Florian Uhlig

The first true complete recording of Robert Schumann’s works for piano solo on 17 albums (in 15 volumes), played by Florian Uhlig, seeks for the first time to offer imaginative compilations on album (e.g. “Robert Schumann and the Sonata”, “The Young Piano Virtuoso”, “Schumann in Vienna”, “Schumann and Counterpoint”, “Variations”) containing all original works for pianoforte written between 1830 (Abegg Variations op. 1) and 1854 (Ghost Variations) according to the newest critical editions and/or first editions. Several of these albums include premiere recordings. The booklets by Joachim Draheim, who discovered and/or edited a number of the works, shed light on the biographical and musicological background to the works thus coupled.

With their project ‘The Duplex Coupler Grand Piano’, Florian Uhlig and David Stromberg breathe new life into a forgotten concept. The composer Emánuel Moór, whose works combine wonderful melodies and surprising harmonic twists, developed the ‘Duplex Coupler Piano’ that incorporated a double keyboard. With keys coupled at the octave, this enabled works to achieve special shades of sound. The unique instrument is featured in this recording by David Stromberg and Florian Uhlig of cello sonatas by Moór, Dohnányi and Richard Strauss.

This year, Uhlig continues his explorations in this new recording of the piano works of Maurice Ravel. Ravel's piano music is perhaps the most concentrated corpus of music ever produced by a major composer. Despite their modest dimensions (the complete oeuvre can be performed in just over 2 hours), each composition sets out to achieve something new, shaping the genre to achieve works of consummate originality. And no one surpasses Florian Uhlig in delivering performances that allow all the fascinating, ecstatic virtuosity of this music to shine.

This collection of Schumann’s “complete works for piano and orchestra” is more complete than usual, with the inclusion of two conjectural reconstructions: one from sketches, the other from a combination of sketches and a reworking of an existing solo piano piece. Excluded is the piano arrangement of the Konzertstück for four horns, which Joachim Draheim’s excellent booklet notes are adamant has no connection with Schumann, either Robert or Clara.

«Uhlig does Schumann proud in every respect. He mantains an admirable balance of brilliance and good sense, with superb voicing, delineating every silken skein of the cat-'s cradle textures with clarity and grace. And though the music celebrates virtuosity - to which Uhlig rises impeccably - there's still a touching humility to his interpretations.»

Hänssler Classic is proud to release the fourth volume in what will be the only true complete recording of Schumann's music for piano solo. On the 4th volume ("Schumann in Vienna"), Florian Uhlig presents piano works composed in Vienna in 1838/39, amongst others "Faschingsschwank aus Wien op.26" and "Humoreske B Flat Major op.20". As was the case in the three previous installments, this program is arranged "thematically". Each volume will contain unpublished works or fragments. Schumann left many extended fragments that can easily be reconstructed without daring speculations, and in such cases, these fragments deserve to be heard and included in our presentation of Schumann complete works for the piano..

This is the first volume of Hänssler CLASSIC’s complete recording of Schumann’s piano works, a project that has not been accomplished before. Each CD will feature at least one world premiere recording. Here we have the premiere of Presto possible in F minor. Florian Uhlig is one of the most distinguished young pianists and his interpretations are based on the new critical edition of Schumann’s piano works.

This is the 3rd instalmant of the first true complete recording of Schumann’s piano works and features several world premieres. «Uhlig's playing is in many ways exemplary: graceful, light of touch, strong of srping and in excellent control of voicing while navigating Schumann's intricate textures…[His] approach is unsentimental…»