R. Schumann: Intermezzi Op. 4 & Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11 Tullia Melandri

• Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856): Intermezzi, Op. 4:
• 1 Intermezzi, Op. 4: No. 1, Allegro quasi maestoso 03:35
• 2 Intermezzi, Op. 4: No. 2, Presto a capriccio 04:23
• 3 Intermezzi, Op. 4: No. 3, Allegro marcato 04:04
• 4 Intermezzi, Op. 4: No. 4, Allegro semplice 01:33
• 5 Intermezzi, Op. 4: No. 5, Allegro moderato 05:06
• 6 Intermezzi, Op. 4: No. 6, Allegro 02:51
• Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11:
• 7 Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11: I. Introduzione. Un poco adagio - Allegro vivace 13:29
• 8 Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11: II. Aria 03:26
• 9 Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11: III. Scherzo. Allegrissimo - Intermezzo. Lento 05:29
• 10 Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11: IV. Finale. Allegro un poco maestoso 11:20
• Total Runtime 55:16

Info for R. Schumann: Intermezzi Op. 4 & Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11

Schumann composed the Intermezzi Op. 4 in Spring 1832 and declared that they were special works, conceived as “longer Papillons” where “every note ought to be weighed and balanced”. The Intermezzi employ the same techniques used in Op. 2: quotations, fragments, and metamorphoses of poetry into music. The Piano Sonata in F sharp minor Op. 11 was written between 1833-35 and dedicated to his beloved Clara Wieck, to whom Schumann addresses with the two alter-egos of his split personality, Florestan and Eusebius, the former enthusiastic and passionate, the latter introvert and reflective. This recording was made on a Simon fortepiano dating from the 1830s, which possesses the same characteristics of the instrument used by Robert Schumann himself. Italian-born Tullia Melandri is specialized in Music philology and has got a diploma in piano and fortepiano. An award winner at numerous piano and chamber music competitions, Melandri has performed at festivals and in concert seasons all over Europe.

Tullia Melandri, piano

Tullia Melandri
graduated in Piano with full marks in 1998 at the Rovigo’s Conservatory and in Conservation of Cultural Heritage (Musical Specialization) at the Bologna’s Athenaeum in 2002. She studied chamber music at the Accademia Chigiana and graduated at the International Pianistic Academy of Imola “Incontri col Maestro” in chamber music with Piernarciso Masi. Later she studied with Daniel Rivera at the “P. Mascagni’s Istituto Musicale in Livorno, achieving the Master cum laude.

Her interest in historically informed interpretation brought her to study fortepiano with Bart van Oort at the Koninklijke Conservatorium in Den Haag, where she brilliantly graduated in 2012.

She won prizes at Piano, Chamber Music and Fortepiano Competitions (2nd prize at the Geelvinck Square Piano competition – 2011; 2nd prize at “Giulio Rospigliosi” piano competition – 2007; 2nd prize at “Nuovi Orizzonti” chamber music competition – 2006; 3rd prize at “Dino Caravita” chamber music competition; 3rd prize at “L. Muzii Altruda” piano competition – 1995) and she is active as soloist and chamber musician in various formations.

She has performed, among others, for Ravenna’s “Giovani in musica” festival, Ravenna Festival (“Vespri di San Vitale”), Florence’s “Accademia Bartolomeo Cristofori”, Utrecht’s “Oude Muziek” festival, Dordrecht’s Bachfestival and Geelvinck Fortepiano Festival.

She recently recorded a CD (Dynamic, 2019), entirely dedicated to the music of Robert Schumann on a Viennese fortepiano of the 1830’s.

Tullia Melandri graduated in Piano in 1998 at the Conservatory of Rovigo. She achieved the Master Level cum laude studying with Daniel Rivera at the conservatory of Livorno. She specialized in chamber music at Siena’s Accademia Chigiana with Alain Meunier and Dario de Rosa and at Imola’s International Pianistic Academy with Pier Narciso Masi. Distinguished in several musical concourses in Italy both as chamber musician both as soloist, she performs as pianist and fortepianist. She studied Fortepiano with Bart van Oort at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, graduating in 2012 with the highest marks. She performed, inter alia, for Ravenna Festival (Vespri di San Vitale),”Utrecht’s “Oude Muziek” festival, Dordrecht’s Bachfestival, Geelvinck Fortepiano Festival, Florence’s Accademia Bartolomeo Cristofori and Ravenna’s festival “Giovani in Musica”. She completed musicological studies at the University of Bologna, graduating in 2002 in Conservation of Cultural Heritage (musical specialization).

Schumann: In the last years Tullia is studying in particular the interpretation of Schumann on the fortepianos he was acquainted with. During the Geelvinck Festival 2017 she presented a lecture with title “Re-Thinking Schumann: Forgotten Pianos and Performance Practises of 1830s and 1840s”.

Antiqua Echo: In 2016, together with the Canadian cellist Evan Buttar, she founded the group “Antiqua Echo”, which aims at performing late classic and romantic chamber repertory in an historically informed way on original instruments.

Festivals / prizes: Tullia trad onder meer als pianiste en fortepianiste op in het Giovani in Musica Festival in Ravenna, de Accademia Bartolomeo Cristofori in Florence, het Oude Muziek Festival in Utrecht en het Bach Festival in Dordrecht. Zij won prijzen in Italië (tweede prijs in “Concorso Pianistico Nazionale Rospigliosi”, derde prijs in “Concorso Pianistico Nazionale di Vasto”, derde prijs in “Concorso di musica da camera di Arezzo” en in “Concorso musicale Dino Caravita di Fusignano”) en de tweede prijs in het Geelvinck Concours ‘Dag van de Tafelpiano’ 2011 in Amsterdam.

Booklet for R. Schumann: Intermezzi Op. 4 & Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11