Three Piano Preludes

Praeludium III
Prelude in G minor
Prelude (1845)

Clara Schumann (1819-1986) was one of the leading European pianists of her time, a respected composer, prestigious teacher, and champion of her husband Robert Schumann's works. The young prodigy made her debut in the Leipzig Gewandhaus at the age of nine, later appearing in Paris and Vienna and gaining the admiration of Goethe, Chopin, Liszt, and Mendelssohn. Audiences were astonished by her compositions and her playing, and she published many of her works to critical acclaim.

Clara Schumann, known as Europe's "Queen of the Piano," was considered on par with leading virtuosi like Liszt, Thalberg, and Rubinstein. Her brilliant career spanned over 60 years and shaped nineteenth-century concert life. After her death, her legacy as a pianist and teacher eclipsed her compositions. Now the discography of her works has grown to over 100 recordings, and editions and performances have burgeoned in recognition of Clara Schumann as a masterful composer.