From Sue:

Artistic inspiration finds its source in some composite of the creator’s inner and outer life. The latter might be fueled by social upheaval, deprivation, illness, war—even pandemics. The former might have to do with the artist’s psychological disposition, personality traits, or intellectual and spiritual pursuits.

The composer whose work is featured in this week’s edition is Robert Schumann, and the selections are two movements from what is thought to be his most autobiographical work, Kreisleriana. The “Kreisler” referred to in the name of Schumann’s piano cycle is based on a fictional character of E.T.A. Hoffmann, Kapellmeister Johannes Kreisler. Schumann was an avid reader of Hoffmann, who was not only a prolific writer of essays, novels, and musical critiques, but also a composer and conductor. Moreover, the character of Kreisler seemed to mirror the psychological makeup of both Schumann and Hoffman, vacillating between impetuous madness and dreamy serenity. Schumann himself assigned names to describe these two sides of his own psyche: Florestan, the wildly impulsive side, and Eusebius, the introspective, gentle side.

In the two movements you hear today, the first and the seventh, you will hear primarily the representation of Florestan. In the midst of the first movement, there is a temporary reprieve from the dizzying mania of the outer sections, containing a very tender tune laid out almost as a slight drizzle of pitches. Movement seven is an unrelenting, passionate romp until after reaching a fevered pitch, it peters out into a chorale-like ending. You might ask—why present two such related sides of Schumann, instead of giving “Eusebius” voice to speak? Perhaps you have a bit of insight into the mind of your curator/performer this week… Hang on!