The Piano Sonatas Vol 1

- The first in a series of two CDs with the complete Sonatas for Piano by Robert Schumann, performed by one or the most outstanding young pianists of today.

- As far as we have been able to ascertain, the three Sonatas for the Young, Op. 118 have never been issued on CD before and are therefore a very welcome addition to the CD catalogue.

- These sonatas were written by Schumann in 1853, during his last great spell of creativity, for three of his (seven) children and dedicated to them. The composer did not write them for performance in the concert hall, so they have been neglected as recital pieces, but they are absolutely ideal for listening to at home.

- Ronald Brautigam has an outstanding reputation as a performer of Schumann's music and this CD, with Vol. II, which will be released later in the year, will give a comprehensive insight in Schumann's handling of the Sonata form of which he was one of the great exponents or the 19th century

Ronald Brautigam was born in Amsterdam in 1954. He studied at the Amsterdam Sweelinck Conservatory, the Royal Academy of Music in London and with Rudolf Serkin in the USA. He appeared in England, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia and Switzerland. In April 1984 he made his London debut with the London Sinfonietta conducted by Simon Rattle, playing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue in the Royal Albert Hall during the Prom Concerts. In October 1984 he made his equally successful debut in the USA with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, playing Mozart's Piano Concerto in A Major, K 488. In 1988 he played for the first time in Japan, with orchestras in Osaka, Sapporo and Nagoya. He made several recordings for Philips, CBS and Etcetera for which he acquired the coveted Edison Award. Decca has contracted him for a series of recordings with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Riccardo Chailly. With the same orchestra, and Frans Brüggen as conductor, he played Mozart in Salzburg in December 1991. Ronald Brautigam is Professor of piano at the Amsterdam Sweelinck Conservatory.