Schumann, Clara And Robert
Liebesfruhling
The heart of this CD is Liebesfruhling, a sizeable series of love poems by Friedrich Rueckert. When Clara had offered Robert her first three songs, set to poems by Heinrich Heine, as a Christmas present, Robert conceived the plan to compose a volume of songs together with Clara. But the plan was changed in January 1841. He himself composed six songs and three duets on Rueckert texts, and Clara took his example and surprised him on his birthday in June with four songs. Their shared opus was published in the same year as Zwolf Gedichte aus Fr. Rueckerts Liebesfruhling fuer Gesang und Pianoforte von Robert und Clara Schumann. In addition, this CD features duets and songs by Robert Schumann and Clara Schumanns superb Sechs Lieder, Opus 13. Soprano Liesbeth Devos and tenor Peter Gijsbertsen are both enjoying international careers. Jozef De Beenhouwer is an acclaimed accompanist. In 1993 he was awarded the prestigious Robert Schumann Prize of the city of Zwickau. He is renowned as one of the finest interpreters of the piano works of Schumann and Brahms.