In 1893, Brahms wrote: ‘Frau Schumann burnt a volume of [Schumann’s] cello pieces, fearing that they might appear in print after her death.’ These were same Romances Brahms had refused to take to the pub-lishers during Schumann’s last months, but had praised warmly in 1853. What inspired the destruction? What secrets did they hold? In his rapt, visionary Romancendres, Heinz Holliger reimagines and revives these ‘cinders’ of Schumann’s late music.

Christoph Richter and Denes Varjón weave a rapt narrative around these characters, from Schumann’s ecstatic Adagio and Allegro, Clara’s own tender Romances to the intimate lieder of Johannes Brahms.