In 1849, a year during which political upheavals still resonated across Europe, Schumann wrote three song cycles which combined solo songs, duets and quartets. He turned again to the works of a favorite poet, Friedrich Ruckert, for Minnespiel, with its underlying religious theme, of which three of the eight settings are heard on this recording- a charming Spring setting, a duet, and the final quartet. Both Spanish cycles imply dramatic narratives between a girl and a boy. In Spanisches Liederspiel the music in places evokes Spanish rhythms such as the bolero, while its sequel, Spanische Liebeslieder, advances the cycle concept by employing piano duet accompaniment.