Music of Enduring Love - Schumann's Myrthen

 

Soirées Musicales Quintette

 

Annie Lower – soprano

Rachael Griffin – soprano

Mattias Lower – tenor

Leon Warnock – baritone

Peter Roennfeldt – piano

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​Since our first performances in 2015, the music of both Robert and Clara Schumann has featured strongly in the programs presented by Soirées Musicales Quintette. These composers’ shared love of literature and the chamber genres of Lieder, partsongs and piano pieces produced a huge amount of repertoire which we have enjoyed exploring with our audiences. Our first performance for 2026 continues this theme. It takes place in the Basil Jones Orchestral Hall within Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, on Sunday 15 March 2026 at 4pm.

The seemingly inexhaustible body of fine vocal and piano music by the Schumanns includes some works which today are rarely performed, or are known mainly through selected excerpts. One such collection is ‘Myrthen’ Op.25 by Robert Schumann, a set of 26 songs which he wrote during his ‘Year of Song’. As epitomised by the opening song ‘Widmung’ (Dedication), it is dedicated to his betrothed, Clara Wieck, and presented to her in published form on the eve of their wedding, in September1840. Also included in this opus are some of Schumann’s best known Lieder, including ‘Der Nussbaum’ (The walnut tree) and ‘Die Lotusblume’ (The lotus-flower). Significantly, the set’s title refers to the myrtle flower, a traditional symbol of enduring love.

Our performance features the members of Soirées Musicales Quintette as an ensemble of soloists, with the individual items presented in turn by whichever voice is most appropriate for each setting. ‘Myrthen’ is structured as a collection of four ‘books’ of six songs each, plus eight for the final group. As an extension of the strong connections between Robert and his beloved, we will intersperse Clara Schumann’s Three Romances for Piano, Op.11 between each section. This set was also composed at the time of their impending marriage, and published in 1840. A further point of interest for this concert is the historic JB Streicher piano, built in Vienna in 1843. Both composers were well acquainted with Streicher’s pianos, so this instrument is the ideal vehicle for the performances of their music.

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