Ragna Schirmer - Madame Schumann (2019) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

One of the most exceptional female artists of the 19th century celebrates her 200th birthday in 2019. The acknowledged Clara Schumann expert Ragna Schirmer has devoted a special act of homage to her artistic predecessor, taking two original concert programmes selected from Clara's decades of concert performance and recording them to provide insight into the life and work of this very special woman.

In 1847, Clara and her husband Robert Schumann gave a matinee concert in the Berlin salon of Fanny Hensel. The programme featured two songs and the premiere performances of the piano quartet by Robert and the piano trio by Clara Schumann. 25 years later, on a tour of England, she played a solo piano recital (an unusual practice at that time) featuring all the works that meant most to her: her husband's "Scenes from Childhood" and works by Beethoven, Scarlatti, Chopin, Brahms and Mendelssohn, a programme that delighted her audience.

She was announced as "Madame Schumann". From over 1300 printed programmes, collected and preserved by the celebrated pianist over the course of her performing career, Ragna Schirmer opted for just these two. "The number of great works she studied and performed in the course of her life is quite amazing," says Ragna Schirmer. "Another thing that fascinated me was the form, sequence and planning of her concerts. She played alongside the most important musicians of her time and most of her concerts reveal themselves to be varied compilations of different music genres."

Ragna Schirmer has long been recognized for her intimate engagement with the life of Clara Schumann. In April 2019, she will receive the Robert Schumann Prize of the City of Zwickau. "I have all her diaries at home, I have all her letters at home, I have all the biographies ever written, her children’s reminiscences … I find it incredibly exciting to be involved with this life and I regard her as an essential role model."

Tracklist:

DISC 1
1 Piano Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 47: I. Sostenuto assai - Allegro ma non troppo 09:06
2 Piano Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 47: II. Scherzo. Molto vivace 03:41
3 Piano Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 47: III. Andante cantabile 07:00
4 Piano Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 47: IV. Finale. Vivace 07:57
5 "Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh" 01:27
6 Myrthen, Op. 25: No. 1, Widmung 02:11
7 Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17: I. Allegro moderato 10:29
8 Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17: II. Scherzo. Tempo di Menuetto 04:41
9 Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17: III. Andante - più animato 04:54
10 Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17: IV. Allegretto 08:11

DISC 2
1 Piano Sonata No. 21 "Waldstein": I. Allegro con brio 10:57
2 Piano Sonata No. 21 "Waldstein": II. Introduzione. Adagio molto 04:07
3 Piano Sonata No. 21 "Waldstein": III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato 09:17
4 Sonata in D Major, K. 430 "Tempo di Ballo" 02:37
5 Improvisation à la Clara Schumann I 00:34
6 Suite No. 7, HWV 432: IV. Sarabande 02:15
7 Suite No. 7, HWV 432: V. Gigue 01:31
8 Suite No. 7, HWV 432: VI. Passacaglia 03:16
9 Improvisation à la Clara Schumann II 01:08
10 Gavotte, Wq. 40 (Arr. Brahms) 04:22
11 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 1, "Von fremden Ländern und Menschen" 01:34
12 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 2, "Kuriose Geschichte" 01:06
13 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 3, "Hasche-Mann" 00:30
14 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 4, "Bittendes Kind" 00:49
15 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 5, "Glückes genug" 00:37
16 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 7, "Träumerei" 02:43
17 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 8, "Am Kamin" 00:56
18 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 9, "Ritter vom Steckenpferd" 00:40
19 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 10, "Fürchtenmachen" 01:43
20 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 11, "Kind im Einschlummern" 02:17
21 Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 13, "Der Dichter spricht" 02:35
22 Waltz in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2 03:20
23 Improvisation à la Clara Schumann III 00:31
24 Impromptu No. 1, Op. 29 03:59
25 Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14 06:53

Personnel:
Ragna Schirmer, piano