Midori presents Schumann Violin Concerto & other works

Violinist Midori, Festival Strings Lucerne under the direction of Daniel Dodds, and pianist Özgür Aydin present an album of Schumann: Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano by Clara and Robert Schumann, highlighting two deeply connected artistic voices.

PTC5187496
Schumann Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2026
Baarn, The Netherlands

PENTATONE
Allie Summers, PR & Marketing

PHYSICAL RELEASE DATE (STANDARD CD)
March 2026

DIGITAL RELEASE DATE (STREAMING & HI-RES)
6 March 2026

AUDIO RESOLUTIONS
96k/24 Stereo
44,1k/16 Stereo

DIGITAL BOOKLET (PDF)

INTERTWINED SOULS: MIDORI EXPLORES WORKS BY ROBERT & CLARA SCHUMANN

At the centre of the album is Robert Schumann’s Violin Concerto in D Minor, composed in 1853 but withheld from publication for more than eighty years after Clara Schumann and Joseph Joachim questioned its place within his legacy. Long clouded by its troubled history and a problematic 1937 premiere, the concerto has only recently gained recognition as a powerful and distinctive late work, valued today for its emotional depth and expressive candour.

The programme also includes Robert Schumann’s 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102, and 3 Romances, Op. 94–lyrical miniatures from his remarkably productive year of 1849, alongside Clara Schumann’s 5 Romances, Op. 22, dedicated to Joachim and now fully restored to the repertoire after decades of neglect. Together, these works reveal an artistic world shaped by intimacy, sincerity, and clarity of expression, echoing Robert Schumann’s belief that the artist’s task is “to send light into the darkness of men’s hearts”.

"In preparing this album, I sought not only to honor the historical and musical context of these works, but also to share with listeners the deeply human aspects of Schumann’s late music: the intimacy, the struggle, and the moments of fragile hope. From Clara’s uncomplicated lyricism to Robert’s lyrical introspection and folk-inspired humor, alongside the profound emotional sweep, this repertoire offers a journey through both personal and musical longing. With deep listening one falls in love with each of these pieces, welcoming us into an exploration of the multitude of reasons of our existence: to love, to suffer, to create and live in a cruel world; to absorb and sometimes inflict harm; to love music for its solace, while recognizing that it does not cure all our ills — and yet to hope; to overcome, to give in to the beauties and the ugliness of living a life."

Midori

TRACK LIST

SCHUMANN VIOLIN CONCERTO & WORKS FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO
BY CLARA AND ROBERT SCHUMANN

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Violin Concerto in D Minor WoO. 23
1 I. In kräftigem, nicht zu schnellem Tempo
2 II. Langsam
3 III. Lebhaft, doch nicht schnell

Midori, violin
Festival Strings Lucerne Daniel Dodds, director

5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102
4 I. Mit Humor
5 II. Langsam
6 III. Nicht schnell, mit viel Ton zu spielen
7 IV. Nicht zu rasch
8 V. Stark und markiert

3 Romances, Op. 94
9 I. Nicht schnell
10 II. Einfach innig
11 III. Nicht schnell

Clara Schumann (1819-1896)
3 Romances, Op. 22
12 I. Andante molto
13 II. Allegretto: Mit zartem Vortrage
14 III. Leidenschaftlich schnell

Midori, violin
Özgür Aydin, piano

This recording marks the PENTATONE debut of Midori and Özgür Aydin. Midori, an internationally celebrated violinist with numerous awards and performances on the world’s leading stages, brings her expressive depth and technical mastery, complemented by Aydin’s sensitive virtuosity at the piano. Festival Strings Lucerne and their artistic director, Daniel Dodds, have been collaborating successfully since 2012, bringing this orchestra international acclaim, and establishing themselves as one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras, both on the concert platform and in the recording studio.

MIDORI'S WEBSITE

AYDIN'S WEBSITE

FESTIVAL STRINGS LUCERNE WEBSITE