Fri, 20.11.2026
Forward Festival: Schumannliebe 1

Once upon a time, there were three great musicians, all of whom were passionate about Robert Schumann. So Sir András Schiff, Antoine Tamestit, and Jörg Widmann decided to dedicate themselves to his music together. Two late chamber music works testify to the romantic fascination with fairy tales, yet Jörg Widmann, in particular, perceives the fairy tale narratives as a "fragmented, modern piece." In any case, fairy tales are a "seismograph of subliminal, primal human fears and desires." This is why Widmann understands his own cycle, Once Upon a Time..., not as a "sentimental-nostalgic escape into times long past," but rather "as a naively fantastical counterpoint to our real world with all its upheavals." György Kurtág also took up Schumann's unusual trio instrumentation of clarinet, viola, and piano and created a monument to various alter-ego and fantasy figures of the composer—from the eccentric Kapellmeister Kreisler to the wise Master Raro. The program also includes the Ghost Variations, the work Schumann was working on immediately before his suicide attempt and mental breakdown: angels are said to have sung the theme to him.

Performers:
Jörg Widmann, clarinet;
Antoine Tamestit, viola;
Sir András Schiff, piano.

Program:
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Fairy Tales, Op. 132. Four Pieces for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano;
Variations on an Original Theme in E-flat Major, WoO 24; Ghost Variations;

György Kurtág (*1926)
Homage to R. Sch. for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano, Op. 15d;

Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Fairy Tale Pictures, Op. 113. Four Pieces for Viola and Piano;

Jörg Widmann (*1973)
Once Upon a Time… Five Pieces in a Fairy Tale Style for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano

Tickets available from August 4th | 10:00 AM (CET)