Search - Friedrich Kuhlau, Camille Saint-Saens, Robert Schumann :: Piano Concertos by Schumann and Kuhlau

Robert Schumann spent his early years composing for piano, an instrument he favoured throughout his career. In 1841, Schumann began composing a one-movement Fantasy for piano and orchestra. The unorthodox genre was not received favourably by publishers who turned it away suggesting the addition of a further two movements. Schumann didn?t take the advice immediately, but eventually revised the work to become his one and only Piano Concerto, Op. 54, completed in c. 1845. While compiling this CD series of piano concertos recorded by Felicja Blumental, we discovered some charming shorter pieces, which we wanted to make available. One such piece is Saint-Saëns? Wedding Cake (Op. 76). This lively, dance-like caprice valse was composed in 1886 as a wedding present for pianist, Caroline de Serres. Sadly, Kuhlau only wrote two concertos, Concertino for 2 French horns (Op. 45) and Piano Concerto, Op. 7 performed here. The Danish composer, who unfortunately lost his eye in an accident at the age of 7, dedicated this work to his friend, the composer C.E.F. Weyse. It is one of his more significant works and it?s structure is similar to Beethoven?s early concertos, whom he met during his many travels.