Robert Schumann

Robert Schumann

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2008

Robert And Clara: The Legend In The Making

20081208

Donald Macleod focuses on the beginning of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck's relationship, beginning with a young Robert in Leipzig, following his mother's wishes for him to study law. A musical house party in 1828, at which he meets Friedrich Wieck and his little virtuoso daughter Clara, sees Robert instead pursuing his dream 'to devote myself entirely to music'.

Widmung (Myrten, Op 25)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone)

Jorg Demus (piano)

DG 474 466-2, CD 2 - Tr 23

Schumann: Polonaise No 6 in E (1828)

Anthony Goldstone, Caroline Clemmow (pianos)

Olympia OCD 676 - Tr 12

Schumann: ABEGG variations, Op 1

Imogen Cooper (piano)

Ottavo OTR C39027 - Tr 1

Schumann: Papillons, Op 2

Murray Perahia (piano)

SX4K 63380, CD 1 - Trs 6-18

Impromptus on a Theme of Clara Wieck

Charles Rosen (piano)

GLOBE GLO 5001 - Tr 1.

Donald Macleod traces the start of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck's relationship.

2008

The Battle For Clara

20081209

Donald Macleod explores Schumann's tortuous battle for Clara's hand in marriage. Her father Friedrich Wieck was determined to keep his daughter in his clutches at all costs, and legal battles, lengthy separations and slanderous attacks ensued before, undeterred, Robert and Clara were finally married in 1840 with the blessing of the court.

Musically, this was a fruitful period for Schumann. Donald is joined by pianist Lucy Parham to discuss his epic Fantasy for piano - described by the composer as 'the most passionate thing I have ever written'.

Lebhaft (Davidsbundlertanze)

Andras Schiff (piano)

Teldec 4509-99176-2 - Tr 2

Die Lowenbraut, Op 31 No 1

Anne Sofie Von Otter (mezzo-soprano)

Bengt Forsberg (piano)

DG 445 881-2 - Tr 11

Fantasy, Op 17

Martha Argerich (piano)

EMI CDM 7635762 - Trs 1-3

Susser Freund, du blickest; An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust; Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmertz getan (Frauenliebe und -leben, Op 42)

Barbara Bonney (soprano)

Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

Decca 452 898-2 - Trs 15-17.

2008

The Marriage Diaries

20081210

After Robert and Clara Schumann settled into married life in Leipzig, they immediately started a marriage diary. Donald and pianist Lucy Parham flick through some of the pages, which reveal that their marriage was not the 'poetry and flowers' that Robert had predicted, as both artists strived to maintain their musical careers.

Du Ring an meinem Finger (Frauenleiebe und -leben, Op 42)

Juliane Banse (soprano)

Graham Johnson (piano)

Hyperion CDJ33103 - Tr 9

From the album Beloved Clara (Lucy Parham)

Piano Concerto in A minor (excerpt)

Reading from marriage diary of Robert and Clara Schumann, 13 September 1840

Lucy Parham (piano)

BBC Concert Orchestra

Barry Wordsworth (conductor)

Joanna David, Martin Jarvis (narration)

ASV DCA 1185 - Trs 1, 2

Symphony No 1 in B flat, Op 38 (Spring)

Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique

John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)

Archiv 457 591-2, CD 1 - Trs 3-6

Piano Quintet, Op 44 (Finale)

Maria Joao Pires (piano)

Augustin Dumay, Renaud Capucon (violins)

Gerard Causse (viola)

Jiang Wang (cello)

DG 463 1792 - Tr 7

Schumann: 12 Poems (Liebesfruhling)

Clara Schumann: Warum willst du andre fragen?

Schumann: So wahr die Sonne scheinet

Stella Doufexis (mezzo-soprano)

Oliver Widmer (baritone)

Hyperion CDJ 33104 - Trs 22, 23.

Donald Macleod and pianist Lucy Parham open Robert and Clara Schumann's marriage diaries.

2008

The Dresden Years

20081211

Amidst growing concerns for Robert's mental health, the Schumanns made the move in 1845 to Dresden, where he took to the podium as conductor of an amateur choir and, with Clara's assistance, led several performances of his own works. But his strange leadership did not always go down well with the choristers.

If musical life seemed dull, all that was about to change with the Dresden uprisings in 1849, after which Robert fled the city, leaving his pregnant wife Clara to brave the battleground and rescue their children to safety.

Six Fugues on the Name of BACH (No 2)

Olivier Latry (organ)

SK 57490 - Tr 12

Nachtlied, Op 108

Monteverdi Choir

Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique

John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)

Archiv 457 660-2, CD 1 - Tr 2

Piano Trio No 2 in F

Florestan Trio

Hyperion CDA 67063 - Trs 5-8

Cathedral Scene (Scenes from Goethe's Faust)

Mephistopholes - Jan-Hendrik Rootering (bass)

Gretchen - Karita Mattila (soprano)

Tolz Boys' Choir

Swedish Radio Choir

Eric Ericson Chamber Choir

Berlin Philharmonic

Claudio Abbado (conductor)

S2K 66308, CD 1 - Tr 4.

Donald Macleod explores the Schumanns' move to Dresden in 1845 to start a new life.

2008

05 LAST

The Dusseldorf Years

20081212

In the company of pianist Lucy Parham, Donald discovers how Clara coped with her husband's decline, and how Brahms became a vital friend during Schumann's years at the asylum in Endenich. Including music reflecting Schumann's mental illness and a vintage recording of his violin concerto, which Clara and Brahms tried to ban from being published.

Traumerei

Lucy Parham (piano)

CD RSB 202 - Tr 7

Hostias; Sanctus (Requiem, Op 148)

Helen Donath (soprano)

Dusseldorf Musikverein Chorus

Dusseldorf Symphony Orchestra

Bernhard Klee (conductor)

EMI CDC 7491642 - Trs 7, 8

5 Gesange der Fruhe for piano, Op 133

Maurizio Pollini (piano)

DG 471 370-1 - Trs 10-14

Violin Concerto in D minor

Yehudi Menuhin (violin)

Philharmonic Symphony of New York

John Barbirolli (conductor)

Naxos 8.110966 - Trs 1-3

Zum Schluss

Ian Partridge (tenor)

Julius Drake (piano)

Chandos CHAN 9307 - Tr 26.

Donald Macleod explores how Clara Schumann coped with her husband's decline.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2008	01	Robert And Clara: The Legend In The Making	20081208	Donald Macleod focuses on the beginning of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck's relationship, beginning with a young Robert in Leipzig, following his mother's wishes for him to study law. A musical house party in 1828, at which he meets Friedrich Wieck and his little virtuoso daughter Clara, sees Robert instead pursuing his dream 'to devote myself entirely to music'. Widmung (Myrten, Op 25) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) Jorg Demus (piano) DG 474 466-2, CD 2 - Tr 23 Schumann: Polonaise No 6 in E (1828) Anthony Goldstone, Caroline Clemmow (pianos) Olympia OCD 676 - Tr 12 Schumann: ABEGG variations, Op 1 Imogen Cooper (piano) Ottavo OTR C39027 - Tr 1 Schumann: Papillons, Op 2 Murray Perahia (piano) SX4K 63380, CD 1 - Trs 6-18 Impromptus on a Theme of Clara Wieck Charles Rosen (piano) GLOBE GLO 5001 - Tr 1. Donald Macleod traces the start of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck's relationship.
2008	02	The Battle For Clara	20081209	Donald Macleod explores Schumann's tortuous battle for Clara's hand in marriage. Her father Friedrich Wieck was determined to keep his daughter in his clutches at all costs, and legal battles, lengthy separations and slanderous attacks ensued before, undeterred, Robert and Clara were finally married in 1840 with the blessing of the court. Musically, this was a fruitful period for Schumann. Donald is joined by pianist Lucy Parham to discuss his epic Fantasy for piano - described by the composer as 'the most passionate thing I have ever written'. Lebhaft (Davidsbundlertanze) Andras Schiff (piano) Teldec 4509-99176-2 - Tr 2 Die Lowenbraut, Op 31 No 1 Anne Sofie Von Otter (mezzo-soprano) Bengt Forsberg (piano) DG 445 881-2 - Tr 11 Fantasy, Op 17 Martha Argerich (piano) EMI CDM 7635762 - Trs 1-3 Susser Freund, du blickest; An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust; Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmertz getan (Frauenliebe und -leben, Op 42) Barbara Bonney (soprano) Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano) Decca 452 898-2 - Trs 15-17.
2008	03	The Marriage Diaries	20081210	After Robert and Clara Schumann settled into married life in Leipzig, they immediately started a marriage diary. Donald and pianist Lucy Parham flick through some of the pages, which reveal that their marriage was not the 'poetry and flowers' that Robert had predicted, as both artists strived to maintain their musical careers. Du Ring an meinem Finger (Frauenleiebe und -leben, Op 42) Juliane Banse (soprano) Graham Johnson (piano) Hyperion CDJ33103 - Tr 9 From the album Beloved Clara (Lucy Parham) Piano Concerto in A minor (excerpt) Reading from marriage diary of Robert and Clara Schumann, 13 September 1840 Lucy Parham (piano) BBC Concert Orchestra Barry Wordsworth (conductor) Joanna David, Martin Jarvis (narration) ASV DCA 1185 - Trs 1, 2 Symphony No 1 in B flat, Op 38 (Spring) Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique John Eliot Gardiner (conductor) Archiv 457 591-2, CD 1 - Trs 3-6 Piano Quintet, Op 44 (Finale) Maria Joao Pires (piano) Augustin Dumay, Renaud Capucon (violins) Gerard Causse (viola) Jiang Wang (cello) DG 463 1792 - Tr 7 Schumann: 12 Poems (Liebesfruhling) Clara Schumann: Warum willst du andre fragen? Schumann: So wahr die Sonne scheinet Stella Doufexis (mezzo-soprano) Oliver Widmer (baritone) Hyperion CDJ 33104 - Trs 22, 23. Donald Macleod and pianist Lucy Parham open Robert and Clara Schumann's marriage diaries.
2008	04	The Dresden Years	20081211	Amidst growing concerns for Robert's mental health, the Schumanns made the move in 1845 to Dresden, where he took to the podium as conductor of an amateur choir and, with Clara's assistance, led several performances of his own works. But his strange leadership did not always go down well with the choristers. If musical life seemed dull, all that was about to change with the Dresden uprisings in 1849, after which Robert fled the city, leaving his pregnant wife Clara to brave the battleground and rescue their children to safety. Six Fugues on the Name of BACH (No 2) Olivier Latry (organ) SK 57490 - Tr 12 Nachtlied, Op 108 Monteverdi Choir Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique John Eliot Gardiner (conductor) Archiv 457 660-2, CD 1 - Tr 2 Piano Trio No 2 in F Florestan Trio Hyperion CDA 67063 - Trs 5-8 Cathedral Scene (Scenes from Goethe's Faust) Mephistopholes - Jan-Hendrik Rootering (bass) Gretchen - Karita Mattila (soprano) Tolz Boys' Choir Swedish Radio Choir Eric Ericson Chamber Choir Berlin Philharmonic Claudio Abbado (conductor) S2K 66308, CD 1 - Tr 4. Donald Macleod explores the Schumanns' move to Dresden in 1845 to start a new life.
2008	05 LAST	The Dusseldorf Years	20081212	In the company of pianist Lucy Parham, Donald discovers how Clara coped with her husband's decline, and how Brahms became a vital friend during Schumann's years at the asylum in Endenich. Including music reflecting Schumann's mental illness and a vintage recording of his violin concerto, which Clara and Brahms tried to ban from being published. Traumerei Lucy Parham (piano) CD RSB 202 - Tr 7 Hostias; Sanctus (Requiem, Op 148) Helen Donath (soprano) Dusseldorf Musikverein Chorus Dusseldorf Symphony Orchestra Bernhard Klee (conductor) EMI CDC 7491642 - Trs 7, 8 5 Gesange der Fruhe for piano, Op 133 Maurizio Pollini (piano) DG 471 370-1 - Trs 10-14 Violin Concerto in D minor Yehudi Menuhin (violin) Philharmonic Symphony of New York John Barbirolli (conductor) Naxos 8.110966 - Trs 1-3 Zum Schluss Ian Partridge (tenor) Julius Drake (piano) Chandos CHAN 9307 - Tr 26. Donald Macleod explores how Clara Schumann coped with her husband's decline.