Yaara Tal

Love? Homage to Clara Schumann Yaara Tal

On September 13, 2019, the 200th birthday of Clara Schumann (1819 - 1896), who was one of the most important musicians of the 19th century, is celebrated. In her honor, the pianist Yaara Tal recorded works by the jubilarian with musician friends as well as Theodor Kirchner (1823-1903), Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) and Julie von Webenau (1813-1887). The album opens Yaara Tal with a world premiere recording, "L'Adieu et le Retour" op. 25 by the now forgotten composer Julie von Webenau. She was not only a pupil of Mozart's son Franz Xaver. Robert Schumann jokingly even referred to Clara Schumann as a "dangerous rival". Her love for Robert Schumann was expressed by Julie von Webenau with her work on a corresponding dedication. The solo piano pieces also include the Trois Romances op. 11 by Clara Schumann, which she dedicated to her fiancé Robert Schumann. Deep feelings of love, affection and friendship also resonate with the selected solo piano works by Theodor Kirchner. The good friend Theodor Kirchner, who had briefly been Robert Schumann's student at the Leipzig Conservatory and then piano partner of Clara Schumann, dedicated her Op. 9 in 1859, from which three Préludes resounded. In addition, Johannes Brahms' "Old Rhapsody" in a version for tenor, female choir and piano will be heard in a world premiere recording. The occasion for text selection and composition seems to be in Brahms' disappointed love for Clara Schumann's daughter Julie Schumann. Because the work is considered as a kind of hidden message to the unsuccessfully adored, Yaara Tal has inspired a treatment of the "Old Rhapsody". Tal has recorded this version with tenor Julian Prégardien and the Bavarian Radio Choir under the direction of Yuval Weinberg. In the course of her "Hommage à Clara Schumann", Yaara Tal can also be heard with her longtime piano duo partner Andreas Groethuysen. For example, they jointly recorded the "Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann" for four-hand piano, which Brahms dedicated to Julie Schumann in 1861. "The relationship between Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms has always been a topic that inspires imagination," says Yaara Tal. "This relationship was marked by deep mutual admiration and admiration, but less well-known are the feelings of love that Johannes Brahms had for Julie Schumann, the third child of Clara and Robert."