This solo guzheng improvisation was recorded yesterday, inspired by German composer, pianist, and piano teacher Clara Josephine Wieke-Schumann (1819 - 1896).
I had known about Clara Schumann as the talented wife of Robert Schumann, another German composer. But yesterday, a coincidence online led me to discovering more of her work.
I was amazed to discover details about her compositions, her marriage, her relationship with her parents, her profound friendship with German composer Brahms who wrote music for her. Brahms had his First Symphony performed just for Clara before the premiere to hear her thoughts.
I listened to Clara’s solo piano work for hours yesterday morning. Her Impromptu in G major ‘Souvenir de Vienne’ Op. 9 is an extraordinary piece. You can hear it here, performed by Susanne Grützman, recorded in 2007.
This powerful piano work by Clara Schumann was inspired by Joseph Hayden's melody that he had written as a birthday anthem to Francis II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and later of Austria. Clara Schumann had no idea that in 1922 the same melody would become the national anthem of her own country, Germany. To me, I had only known this melody as the German national anthem until yesterday.
"Impromptu" in music means improvised, composed without previous preparation. Chopin had a famous impromptu. It only makes sense that improvisation is inevitable when instrumentalists reach a high level, and it is the only next level of self-expression because the fingers can go wherever the mind and heart want them to go at the exact same moment.
Wu Fei 吴非
Wufeimusic.com
