Robert Schumann and the rediscovery of counterpoint.
In 1845, after moving from Leipzig to Dresden, Schumann returned to compose for keyboard, in particular to the contrapuntal forms, which he considered to be the most “objective”. A first stimulus came from the studies on counterpoint which he did together with his wife Clara, and which led him to develop a new way of composing. A further impulse was given by the approach with the Pedal-Flügel, a Piano with pedals, which the Schumanns rented and played for a certain period, in order to practice the organ technique. The first work was born with the Studies for the Pedal Piano, subtitled as Six Pieces in canonical form, op. 56, published in Leipzig in September 1845 by Friedrich Wilhelm Whistling. In this compositions Schumann shows his art of combining the contrapuntal complexity of the canon with the melodic simplicity of the various musical phrases. In 1846 it happened to the Sketches for the Pedal Piano, op. 58, also printed in Leipzig by Carl Friedrich Kistner. These are characteristic pieces that highlight a certain poetic vein of the author, and which will inspire some organ compositions by Max Reger or Louis Vierne. Also in 1846 were published the Six Fugues on the name BACH for the Organ or the Pedal Piano, op. 60, also in this case by Whistling. These Fugues, having as the only subject the name of Bach obtained from the German notation (B flat, A, C, B natural), can be considered as independent pieces, or connected through the principle of variation. The style, while maintaining a romantic language, approaches with great respect to the Bachian counterpoint, in order to make the work worthy of the high name it ports.

Additional info about this CD
Recorded: at Madonna del Divino Amore, Roma (Italy)
November 2019
Booklet 12 pages full colour booklet (Ita and Eng)
Musicology comment
Artist biography