Christian Gerhaher and his long-time pianist partner Gerold Huber have embarked on a Schumann Lieder project; the first volume ‘Frage’ is just out and combines groups of songs – or song-cycles as Gerhaher argues – from 1840 and 1850 and includes the Kerner-Lieder.

Gerhaher and Huber were in London recently to perform Schubert’s Winterreise at Wigmore Hall and for this week's podcast Gramophone’s James Jolly caught up with Gerhaher to talk about his passion for Schumann, the two great years of song, 1840 and 1850, and Gerhaher’s belief that every group of songs under a single opus is a cycle. The album ‘Frage’ will be reviewed in Gramophone’s February issue, out soon.

You can listen to the Podcast above. To hear other Gramophone podcasts, or to subscribe for free to new editions, search for 'Gramophone Magazine' in your Podcast application of choice, or visit Gramophone's page at iTunes.

(Photo: Sony Classical / Gregor Hohenberg)