Schumann the Poet

Robert Schumann and his literary inspiration Several of Schumann’s piano works were inspired by literary works, including his Waldszenen, Papillons and Kreisleriana. The son of a publisher, Schumann grew up surrounded by literature; he was extremely well-read and also wrote poetry. He wrote in his diary that he had felt the need to create something, if not with music then with words: clearly a musician who was also a man of letters. Music and literature are inseparable in Schumann’s creative spirit: many of his compositions were based on literary works, although these pieces were never literal transcriptions in sound of the original text. Schumann took rather the ideas behind the work; his fantasy and powers of expression then transformed them into sound. This CD explores Schumann’s deeply poetic and richly imaginative sound world. Mitsuko Saruwatari was born in Tokyo and studied first at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo with Nobutatsu Kawashima and then at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam under Willem Brons. She then worked with John Bingham for two years in London.

Mitsuko Saruwatari is based in Amsterdam and appears frequently throughout Holland and abroad. Alongside her solo career she is the regular pianist for the Uriel Ensemble and has performed as a guest with many other chamber ensembles. Her ensemble repertoire includes a large proportion of the most important chamber works; her solo repertoire concentrates on works by Schumann, Schubert, Chopin, Ravel and Debussy.

Watch the album presentation on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2TYNXERODQ