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This album expresses the heart of Romanticism that celebrates Robert Schumann at his most visionary, intimate, and electrifying. It features some of Schumann’s most beloved works, revealing the full spectrum of his poetic imagination and virtuosic fire. The Piano Sonata No. 2 surges with restless energy and dramatic contrasts, where heroic gestures collide with moments of haunting introspection. In the Symphonic Études, dazzling virtuosity meets profound emotional depth, each variation unfolding like a character in a psychological drama—bold, lyrical, and relentlessly inventive.
Balancing this grandeur are two jewels of Romantic character writing. Arabeske, tender and songful, offers a moment of luminous reflection, its delicate lines infused with quiet longing. Papillons, inspired by masked dances and fleeting encounters, whirls with charm and fantasy, capturing Schumann’s playful spirit and dreamlike elegance.
Together, these works form a compelling portrait of Schumann’s inner world—passionate, poetic, and unpredictable. This album is an invitation to experience Romantic piano music at its most vivid: a journey from stormy intensity to whispered intimacy, brought to life through virtuoso brilliance and deep musical storytelling.
Tracks
Sonata in No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
- I. So rasch wie möglich
- II. Andantino. Getragen
- III. Scherzo. Sehr rasch und markiert
- IV. Rondo. Presto possible, Prestissimo, quasi cadenza
The Symphonic Etudes (Études Symphoniques), Op. 13
- Thema – Andante
- 2) Etude I (Variation 1) – Un poco più vivo
- 3) Etude II (Variation 2) – Espressivo
- 4) Etude III – Vivace
- 5) Etude IV (Variation 3) – Allegro marcato
- 6) Etude V (Variation 4) – Scherzando
- 7) Etude VI (Variation 5) – Agitato
- 8) Etude VII (Variation 6) – Allegro molto
- 9) Etude VIII (Variation 7) – Sempre marcatissimo
- 10) Etude IX – Presto possibile
- 11) Etude X (Variation 8) – Sempre con energia
- 12) Etude XI (Variation 9) – Con espressione
- 13) Etude XII (Finale) – Allegro brillante
Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18
Papillons, Op. 2
Press
“Impeccable musicianship and beauty… Five stars.This is a Schumann recital to treasure.Very strongly recommended.” -Jerry Dubins, Fanfare Magazine Full Review
“This is Sophia Agranovich’s twelfth album. Each has revealed a virtuoso of uncommon technical accomplishment and a unique interpretive perspective. Many earlier releases have been reviewed here and critics have been unanimous in their positive reactions,, a fairly uncommon situation…”
“Agranovich is a high energy player who displays great intensity and is able to balance local detail with the long line to a degree fairly rare among contemporary pianists. Local rubato is applied generously, but a large-scale piece like the Symphonic Variations also reveals a carefully plotted overall narrative.“
“This is often thought to be one of the most difficult to play of Schumann’s piano works, but one would never guess that here; Agranovich is in complete control at all times. The theme is handled with great sensitivity. The fast sections, such as Variation 1 and Etude 3, feature superb clarity and crisp articulation. Variation 4 has a wonderfully light touch. Not all is powerful extroversion. Variation 9 really sings in its longer lines. The repetitious material in the Finale is nicely varied through control of dynamics and articulation.The G-minor Sonata receives a highly-charged interpretation, emphasizing contrast in the opening movement through imaginative phrasing. This is again in evidence in the second movement; the central section is beautifully done.”
“The Prestissimo Coda of the final movement is a real tour de force... The early Papillons is a work in a similar vein. The playfulness and fantasy of the piece are brought to the fore with an impressively wide gradation of touch. Phrasing is highly flexible throughout; bar lines simply disappear.“
“This is great Schumann playing. It belongs in the company of interpreters like Richter, Nat, Perahia—name your favorites.…. Highly recommended. Five Stars: a superb new entry in Agranovich’s expanding discography of Romantic masterworks.” –Michael Vaillancourt, Fanfare Magazine Full Review
“Supremely performed…the keystrokes are gloriously textured...Her touch here is exquisite, and is to be respected in its consistency…Stunning…incredibly intimate.”
“She has crafted her presentation of, A Reverie of the Soul: Piano Works by Robert Schumann to such a high standard, that the word glorious is simply not enough, this halcyon manifestation of brilliance shines light a beacon of hope on the horizon of modern classical piano performances.” -Steve Sheppard, OneWorld Music Radio Full Review
“A Reverie of the Soul is a release well worth having. Sophia Agranovich is an excellent Schumann pianist who makes her case for the bolder, more openly Romantic side of Schumann eloquently and well. Highly recommended. Five stars: Excellent collection of Schumann’s bolder, more impassioned piano pieces.” –Mark Gabrish Conlan, Fanfare Magazine
“A Reverie of the Soul: Piano Works by Robert Schumann is another brilliant work of art from Sophia Agranovich… Very highly recommended to classical music lovers and those who appreciate incredible piano performances!” -Kathy Parsons, MainlyPiano Full Review
“Agranovich’s gorgeous and eloquent rendering of the opening movement’s lyrical second theme is pure gold.… Agranovich plays beautifully, with each Étude accorded its individuality, all the while maintaining a sense of proportion and flow throughout the work…
The Arabeske and Papillons exude delicacy and songful poetry… Agranovich’s flexibility of phrasing, and willingness to linger over passages, evoke a bygone golden age of pianism. May there always be a place for this kind of music-making. On balance, a most lovely Schumann recital.” -Ken Meltzer, Fanfare Magazine
“Dazzling virtuosity meets profound emotional depth… Agranovich balances local detail with large-scale narrative thrust… Her approach to this technically demanding work suggests complete command without displaying mere virtuosity… The 19 pieces suggest literary allusion and psychological complexity characteristic of Schumann’s mature imagination. Agranovich’s flexibility of phrasing and willingness to linger over passages evoke golden-age pianism without sacrificing contemporary technical standards.
The recording captures keyboard tone with warmth and impressive clarity. This album establishes itself as significant contribution to Schumann interpretation. Agranovich’s commitment to technical integrity alongside emotional authenticity creates rewarding encounter with demanding Romantic repertoire.” – Prince Iwundu, AllMusic Full review
“This Schumann program is titled A Reverie of the Soul. It begins “as fast as possible” and ends with the fluttering of butterflies. Agranovich has a dozen CDs to her credit and more awards than imaginable, along with performances at most of the world’s major concert venues. Her Schumann is both brilliant and beautiful… incredible technical command… an outstanding performance.”
“Agranovich plays this beautiful rondo with a sense of “intimacy and emotional depth” as she writes in her excellent program notes… I have never heard this work played with as much imagination as here. Many, many Schumann piano recitals are in my library and it seems that more appear for nearly every issue. This one is special and will remain in my active listening stack for some time to come.”
Five stars: world-class performances of several of Schumann’s greatest piano works. -James Harrington, Fanfare Magazine Full Review
Live Concert Performances
Excerpts from the Symphonic Études Op. 13 – Playlist
AWARDS for this Album
European International Music Awards
Gold Medals: Best Classical Instrumental Solo and Best Classical Instrumentalist
European International Classical Music Awards
Platinum Award; Highest Score; Artist of the Month
Radio Music Awards of the Indie Music Channel
Best Classical Recording and Best Instrumental Recording
LIT International Music Awards
Platinum Awards: Best Classical Album and Best World Classical Album
Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8, 1810, Zwickau – July 29, 1856, Bonn) was one of the most significant composers of the 19th century and a pioneering music critic. His works represent some of the purest expressions of Romanticism in music.
Schumann co-founded the influential journal Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, where he championed new talent and advocated for the ideals of Romanticism. In both his writings and compositions, he created and used fictional alter egos—passionate Florestan and introspective Eusebius—to express contrasting aspects of his personality and musical vision. Even his early works stand out for their originality and emotional depth.
An idealist, Schumann opposed shallow virtuosity and championed artistic integrity. In 1834, disillusioned with the state of music in Germany, he founded the imaginary “Davidsbund” (League of David) to symbolically fight against artistic mediocrity and convention.
~ From the liner notes by Sophia Agranovich
Full Liner Notes | Album Booklet
Sophia Agranovich—multi-award-winning pianist, recording artist, educator, producer, and artistic director—is internationally acclaimed for her breathtaking virtuosity and profound sensitivity. Fanfare celebrates her as “a bold, daring pianist in the tradition of the Golden Age Romantics…a tigress of the keyboard,” while OneWorld Music Radio lauds her as “one of the most accomplished classical pianists of her day.” Magazine di Arte e Cultura describes her as “a reincarnation of Liszt in a postmodern guise.” Her performances captivate with what Audiophile calls “an orison of uncommon beauty,” and the American Record Guide commends her for an “interpretation that dares to be different… magnificent shading and superior musicianship.”
A Steinway Artist, Sophia Agranovich has graced concert stages around the world. Recently she played solo concerts at the Pennautier Festival and Juan-les-Pins in France where she premiered compositions dedicated to her by Françoise Choveaux, and was invited to China and Brazil. Other major festivals she had participated in is Les Arts George V in Paris, Festival Musicale delle Nazioni in Rome, and Aspen in US. Some of her prestigious venues are David Geffen Hall, Bruno Walter Auditorium and Paul Hall at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall, Roerich and Metropolitan museums, Steinway Hall and galleries, Sieminski Theater, Bargemusic, Tenri Cultural Institute, Polish Cultural Foundation, Lambert Castle, Watchung Arts Center, Salle Cortot, Théâtre Na Loba, American Cathedral in Paris, Regent Hall, Mozarthaus, Ehrbarsaal, Gesellschaft für Musiktheater, Kaiser Hall, Sala Baldini, Teatro di Marcello. She is also performing worldwide at colleges, universities, museums and libraries. Ms. Agranovich has collaborated with Mark Peskanov, Shlomo Mintz, Christopher Collins Lee, Andrew Litton, Alexander Mishnaevsky, Andrew Lamy, Brett Deubner, Gregory Singer, Anatole Wieck, Rupam Sarmah, Lili Haydn, Hamid Saeidi, Kathleen Supove, award-winning Emmy, Grammy, and Billboard top ten musical artists, and members of the major orchestras.
Sophia Agranovich co-produced and released 12 albums and several singles. Her recordings are charting in top 10 across all musical genres on One World Music Radio and on World Top Radio Airplay Charts. Her discography received outstanding reviews and includes ‘Romantic Virtuoso Masterpieces’ (works by Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Scriabin), ‘Franz Liszt – Bicentennial Tribute’ (‘Un Sospiro’, ‘La Campanella’, Rhapsodie Espagnole, Sonata in b minor); ‘Passion and Fantasy’ (Beethoven: ‘Appassionata’, Chopin: Fantaisie and Sonata in b minor); Brahms and Schumann: Piano Works (including complete Brahms-Paganini Variations); Schubert: ‘Wanderer’ Fantasie and Chopin: 4 Ballades; Schumann: Carnaval and Fantasie; Chopin: Polonaise-Fantaisie and Nocturne Op. 48 No.1, Liszt: complete Sonnetti del Petrarca, ‘Dante’ Sonata, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 14; Chopin: Sonata in B-flat Minor, 4 Scherzi, Polonaise ‘Héroïque’; ‘In Celebration of 250th Anniversary of Beethoven’ (Fantasie Op. 77, Sonatas ‘Pathétique’, ‘Moonlight’, ‘Tempest’): ‘Liszt: Rhapsodies, Études and Transcriptions’ (Hungarian Rhapsodies No. 6 and No. 13, Études d’exécution transcendante ‘Ricordanza’ and ‘Mazeppa’, Schubert/Liszt Ständchen. Erlkönig, Die Forelle); ‘Album Leaf: Piano Works by Felix Mendelssohn’ (Fantasia in F-sharp minor Sonate ecossaise, Albumblatt in A minor, Caprice in A minor, Variations serieuses, complete Etudes, Rondo Capriccioso); ‘A Reverie of the Soul: Piano Works by Robert Schumann’ (Sonata No.2, Symphonic Etudes, Arabeske, Papillons).
Ms. Agranovich is a First Place Winner of The American Prize in Piano Solo, Mykola Lysenko International Competition—former Ukrainian Young Artists Competition, and Bergen Philharmonic Competition. She is a recipient of 3 Gold and 17 Silver Medals from Global Music Awards, 4 Gold awards from One Earth Awards, 2 Best Instrumentalist awards from InterContinental Music Awards, Master Prize and Best Beethoven Performance from Beethoven International Competition, 2 Gold Medals from Prestige Music Awards, Best Classical Artist and Best Classical Solo from World Entertainment Awards, Diamond Prize and Best Schubert Performance from Schubert International Competition, Diamond Prize and Best Debussy Performance Special Award from the Claude Debussy International Music Competition, Diamond/Platinum and Artist awards from World Classical Music Awards, Grand Prize from UK International Music Competition, Best Classical Solo / Best Classical Album / Hall of Fame from Akademia Music Awards; 6 Best Classical Piano Albums and Best Classical Performance from Clouzine International Music Awards, 2 Best Classical Artist / Best Female Classical Artist / 4 Best Classical Recording / Best Instrumental Recording from Radio Music Awards, Best Classical Recording and Hall of Fame from Indie Music Channel, 14 Platinum / 3 Gold / 2 Instrumentalist of the Year awards from LIT International Music Awards, Best Classical Album from One World Music Radio, 2 Gold medals from European International Music Awards, 2 Gold medals from European International Music Awards, Platinum award from European International Classical Music Awards, Steinway Top Teacher Award, Industry Leader and Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Awards and more.
Her albums and live concerts are broadcast worldwide, most recently in Brazil on Universidade FM 106.9 “Company of the Music”, in Canada on CKWR and Grand101.1 FM “Women in Music”, Berlin, Munich, Rome, New Zealand, London, Tokyo, Osaka, Southampton, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Paris, Tel-Aviv, Taiwan, Canary Islands, WMNR Fine Arts Radio, SiriusXM, NPR WLPR-FM “Art on the Air”, WQXR Greene Space live with Elliott Forrest, on WWFM “Between the Keys” with Jed Distler, WWFM “Piano Matters” and WQXR “Reflections from the Keyboard” with David Dubal.
A native of Ukraine, Sophia Agranovich won the Mykola Lysenko International Competition at ten, being the youngest participant. At thirteen she performed Concerto in E minor by Chopin in Chernivtsi, Lviv and Kyiv. Her concerts were broadcast on national TV and radio stations. Her teachers in Ukraine were professors Anna Stolarevich and Alexander Edelmann, peers of Vladimir Horowitz in the class of Felix Blumenfeld and disciples of Heinrich Neuhaus. At fifteen, Ms. Agranovich entered the Juilliard School in New York City as a student of legendary professor Sascha Gorodnitzki, who himself was a student of Josef Lhevinne (peer of Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin). While at Juilliard, she also studied with Nadia Reisenberg, a disciple of the St. Petersburg piano school of Leonid Nikolaev and student of Hofmann and Alexander Lambert – student of Franz Liszt.
Ms. Agranovich earned Bachelor and Master Degrees from the Juilliard School, holding full scholarship and a Fellowship teaching Piano Minor at Juilliard. After graduating Juilliard, Ms. Agranovich began working towards her Doctorate at the Columbia University, but deferred that pursuit to raise a family.
Sophia Agranovich is an esteemed pedagogue, lecturer, master class clinician, adjudicator, and is a recipient of numerous teaching awards. Her students often win top prizes in regional, national and international competitions and are playing at prestigious venues and internationally. They had been accepted to Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, New York University, Mannes College and other notable universities. Their performances were broadcast on radio and TV, including WWFM “Kids on Keys” and WQXR “Young Artists Showcase”. Ms. Agranovich is an active member of various professional music organizations, listed annually in “Who’s Who in America” and “Who’s Who in the World”, has been featured in American Record Guide, Fanfare Magazine, New York Times, The Whole Note, Broadway World, World Culture Times, Musical America, FOX News, News ABC and other major media and news outlets. She is a voting member of NARAS (GrammysR) and GrammyU mentor, Artistic Director of “Classicals at the Circle” music series at the Watchung Arts Center and a Program Chair of Music Educators Association of New Jersey.