Jozef de Beenhouwer offers Clara Schumann and listening audiences a special gift on the occasion of the two hundredth anniversary of her birth: an album including numerous recording premieres from this famous pianist's extensive transcription oeuvre. He not only honors her compositional talent but also spotlights works with which she very deliberately and intensively occupied herself - and in the process very attractively nuances our picture of the musical Schumann family. The focus is formed by selected songs by Robert Schumann. Thirty transcriptions in all were published during Clara's lifetime, and eleven others were discovered and edited only a few years ago. de Beenhouwer's choices drawing on both sources impressively demonstrate how skillfully Clara integrated the voice part into Robert's piano parts, which often are quite complicated. Clara also transferred Robert's Studies and Sketches for the Pedal Piano to the piano. The pieces are for hands with an enormous span and flexibility- and attest to her outstanding pianistic capabilities. Johannes Brahms of course also has something to contribute to this meritorious program: the minuet from the Serenade in D major and the scherzo from the- almost unplayable- arrangement of the Serenade in A major shed light on Clara's intimate artistic friendship with this younger composer.
3 Singet nicht in Trauertönen (Philinens Lied) Op. 98a, Nr. 7
4 Four Studies for the Pedal Pianoforte Op. 56, Nr. 2, 4, 5, 6~I. Mit innigem Ausdruck
5 Four Studies for the Pedal Pianoforte Op. 56, Nr. 2, 4, 5, 6~II. Innig
6 Four Studies for the Pedal Pianoforte Op. 56, Nr. 2, 4, 5, 6~III. Nicht zu schnell
7 Four Studies for the Pedal Pianoforte Op. 56, Nr. 2, 4, 5, 6~IV. Adagio
8 Sehnsucht nach der Waldgegend Op. 35, Nr. 5
9 Märzveilchen Op. 40, Nr. 1
10 Geständnis Op. 74, Nr. 7
11 Lied der Braut I Op. 25, Nr. 11
12 Genoveva Op. 81~Ouvertüre
13 Three Sketches for the Pedal Pianoforte Op. 58, Nr. 1, 3, 4 für Klavier~I. Nicht schnell und sehr markiert
14 Three Sketches for the Pedal Pianoforte Op. 58, Nr. 1, 3, 4 für Klavier~II. Lebhaft
15 Three Sketches for the Pedal Pianoforte Op. 58, Nr. 1, 3, 4 für Klavier~III. Allegretto
16 Dein Angesicht Op. 127, Nr. 2
17 Loreley Op. 53, Nr. 2
18 Mondnacht Op. 39, Nr. 5
19 Schöne Wiege meiner Leiden
20 Three Diversions für Klavier zu 4 Händen Op. 17, Nr. 2~Andante cantabile
21 Serenade D-Dur Op. 11~Menuetto I/II G-Dur
22 Serenade A-Dur Op. 16~Scherzo: Vivace C-Dur
23 Albumblatt über "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"
Jozef de Beenhouwer offers Clara Schumann and listening audiences a special gift on the occasion of the two hundredth anniversary of her birth: an album including numerous recording premieres from this famous pianist's extensive transcription oeuvre. He not only honors her compositional talent but also spotlights works with which she very deliberately and intensively occupied herself - and in the process very attractively nuances our picture of the musical Schumann family. The focus is formed by selected songs by Robert Schumann. Thirty transcriptions in all were published during Clara's lifetime, and eleven others were discovered and edited only a few years ago. de Beenhouwer's choices drawing on both sources impressively demonstrate how skillfully Clara integrated the voice part into Robert's piano parts, which often are quite complicated. Clara also transferred Robert's Studies and Sketches for the Pedal Piano to the piano. The pieces are for hands with an enormous span and flexibility- and attest to her outstanding pianistic capabilities. Johannes Brahms of course also has something to contribute to this meritorious program: the minuet from the Serenade in D major and the scherzo from the- almost unplayable- arrangement of the Serenade in A major shed light on Clara's intimate artistic friendship with this younger composer.
