CD 1:
Symphony No. 1 in B flat Major, Op. 38 (Spring)
Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major, Op. 97 (Rhenish)
Concert introduction by Roger Norrington to Symphony No. 1 (in English)
Concert introduction by Roger Norrington to Symphony No. 3 (in English)

CD 2:
Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120
Concert introduction by Roger Norrington to Symphony No. 2 (in English)
Concert introduction by Roger Norrington to Symphony No. 4 (in English)

Robert Schumann’s four symphonies represent the highs and lows of the composer’s life unlike any other of his works. They were composed between 1840 (shortly after his marriage to Clara Schumann) and 1853 (at which point his mental health problems were becoming apparent). They were a leap into the unknown for the young composer, at least as far as the first symphony is concerned; previously he had focused on piano and Lied repertoire. In the following years, Schumann’s life was a series of short, carefree episodes that alternated with considerably longer periods marked by pressing worries – recognition often gave way to criticism and rejection. These were the composer’s personal circumstances when writing the four symphonies.

Roger Norrington’s artistic credo is the faithful rendition of a composer’s intentions, made all the more important here when considering both Schumann’s background and the epoch in which he lived and worked. During Norrington’s thirteen years as chief conductor of the former Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (which merged with its sister orchestra from Baden-Baden to form the SWR Symphonieorchester in 2016), he adhered to historically informed performance practice, applying the characteristics of period style to the modern symphony orchestra.