SCHUMANN

Violin Sonatas

 

Sonata No. 1 in A minor, op. 105

1. l Mit leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck 8.03 *

2. ll Allegretto 3.54

3. lll Lebhaft 5.37

 

Sonata No. 3 in A minor, WoO 2

4. l Ziemlich langsam – [Lebhaft] 7.15

5. lI Intermezzo. Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell 3.14

6. lll Lebhaft 3.13

7. IV Finale. Markiertes, ziemlich lebhaftes Tempo 6.31 *

 

Sonata No. 2 in D minor, op. 121

8. I Ziemlich langsam - Lebhaft 13.42

9. II Sehr lebhaft 4.06 *

10. III Leise, einfach 6.31

11. IV Bewegt 9.31

 

Total time: 72:02

Recommended listening *

 

Carolin Widmann: violin, Dénes Várjon: piano

 

ECM’s last all-Schumann disc was the Zehetmair Quartet’s Gramophone ‘Record of the Year’

 

Music/Artist Background:  The German-Hungarian duo of two hugely accomplished young musicians gives its ECM debut with a gripping rendering of Schumann’s three violin sonatas. Written in the difficult last years of the composer’s life, these demanding works mirror his existential conflicts in a fascinating way. While the first two sonatas are quite frequently heard in concert, the third was held back by Clara Schumann after her husband’s death and only published in a reliable edition a few years ago. These vivid interpretations, recorded in the great acoustics of Lugano radio studio are marked by an immense array of tonal hues and extraordinary ensemble qualities. Widmann: “This is music where the performers have to develop an enormous amount of imagination, since in Schumann the black dots on white paper never convey the full content of the music. Every note is different and every bar needs a new inflexion. You can do justice to this expressiveness only if you go to the limits and challenge routine wherever you can.”

Munich-born Carolin Widmann won several international prizes before her appointment as professor at Musikhochschule Leipzig in 2006. Increasingly in demand as a soloist, she’s an outstanding interpreter of contemporary music with composers such as Wolfgang Rihm, Matthias Pintscher, Erkki-Sven Tüür and her brother Jörg Widmann writing new works for her. Her debut CD of solo works by Ysaye, Boulez, Sciarrino and Widmann won the German Record Critic’s prize in 2006. She makes her BBC Proms debut this month with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Hungarian pianist Dénes Várjon studied with legendary mentors Ferenc Rados and György Kurtág and attended András Schiff’s masterclasses. He’s been assistant professor at the Liszt Music Academy in Budapest since 1994. A regular guest with major festivals and orchestras, he’s also a dedicated chamber music player and often collaborates with Heinz Holliger and Jörg Widmann. A solo recital by Várjon on ECM is in preparation.

 

ECM 4766744