Clara and Liszt

Available for 29 days

Clara Schumann is considered one of the most talented composer-pianists of the Romantic era. Put to work by her domineering father from an early age, as a touring performer she soon drew the admiration of her peers - and made friends who would remain important presences in her life until the end. As an adult, she spent several hours every day writing and replying to their letters. This week, Donald Macleod explores some of those relationships. Today, her peer and fierce rival: Franz Liszt. Liszt: Liebestraum, S541 No 3 (Nocturne in A flat major) Igor Levit, piano Souvenir de Vienne, Op 9 Susanne Grützmann, piano Liszt: Hexaméron, Grandes variations de concert sur un thême des "Puritains", S654 Aglika Genova & Liuben Dimitrov, piano Liszt: Sonata in B minor: I. Lento assai Igor Levit, piano Variations de Concert, Op 8 Jozef De Beenhouwer, piano Produced by Alice McKee for BBC Audio Wales & West