For those unaware, once again, cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca renews artistic perspectives in relation to his instrument. With his previously-released Legacy, he questioned the notion of heritage in music, through a mirroring between the concerti by Haydn and the works of his master Porpora; not forgetting to highlight fruitful interactions with Mozart.

In 2020, the French newspaper Le Monde presented Christian-Pierre La Marca as one of France’s elite cellists and here on the just-released Love Letters (Naive Music), La Marca continues to showcase such a well-earned reputation by interpreting what is probably the most beautiful love story of all time in classical music - which is the love and the letters of Clara and Robert Schumann.

“The story is amazing. I fell in love when I discovered the beauty of their correspondence, the letters they were exchanging for many years,” La Marca reveals. “I saw how close they were to all the composers of that time like Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, Liszt, Chopin… All these composers had dinners together, exchanged together, and in their correspondence, you can feel them. That’s fascinating to me.”

Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129
I. Nicht zu schnell
II. Langsam
III. Sehr lebhaft

Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 (Version with Cello)
I. Zart und mit Ausdruck
II. Lebhaft, leicht
III. Rasch und mit Feuer

Schumann: Adagio and Allegro in A flat major, Op. 70
I. Langsam mit innigem Ausdruck
II. Rasch und feurig

Schumann: F-A-E Sonata
II. Intermezzo, WoO 2 / 3

Brahms: F-A-E Sonata
III. Scherzo, WoO 2

Schumann, Clara: Romances (3), Op. 22
I. Andante molto
II. Allegretto. Mit zartem Vortrage
III. Leidenschaftlich schnell

Schumann: Romances (3), Op. 94
I. Nicht schnell
II. Einfach, innig
III. Nicht schnell

Waksman: Replika

Schumann, Clara: Piano Concerto
Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 7: II. Romanze

Michelle Ross: Désenvoyé

Schumann: Myrthen
Myrthen, Op. 25: No. 1, Widmung

Patricia Kopatchinskaja: KlingelnSeel

Patricia Kopatchinskaja: Choral

Schumann: Myrthen
Myrthen, Op. 25: No. 24, Du bist wie eine Blume

Neuburger: Vibrating
Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15
Kinderszenen, Op. 15: VII. Träumerei

Patricia Kopatchinskaja: SMS

Schumann, Clara: 6 Lieder
6 Lieder, Op. 13: No. 1, Ich stand in dunklen Träumen

This wonderfully cultured, impassioned, and one wholly delightful indulgence for the senses, of a new recording opens on the resounding work from Robert Schumann of Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129, which begins with the foreboding, agitated Nicht zu schnell, the playfully arched Langsam, finishing on the strident fare of Sehr lebhaft.

Schumann’s elegant Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 (Version with Cello) opens on the pure elegance of Zart und mit Ausdruck, the delicately hued Lebhaft, leicht, culminating on the fervently contained Rasch und mit Feuer.

Next is Schumann’s Adagio and Allegro in A flat major, Op. 70, which begins with the aching yearn that bleeds throughout Langsam mit innigem Ausdruck and ends with the emphatically confident Rasch und feurig, then comes his resilient F-A-E Sonata, and the resplendent piece Intermezzo, WoO 2 / 3, and then comes Brahms’ own F-A-E Sonata, the assertive third part, Scherzo, WoO 2.

Up next is Clara Schumann’s Romances (3), Op. 22, which opens on the opulent Andante molto, then brings us the sumptuous Allegretto. Mit zartem Vortrage, closing on the gentle dance floor swirl of Leidenschaftlich schnell; with Robert’s Romances (3), Op. 94 then bringing us the palatial Nicht schnell, the sheer gossamer of Einfach, innig, closing on the assured Nicht schnell.

Waksman’s organically plucked masterpiece Replika is then followed by Clara Schumann’s dulcet Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 7: II. Romanze, and then we are brought forth Michelle Ross’s stoically jaunty Désenvoyé, Robert’s hopeful lean within Myrthen, Op. 25: No. 1, Widmung, two from Patricia Kopatchinskaja following: the spacial aware KlingelnSeel and the intricately crystalline Choral.

Another from Robert is along next in the form of the decorated Myrthen, Op. 25: No. 24, Du bist wie eine Blume, before we are gifted Neuburger’s strained Vibrating, a most desirable piece from Robert’s Kinderszenen, Op. 15: VII. Träumerei, the music culminating with Kopatchinskaja’s skittish SMS, and finally Clara Schumann’s most beautiful 6 Lieder, Op. 13: No. 1, Ich stand in dunklen Träumen closes the impressive recording.

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