Legendary violinist Midori, Festival Strings Lucerne under the direction of Daniel Dodds, and pianist Özgür Aydin present an album of Schumann: Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano by Clara and Robert Schumann, highlighting two deeply connected artistic voices.
“In preparing this album, I sought not only to honor the historical and musical context of these works, but also to share with listeners the deeply human aspects of Schumann’s late music: the intimacy, the struggle, and the moments of fragile hope. From Clara’s uncomplicated lyricism to Robert’s lyrical introspection and folk-inspired humor, alongside the profound emotional sweep, this repertoire offers a journey through both personal and musical longing. With deep listening one falls in love with each of these pieces, welcoming us into an exploration of the multitude of reasons of our existence: to love, to suffer, to create and live in a cruel world; to absorb and sometimes inflict harm; to love music for its solace, while recognizing that it does not cure all our ills — and yet to hope; to overcome, to give in to the beauties and the ugliness of living a life.”
Midori
Together, these works reveal an artistic world shaped by intimacy, sincerity, and clarity of expression, echoing Robert Schumann’s belief that the artist’s task is “to send light into the darkness of men’s hearts”.
