Music / Shimmying with the Schumanns, Sarahlouise Owens, soprano, Natalia Tkachenko, piano. Wesley Music Centre, September 6. Reviewed by LEN POWER.

In presenting songs and music by Robert and Clara Schumann as well as Johannes Brahms, soprano Sarahlouise Owens and pianist Natalia Tkachenko provided a rich program of romantic, spiritual and dramatic power.

Owens has established herself as a busy concert artist and recitalist of Art Song since her return to Australia from studies at Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester and a career in Europe.

Tkachenkov after graduating from the Moscow State Institute of Music and worked extensively in Russia, France, Germany and South Korea before coming to  Canberra.

Clara Wieck was a piano virtuoso who fell in love at an early age with the composer, Robert Schumann, in 1836. Clara’s father refused permission for them to marry, but, after a court battle, they were free to marry without her father’s consent in 1840, when she was 21. In 1853, the young Johannes Brahms called on Robert Schumann with a letter of introduction. He became part of their household and proved to be a tower of strength for Clara during Robert’s later bouts of mental illness.

The program began with Robert Schumann’s Widmung (Dedication) from Myrthen Op.23, a song cycle written as a wedding present to Clara. Owens’ beautifully clear soprano and her skill at presenting the right level of emotion in the song made this the perfect choice for the start of the program.

Owens then presented Liederkreis (song cycle) Op. 39 by Robert Schumann, 12 musical pieces set to the words of poet Joseph von Eichendorff. The cycle ranged through a wide variety of emotions and Owens expertly captured the spirit of each. Her dramatic skills were particularly notable in the piece Forest Conversation where the Lorelei was fiercely portrayed.

Pianist, Natalia Tkachenko, then played Brahms’ Variations on Theme of R. Schumann “Clara” Op.9. This rich, romantic work was played superbly by Tchakeno, bringing out all the warmth and feeling in the composition.

The large program continued with works by Brahms, Clara and Robert Schumann. The four pieces in Aus Jucunde (from Joy) by Clara Schumann were one of the highlights, as was the Spanish Song Op. 6 by Brahms and a selection from Brahms’ Songs and Romances Op.14.

Owens was in fine voice throughout this lengthy concert and her presentation of pertinent information about the relationship of the Schumanns with Brahms was polished and highly interesting.

This excellent concert finished with Schubert’s dramatic Erlkõnig as an encore. Both Owens and Tkachenko gave this thrilling work a performance to remember.