THE NEW ENGLISH TRIO:
Gwynneth Trotter (violin); James Whitehead (violoncello) ; Renee Sweet-land (pianoforte)
GABRIEL LAVELLE (baritone)
Nearly all Schumann's earlier pianoforte works are programme pieces, groups of little sketches interpreting moods, dreams and emotional fancies. ' Papillons ', Carnaval', and these ' Fantasy Pieces ' are all of this kind, and echo the thoughts of youth in love and in love with life. The titles of these eight pieces are almost self-revealing; 'At Evening', quiet twilight dreaming: ' Soaring ', restless and passionate; Why ? ' a yearning question ; ' Whims sparkling and humorous ; 'In the Night', broadly emotional; 'Fable', a gossip; 'Dream Visions', a maze of thoughts; and ' The End of the Song ', a fine, joyous ending.