was one of the most uniquely creative and imaginative of all composers giving us some of the most ravishingly beautiful piano music that exists. All of the compositions on this disc stem from the 1836-38 period in which he not only suffered from manic-depressive syndrome, but also endured terrible separation from and longing for Clara Wieck, his future wife. Nevertheless, 140 years after his death, these works remain among his most beloved compositions.

Schumann's lifelong debilitating mental illness seems to have been inextricably linked with his creative genius, both as author and composer. Early on, he became aware of the extreme "two-sidedness" of his personality. He names these two sides "Florestan" and "Eusebius", and they subsequently became identities which permeated his correspondence, articles, and music. Florestan represented the bold, expansive, energetic, social side of his personality - the "hero", and Eusebius represented the introspective, melancholy and often despairing side - the "dreamer." What is so fascinating is the similarity of these personalities to the classic textbook characterizations of the manic-depressive. Symptoms of mania include excitability, expansiveness, sociability and great energy, which often results in unusually clear, creative thinking. Depressive symptoms of this cyclical syndrome are the obvious painful opposites, moods ranging from melancholic to suicidal.

This polarity is continually reflected in his music. For example, "Important Event" from Scenes from Childhood, and Movement 2 from the Fantasie are quintessential Florestan representations. Florestan often makes his appearance with big, bold chords, march-like rhythms, and frequent outbursts of passion. Pastoral, lyrical, poetical, and oftentimes melancholy passages predominate in the Eusebius representations, of which "Dreaming" (Träumerei) has become the best know example.

These two characters exist side by side in most, if not all, of Schumann's piano music. There are extremely abrupt mood changes in these pieces, and what is most striking is that usually there is no preparation for these emotional and musical mood swings. This is perhaps the single most off-putting element for listeners who are unsure about Schumann's music. Juxtaposition of two contrasting emotional states was certainly not a new concept to nineteenth-century composers. The eighteenth-century sonata-allegro process used by the great Classical masters involved a bold, energetic first theme which nearly always found its way to a more passive, lyrical second theme in the new key area. The crucial difference in this earlier style is that musically the two themes were carefully bridged by a harmonic transition which helped the listener gradually adjust to the changes. Not so in most of Schumann's piano writing. One of the singular charms of this music is that the continual juxtaposition of his rapidly changing moods creates a kaleidoscope of shifting emotions for the listener. It is sobering to realize that this gloriously imaginative musical effect may have mirrored how he experienced his own tumultuous emotional world. This irony makes us realize indeed just how much we as performers and listeners continue to benefit from Schumann's sorrows and joys.

Pamela Howland, June 1996