Catalogue

Summary:

“Briggs’s approach to the literature-inspired Papillons is wonderfully persuasive, exaggerating each fantastical characterisation, with a generous, flexible approach to tempo. She draws out some magical, delicate colours to the quieter passages, contrasted with an exuberant, full sound for the more extrovert characters.” – BBC Music magazine

“[Papillons] This is as good an account of this elusive early masterpiece as I have heard, and Briggs is equally involving in the sublime simplicity of Kinderszenen. With first-rate sound from Avie, this is 81 minutes of pianistic heaven” – International Piano

For her first solo recital recording for AVIE Records, award-winning pianist Sarah Beth Briggs turns to some of the greatest collections of Romantic miniatures ever written, largely inspired by one woman: Clara Schumann, wife of Robert Schumann and muse to Johannes Brahms. The twelve short dance movements of Schumann’s early and enigmatic Papillons set the scene, giving way to autumnal, late Brahms – his Op. 117 Intermezzi and Op. 118 Klavierstücke. The album ends as it begins, with youthful Schumann and his lovingly crafted Kinderszenen, written over half a century earlier.

Tracklist:

ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810–1856)
1. Papillons, Op. 2 (17.04)

JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833–1897)
Three Intermezzi, Op. 117 (16.47)
2. No.1 in E-Flat Major: Andante moderato (5.40)
3. No.2 in B-Flat Minor: Andante non troppo e con molto espressione (5.00)
4. No.3 in C-Sharp Minor: Andante con moto (6.07)

Six Klavierstücke, Op. 118 (24.45)
5. No.1 Intermezzo in A Minor: Allegro non assai, ma molto appassionato (1.33)
6. No.2 Intermezzo in A Major: Andante teneramente (6.09)
7. No.3 Ballade in G Minor: Allegro energico (3.36)
8. No.4 Intermezzo in F Minor: Allegretto un poco agitato (2.53)
9. No.5 Romanze in F Major: Andante (4.06)
10. No.6 Intermezzo in E-Flat Minor: Andante, largo e mesto (6.28)

ROBERT SCHUMANN
Kinderszenen (“Scenes from Childhood”), Op. 15 (22.01)
11. Von fremden Ländern und Menschen (“Of Foreign Lands and Peoples”) (1.36)
12. Kuriose Geschichte (“A Curious Story”) (1.13)
13. Hasche-Mann (“Blind Man’s Bluff”) (0.33)
14. Bittendes Kind (“Pleading Child”) (1.17)
15. Glückes genug (“Happy Enough”) (1.30)
16. Wichtige Begebenheit (“An Important Event”) (0.54)
17. Träumerei (“Dreaming”) (2.55)
18. Am Kamin (“At the Fireside”) (0.53)
19. Ritter vom Steckenpferd (“Knight of the Hobbyhorse”) (0.39)
20. Fast zu ernst (“Almost Too Serious”) (2.16)
21. Fürchtenmachen (“Frightening”) (2.21)
22. Kind im Einschlummern (“Child Falling Asleep”) (2.38)
23. Der Dichter spricht (“The Poet Speaks”) (3.16)

Total duration: 80.54

Sarah Beth Briggs, piano

Recording: 16–18 July 2018, Cedars Hall, Wells Cathedral School, UK
Recording produced, engineered and edited by Simon Fox-Gál