Editor's Notes: Academy Records is especially delighted to introduce this new recording of Robert Schumann's beautiful masterpiece "Album for the Young, Op 68." Replete with the self-expression and poetic lyricism characteristic of the 19th century, these lovely pieces are a wonderful introduction to piano music from the Romantic era. In Schumann's own words, the pieces in this collection contain "... ideas, imaginations and imminent experiences of younger people." Schumann completed the "Album" in less than a month and wrote to a friend "I couldn't remember ever having been in such a good mood as when I wrote these pieces. They flooded out one after another..." The final result was a collection of forty-three miniatures that integrate teaching purposes with the highest musical standard. In this work, Schumann seems to accomplish the impossible: the succesfful uniting of musical sophistication with pianistic simplicity, never sacrificing the expression and character which make these pieces sound so appealing. Academy Records hopes that you and your students will find this to be an inspiring addition to your listening library. Ms. Hidy's interpretations closely follow "Schumann: Album for the Young, Op 68," Edited by Keith Snell, Neil A. Kjos Music Company, Publisher (GP386). This edition is available from your favorite music dealer. Sincerely, Keith Snell, Producer Academy Records, Inc. Artist Notes: Pianist Diane Hidy made her Carnegie Hall debut in 1991 after completing her studies with John Perry and Leon Fleisher. In 1987 Diane was the first woman to become a Fellow of the American Pianists Association and in 1982 was the winner of the MTNA Collegiate Artist Competition. She has performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra s First Prize winner of the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition. Diane attended the Juilliard School of Music, and holds music degrees from the University of Southern California and the Peabody Conservatory of Music. She spent her high school years in Seattle, Washington, where she was a student of Michiko Miyamoto. Diane and her husband, J. Tony Smith, live in San Francisco, CA, where she teaches young beginners through advanced high school students and adults.