Composer: Robert Schumann, Jörg Widmann
Performer: Jörg Widmann, Tabea Zimmermann, Dénes Várjon
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Myrios
Catalogue: MYR020
Release: 2017
Size: 3.25 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Schumann: Märchenerzählungen for Clarinet, Viola & Piano, Op. 132
01. No. 1, Lebhaft, nicht zu schnell
02. No. 2, Lebhaft und sehr markiert
03. No. 3, Ruhiges Tempo, mit zartem Ausdruck
04. No. 4, Lebhaft, sehr markiert
Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
05. No. 1, Zart und mit Ausdruck
06. No. 2, Lebhaft, leicht
07. No. 3, Rasch und mit Feuer
Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
08. No. 1, Nicht schnell
09. No. 2, Lebhaft
10. No. 3, Rasch
11. No. 4, Langsam, mit melancholischem Ausdruck
Widmann: Es war einmal…
12. No. 1, Es war einmal…
13. No. 2, Fata Morgana
14. No. 3, Die Eishöhle
15. No. 4, Von Mädchen und Prinzen
16. No. 5, Und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind
Once Upon a Time… – Like many other composers of the Romantic era, Robert Schumann found inspiration in the power of fantasy. This program includes his depictions of classic fairy tales in Märchenbilder, the Fantasy Pieces Op. 73, and Märchenerzählungen, as well as a contemporary take on the subject by Jörg Widmann, included in this album as a world premiere recording. The clarinetist and composer is joined by Tabea Zimmermann and Dénes Várjon.
Tabea Zimmermann, Jörg Widmann and Dénes Várjon have known each other for a long time. Since their debut as a trio ensemble in May 2011 at Vienna‘s Konzerthaus, they enjoy playing together on a regular basis. Being highly sought-after soloists who play with the world‘s most reknowned orchestras and conductors, all three share a passion for chamber music, whether as a permanent trio or with other musical partners.
An unusual and yet particularly clever juxtaposition can be found on this album, which consists in mirroring Schumann’s 1853 Märchenerzählungen (Tales, implicitly for children) for viola, clarinet and piano – as well as, still in the realm of fairy tales, Fantasiestücke (Fantasy Pieces) for clarinet and piano and then Märchenbilder (Fairy Tale Pictures) for viola and piano – and Jörg Widmann’s Es war einmal… Fünf Stücke im Märchenton (Once Upon a Time – Five Pieces in a Fairy Tale Tone). While being a contemporary, even a modernist artist, Widmann was indeed largely inspired by Schumann’s Märchenerzählungen, his work sprinkling with reminiscences, allusions and barely disguised quotes, superimposed to today’s language – so much that, at some point, one could be led to believe both tracks were playing at the same time, Schumann’s and Widmann’s! Ever since the first great creators, the art of “recycling”, reusing and rewriting is one of the main driving forces behind artistic creation; in fact Widmann is only following this proven model. Tabea Zimmermann on viola, Dénes Várjon on piano and on clarinet, no other than the composer himself: Widmann of course, not Schumann who, as everyone knows, doesn’t play the clarinet.