BaL 08.03.25 - Clara Schumann: Lieder

[jch48]

A few years ago I bought the Korliss Uecker, Joanna Polk disc. I've not listened to it much but am enjoying reacquainting myself with it. I'd recommend it or similar to anyone who enjoys the period and genre. It's a low risk purchase if you're not subscribed to a streaming service.

[Pulcinella]

Blurb updated and first choice revealed on the website (OP also updated):


One of the most venerated nineteenth-century female musicians, Clara Schumann was known during her lifetime as one of the finest concert pianists of her generation. Although she composed primarily for her own instrument, she wrote almost 30 songs – a handful during the early 1830s when she was touring as a piano prodigy – with the majority produced after her marriage to Robert Schumann, in 1840, when the couple mutually encouraged each other to turn to compose songs.

First choice:
Susan Gritton (soprano); Stephan Loges (bass baritone); Eugene Asti (piano)
Hyperion 5815482

[Barbirollians]

I have always liked Susan Gritton - one for the shopping list.

[CallMePaul]

Blurb updated and first choice revealed on the website (OP also updated):

First choice:
Susan Gritton (soprano); Stephan Loges (bass baritone); Eugene Asti (piano)
Hyperion 5815482

Download only, which seems to be the fate of many Hyperion recordings since the Universl buy-out.

[Barbirollians]

[Barbirollians]

I see only a secondhand copy at over £40 . No longer on the shopping list . A great shame that Universal is trashing the Hyperion CD catalogue just as they have the DG,Decca and Philips catalogues. Even Eloquence has now suddenly deleted the vast majority of its individual CD issues.

[Pulcinella]

Download only, which seems to be the fate of many Hyperion recordings since the Universl buy-out.

And have their catalogue numbers changed too?

[MickyD]

I have five recordings of Liebesfrühling (Robert's op. 37) to which Clara makes three contributions: Er ist gekommen in Sturm und Regen, Liebst du um Schönheit and Warum willst du andre fragen and these are the only songs of hers which I know at all well. The Presto links above contain quite a few discs which contain only individual songs and I would think BaL would concentrate on the 'complete' versions. I have been intending to get one of these for a while and always find Laura Tunbridge well worth paying attention to, so I shall be very interested in this one.

These are available complete edition discs I found:

Naxos - Clara Schumann - Complete Songs, Dorothea Craxton (soprano) & Hedayet Djeddikar (fortepiano)

cpo - Clara Schumann - Complete Songs, Gabriele Fontana & Konstanze Eickhorst

Hyperion The Songs of Clara Schumann - Susan Gritton (soprano), Stephan Loges (baritone), Eugene Asti (piano)

MDG - Clara Schumann: Complete Songs (Original Key) Miriam Alexandra; Peter Gijsbertsen; Jozef De Beenhouwer (seems not to be on Presto)


The album Sous l'eau du songe with Maria Riccarda Wesseling includes a dozen songs by Clara.

I have played via Spotify and really enjoyed the new disc Uncharted by countertenor, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, which has one Clara song.

I'm interested to know how you feel about the Naxos disc, as I see Clara Schumann's own piano is used and that appeals to me. How do you rate Dorothea Craxton?

[gurnemanz]

I'm interested to know how you feel about the Naxos disc, as I see Clara Schumann's own piano is used and that appeals to me. How do you rate Dorothea Craxton?

Just getting around to listening properly to the recommended recording which I have downloaded from Hyperion. I also hope to listen to the Naxos eventually and could then report back, albeit Laura Tunbridge didn't enjoy it very much and I note that Andrew Clements gave it one star in the Guardian.

[MickyD]

Just getting around to listening properly to the recommended recording which I have downloaded from Hyperion. I also hope to listen to the Naxos eventually and could then report back, albeit Laura Tunbridge didn't enjoy it very much and I note that Andrew Clements gave it one star in the Guardian.

Oh dear, doesn't sound very promising, but do let me have your thoughts ! Thanks for the info.