Rarities for Clara
The pianist Kathrin Schmidlin has collected pieces that were dedicated to Clara Schumann. This brings to light composers who are hardly known anymore.
Clara Schumann rightly enjoys the reputation of an outstanding musician of the 19th century. Her fame outshone even that of her husband Robert. As a virtuoso, composer and teacher, she shaped an entire era. Her not overly large compositional oeuvre has been increasingly performed in recent years. Zurich Opera House is currently staging an entire ballet evening based on the life of this exceptional artist. Around thirty composers dedicated piano works to her, although she only included very few of them in her repertoire.
The Swiss pianist Kathrin Schmidlin continues with her double CD released by Claves Dedicated to Clara Schumann for works by ten composers and one female composer, most of whom have never been heard in the concert hall. She was advised in her choice of works by Walter Labhart. Schmidlin studied in Zurich, Nuremberg and Basel with Karl-Andreas Kolly, Wolfgang Manz and Tobias Schabenberger. Her previous CDs have been dedicated to works by female composers and have received very positive reviews.
From Bargiel to Smetana
This recording offers an extraordinarily interesting cross-section of piano music from the Romantic era. Among the composers are Alexander Dreyschock and Stephen Heller, famous piano virtuosos, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Vinzenz Lachner, respected conductors, Woldemar Bargiel, Clara Schumann's stepbrother, and Johann Peter Emilius Hartmann, important university teachers, and Eduard Bernsdorf, one of the most important music writers.
A great familiarity with the piano can be heard in all her works. Of course, the same applies to Johannes Brahms, who wrote a work that has also been arranged for various instrumentations by numerous other composers. Gavotte by Christoph Willibald Gluck, and for Robert Schumann, whose so-called Ghost variations, written shortly before his death, are a very peculiar piece that does not necessarily reveal itself on first hearing. Elisabeth von Herzogenberg's Allegro appassionato was dedicated to Clara Schumann by her husband after her death. Bedřich Smetana's 4 sketches prove that his piano music has been unjustly forgotten. In addition, the pieces by Bargiel and Bernsdorf, the latter as a premiere recording, are particularly worth listening to.
Kathrin Schmidlin plays with passion and great technical skill. The virtuoso pieces are particularly inspiring. Unfortunately, the piano sound is very direct, as if recorded from too close, even pedal noises can be heard. In addition to its artistic quality, this committed recording can also be recommended for its repertoire value.
Dedicated to Clara Schumann. Works by Bargiel, Lachner, Dreyschock, Heller, R. Schumann, E. von Herzogenberg, Brahms, Hartmann, Mendelssohn, Bernsdorf, Smetana. Kathrin Schmidlin, piano. Claves Records 3122/23
