Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 (Fantasy Pieces)

Romanticism in music has in Robert Schumann one of its highest exponents, and the composer’s poetic introspection reaches its apex in his chamber output, as exemplified by the pieces contained in the present CD: the Sonata in A minor, wonderfully blending classical balance with romantic passion; the more ambitious and complex Sonata in D minor; and the famous Phantasiestücke Op. 73, great examples of expressive concisiveness. Performing these masterpieces of the chamber repertoire are the violinist Fabrizio Von Arx and the pianist Bruno Canino, who have successfully collaborated for several years.

„It is my belief that good works will survive the widest variety of arrangements. This is particularly noticeable in the case of Johann Sebastian Bach´s music, which can endure even the most aberrant instrumentation and will not suffer, of course, from accompainment by Robert Schumann, either. After all, the ancient practice of transcription was a favorite of Bach himself.

For this reason, I have no scruple when it comes to playing these arrangements, especially since they are in Schumann´s case authorized. To the contrary, I find that different instruments can often highlight the statement of a work more clearly than those originally intended. In this case, I am thinking in particular of Schubert´s Arpeggione–Sonata.

Aside from a few examples, this instrument did not survive and there is no known work composed for it. The reasons for its lack of success are evident: although it was sweet and lovely, it had a weak and inflexible tone and was tuned similar to a viola da gamba, which was hardly played or taught any more, and provided with frets which, while facilitating difficult passages, practically precluded a personal intonation, it was unable to compete against the more potent violin family.

Carol Rosenberger and David Shifrin pay tribute to Brahms and Schumann by recreating Clara Schumann's musical soirée of 1894, when Brahms and the virtuoso clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld performed the two Clarinet Sonatas Op. 120, and Clara Schumann and Mühlfeld played the Fantasiestücke.