As has been its custom, Frankly Music moved to Schwan Hall at Wisconsin Lutheran College last week to begin the second half of its season. Artistic director Frank Almond once again brought into town top musicians to join him for a concert celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Clara Schumann, wife of composer Robert Schumann.
Clara Wieck Schumann was famous as a pianist in the 19th century and was also an accomplished composer. Both roles were unusual for a woman in that era, and more remarkable due to the fact that she had eight children. Almond spoke informally and interestingly at length about the Schumanns and their relationship with Johannes Brahms.
With pianist Orion Weiss, Almond performed Clara Schumann’s Three Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22, lovely pieces. Based on his programming and recording, Almond has always been drawn to the music of Schumann and Brahms, and this lyrical style is among the things he does best. Over the last 20 years I have observed that he has leaned into the romanticism in the music a bit more, but certainly never to the point of indulgence, and guided by evolved taste.
Weiss’s musicality informed everything he played, including inspired arrangements by Ferrucio Busoni of Selected Chorale Preludes of J.S. Bach by Johannes Brahms, composed just after Clara’s death in 1896. Each decision about what musical voice to bring forward seemed thoughtfully considered. Toby Appel’s warm and present tone shone in Robert Schumann’s Märchenbilder, four pieces for viola and piano, performed with Weiss.
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Young cellist Alexander Hersh joined Almond, Appel and Weiss for Robert Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 47. Some weather induced travel delays made the rehearsal schedule shorter than usual. That didn’t seem to matter in this stirring performance. Give Hersh a beautiful melody, such as in the third movement, and he soulfully rendered it as if a baritone singing an art song. The four musicians seemed especially in sync with phrasing and musical intentions. I was continually taken by the choices Weiss made in his sensitive account of the elaborate piano part.
