Schumann's Piano Concerto tickets

Schumann’s only concerto for his own instrument is inspired by his wife Clara’s supernatural virtuosity. It began as a single-movement Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra. The final version that we hear today is the result of Clara’s encouragement to ‘try his hand at larger-scale forms’.

The concerto is characterised by a thematic unity achieved through the marriage between the piano passages and the orchestra. Showcasing his passion through its intensity and vibrancy, the music contains messages hidden to the audience, conveying an enigmatic sense of inspiration that only Clara truly understood.

Felix Mendelssohn transports us to another fantasy world with his incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, inspired by his love of Shakespeare. Its magical opening chords evoke the paranormal suspense of the forest, followed by busy motifs summoning dancing fairies.