Classic in the Crypt: Encounters of Romanticism – Piano music by Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Hensel

About the Event

Romanticism was not only an era of great musical individuality, but also a time of intense artistic exchange and mutual inspiration. The close connection and constant exchange between these composers is reflected in numerous dedications, musical quotations, and a jointly developed sound ideal that had a lasting influence on the Romantic piano style.
At the center of this piano recital is Schumann's Carnaval, Op. 9, a musical masquerade in which he portrays not only himself, but also companions such as Chopin and his future wife Clara.
Chopin's Second Ballade, dedicated to Schumann, reveals his lyrical side, while his études are considered milestones in the piano repertoire.
Clara Schumann's Romances, Op. 2, and Brahms' Piano Pieces, Op. 118, tell of a deep artistic connection, while a similar tone can also be found in the work of siblings Fanny Hensel and Felix Mendelssohn‐Bartholdy.
The three composers Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, and Frédéric Chopin, who were all the same age, had a decisive influence on the musical landscape of the early 19th century. As editor of the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Journal of Music), Schumann was in contact with many composers and always up to date. He recognized the extraordinary talent of Chopin and Brahms early on and introduced both of them to the public as geniuses while they were still in their twenties.
Felix Mendelssohn founded the Leipzig Conservatory, where both Robert and Clara Schumann taught. Clara Schumann was the most important pianist of her time and performed her own compositions from an early age.
Fanny Hensel received the same musical education as her brother and composed numerous pieces for piano, orchestra, and chamber music, but due to family resistance, she did not appear in public as a composer until the end of her life.