Liberati, Lucrezia
C. Wieck-schumann, A. Von Henselt: Crossing Roads
This Da Vinci Classics album comprises three works by three Romantic composers, united by a series of reciprocal allusions. Two of them are dedicated to the composer of the third, Adolph Henselt. Clara Wieck, the future Mrs Schumann, wrote her Variations on a cavatina from Bellinis "The Pirate" while in her late teens; this set of extremely virtuoso variations were intended as a possibility for her to display her compositional ingenuity, her technical prowess, her transcendent and transcendental virtuosity, but also her intensity of touch. Theodor Doehler composed his Nocturne, from "Three Russian Melodies", after an aria by Russian musician Glinka. His homage to one of the first great Russian composers begins deceivingly quietly, but later develops into another virtuosic tour de force. In Russia, the dedicatee of the two preceding pieces lived for years, actually establishing and founding the legendary Russian piano school. Henselts Etudes op. 5, collected in a set of twelve, have fascinating titles which evoke numerous topoi typical for the Romantic spirit - the supernatural, the fantastic, the mystical. And these suggestions are embodied in textures of utter brilliancy and virtuosity.