One of the great works in the solo piano repertoire, Schumann’s Symphonic Études were completed in 1835, and published in 1837. This version omitted five études that had been composed in 1835. Schumann revised the work in 1852, calling it ‘Études in the form of Variations’, with études nos. 3 & 9 removed. Schumann’s father-in-law Friederich Wieck published a third edition after the composer’s death in an attempt to reconcile the earlier versions.

A further twist is the theme at the beginning of the work. It was composed by an amateur musician, Baron von Fricken – Schumann had become engaged to his daughter in 1834. However, Fricken’s theme is hardly discernible in most of the études. In fact, the finale is based on a theme from Marschner’s opera ‘Der Templer und die Jüdin’ based on Walter Scott’s novel ‘Ivanhoe’.

Fauré’s Variations Op. 73, one of the composer’s longer pieces (usually taking more than a quarter of an hour), is an apt coupling on several counts. Not only does it take its inspiration from Schumann’s Études but it is set in the same key – all except the very last variation which is in the rare key of C sharp major (seven sharps), the enharmonic equivalent of D flat major – which is the key of Schumann’s Marschner finale! Both works are a supreme challenge to the performer in their technical demands.