An exceptional record in many ways! Firstly, there is no other CD that gathers together all pieces for violin and orchestra by Robert Schumann. Secondly, this recording was made using the recently published critical edition of the Violin Concerto. Earlier editions had hundreds of errors. Thirdly, this disc also includes Schumann’s own arrangement of his beloved Cello Concerto for violin and orchestra – an addition that is certain to come as a revelation to many!

The Fantasie Op 131 was a “sketch” of sort for the Violin Concerto. The three song- arrangements for violin and orchestra also come from the Schumann circle - Joseph Joachim, who was the most famous violinist of the age, was consulted by Schumann when he was working on his Concerto, while Ernst Rudorff was a pupil of Clara Schumann and was very familiar with the music of Robert.

The young violinist Lena Neudauer is the featured artist of this recording. Born 1984 in Munich, Lena Neudauer began at playing the violin at the age of three and at age 10 had already given her first concert with orchestra. The following year Lena Neudauer entered the class of Helmut Zehetmair at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and later studied with Thomas Zehetmair and Christoph Poppen. She has received enthusiastic support and accolades from from Felix Andrievsky, Ana Chumachenco, Midori Goto, Nobuko Imai and Seiji Ozawa.

Early on Lena Neudauer gained international attention: in 1995, she preformed Vivaldi's Four Seasons with the Munich Philharmonic in Munich as well as in Japan, and in 1999 she created a sensation when she received FOUR Awards at the Leopold Mozart Competition in Augsburg – First Prize, the Mozart Prize, the Richard Strauss Prize for the best performance of the Strauss’ Violin Concerto and the Audience Award.