Christoph Schoener / Organ Concert

»Today we began our study of counterpoint, which was an enormous pleasure despite all the effort required«, writes Clara Schumann in her diary in 1845. Robert and Clara Schumann fell, she continues, into a veritable »fugue passion«. She later notes that Robert had rented a pedal piano, in addition to his grand piano: »The main purpose was to practice organ music«. This intensive study of counterpoint, organ music and Johann Sebastian Bach, whom the Schumanns held in high esteem, led to Robert Schumann’s »Studies in Canonical Form«, Op. 56, the »Sketches«, Op. 58, and the »Six Fugues on BACH«, Op. 60, as well as Clara’s three four-part fugues on themes from Bach’s »Well-Tempered Clavier«. Christoph Schoener, Director of Music at St. Michaelis, one of Hamburg’s five main churches, presents excerpts from all four works and combines them with Bach’s sublime E flat major work BWV 552 and the »Handel Variations« by Brahms, who dedicated the 1861 manuscript to Clara Schumann with the inscription »Variations for a Dear Friend«.