Annette Töpel - Variations & Fantasies (2020)

The variations on Franz Schubert‘s Sehnsuchtswalzer (op. 9/2, D 365), app. F 24 (1831 / 32-34), originally titled Scènes musicales sur un thème connu de Franz Schubert belong to the fragments from Schumann‘s early creative phase; they were intended to be part of a variation cycle. These were variation themes penned by six composers with whom Schumann had a special relationship at that time because he had received decisive suggestions for his own compositional work from their music. However, none of these variations have ever been completed. That planned cycle was designed as follows: Variations on four hands on a theme by Prince Luis Ferdinand of Prussia (1828) / Variations on the march from Carl Maria von Weber‘s opera Preziosa (1831) / Variations on the Campanella theme by Niccolò Paganini (1831) / Variations on Franz Schubert‘s Sehnsuchtswalzer (1831 / 31-34) / Variations on a Nocturne by Frédéric Chopin (1835-36) / Studies in the form of free variations on a theme by Beethoven (1831-35)After all, Schumann has worked out the last three fragmentary pieces to such an extent that thanks to the Editions that were only published a few years ago they are available for performances. Since they are part of a joint work project, the recording that is offered here for the first time is obvious.