I suppose one of the most well known “relationship” stories in classical music history is the one concerning the marriage of Robert and Clara Schumann, his illness and death and the role that Johannes Brahms played in Robert’s last years and Clara’s subsequent life.  So why not create a song recital programme around that theme using songs by all three composers?  That’s what Liz Upchurch and Jane Archibald have done and they presented it in Temerty Theatre on Wednesday evening.

The recital is broadly programmatic starting with the struggle of Clara and Robert to marry, their life together, his illness and death and finally a section on “inspiration, “desire” and “peace” wrapped up with Brahm’s “Von ewiger Liebe”.  Along the way there are well known songs like Robert’s “Widmung” but also a lot of less frequently performed pieces drawn from Liz’ encyclopaedic knowledge of this repertoire.

It was impeccably performed.  Gorgeous singing from Jane enhanced by the relative intimacy of Temerty.  It was expressive but tasteful.  Just the right balance in fact and the accompaniment was just right.  The net result; about fifty minutes of gorgeous music taken from the heart of the nineteenth century Lieder rep.  The audience; mostly hard core art song aficionados, lapped it up and rightly so.

The photo is not from Wednesday night.  It was taken at a Women’s Musical Club of Toronto concert in Walter Hall.