Amanda Maier; Edvard Grieg; Clara Schumann - Kindred Spirits (Lea & Esther Birringer)

Information

• Amanda Maier - 6 Pieces for Violin and Piano
• Edvard Grieg - Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, Op. 13
• Clara Schumann - 3 Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22
• Amanda Maier - Violin Sonata in B Minor

Lea Birringer, violin

Esther Birringer, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Rubicon Classics

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Sisters Lea and Esther Birringer’s new Rubicon release features a recital program highlighting three musically and socially interconnected composers, centered around Swedish violinist and composer Amanda Röntgen-Maier (1853–1894). The first female to graduate as Music Director from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Röntgen-Maier studied under Carl Reinecke in Leipzig before marrying composer-pianist Julius Röntgen. Though her compositional output remains slender, this album captures her expressive violin sonata and short works alongside her broader legacy, one enriched by vibrant artistic exchanges with prominent salon contemporaries, including Brahms, Clara Schumann, Grieg, Joachim, and Ethel Smyth.

Violin and piano duo Lea and Esther Birringer are recognized among today's most prominent sibling ensembles, acclaimed for their uncompromising quality, magnetic charisma, and inventive programming. After gaining international renown in 2011 with top honors at the Premio Vittorio Gui and Pinerolo competitions, the sisters built an impressive joint discography featuring acclaimed releases on Rubicon Classics, including Lifelines and the award-nominated Di tanti palpiti. Their 2026 album, Kindred Spirits, highlights their artistic synergy through works by Amanda Röntgen-Maier, Edvard Grieg, and Clara Schumann, illuminating the deep biographical ties between these composers while showcasing Röntgen-Maier’s rediscovered oeuvre alongside her famous contemporaries.

High Resolution 24-bit / 48 kHz