studying at the Conservatory of Paris he followed a career as a church organist at Saint-Merri and later La Madeleine in Paris. He was also a successful freelance composer and pianist in France and abroad.
Saint-Saëns initially helped to introduce German composers such as Robert Schumann and Richard Wagner in France. However, from 1870 onwards anti-German sentiments began to arise in France as a result of the Franco-Prussian War, which enhanced support for the idea of a pro-French musical society. In 1871 Saint-Saëns consequently founded the Société Nationale de Musique together with Romain Bussine, that was devoted to the promotion of French music and organised concerts on which young composers could perform their works.
Saint-Saëns was a keen traveler, and made 179 trips to 27 different countries during his life. He favoured Algeria and Egypt, were he gained inspiration for compositions such as the Suite Algérienne and the Fifth Piano Concerto, also known as The Egyptian.
Saint-Saëns' best-known works include the First Cello Concerto, Third Symphony, the opera Samson et Dalila, Danse Macabre and Le carnaval des animaux, a humorous suite in which various animals are musically portrayed. However, he never wanted the last work to be performed, since it was contrary to his image as a serious composer.

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