1840 was the year when Schumann finally became engaged to his beloved Clara following a long and acrimonious legal battle with the girl's father who had refused to give his consent for the marriage. 1840 was also the year when Schumanns piano-only life as a composer ended he wrote no less than 168 songs; no one else can surely have demonstrated their love and the achievement in securing marriage to their beloved by such a monumental offering. The songs have inner messages too, for example Widmung, the first of 26 songs in the collection entitled Myrthen (track 1, CD 4): Rckerts opening line Du meine Seele, du mein Herz is obviously addressed to Clara as his Soul and Heart and then he exalts her by quoting the melody of Schuberts Ave Maria in the postlude.
CD 1
Tracks 1 - 12: Liederkreis Op. 39
Tracks 13 - 28: Dichterliebe Op. 48
Tracks 29-37: Liederkreis

CD 2
Tracks 1 - 12: 12 Gedichte Op. 35
Tracks 13 - 20: Frauenliebe und -leben Op. 42
Tracks 21 - 29: 3 Gesnge Op. 31 (1990 Digital Remaster)

CD 3
Tracks 1 - 3: Drei Gedichte von Emanuel Geibel Op. 30
Tracks 4 - 9: Sechs Gedichte eines Malers Op. 36
Tracks 10 - 12: Romanzen und Balladen Heft I Op. 45
Tracks 13 - 16 Romanzen und Balladen Heft II Op. 49
Tracks 17 - 20: Romanzen und Balladen Heft III Op. 53
Tracks 21 - 25: Fnf Lieder aus dem Dnischen und Neugriechischen Op. 40

CD 4
Tracks 1 - 26: Myrthen Lieder Op. 25
Tracks 27 - 38: Zwlf Gedichte aus F. Rckert's Liebesfrhling, Op. 37

CD 5
Track 1: Faust Szenen zu Goethes Tragdie fr Soli, Chor & Orchester - - Ouvertre Chor des Stdt. Musikvereins zu Dsseldorf
Tracks 2 - 4: Erste Abteilung
Tracks 5 - 7: Zweite Abteilung

Tracks 1 - 7: Nr.7 Fausts Verklrung
Tracks 8 - 17: Spanische Liebeslieder Op. 138
Tracks 18 - 21: 20 Lieder und Gesange aus dem Lyrischen Intermezzo im buch der Lieder