The 8 pieces of Kreisleriana, Op. 16 are contrasting in mood. The literary reference of Kreisleriana is the novel Kater Murr by E.T.A. Hoffmann, where a musician writes events of his life, that are reinterpreted by his cat on the back of the page. Schumann's music successfully translates the whimsical nature of the novel with sharp contrasts between the poetic and the ironic. The title of the Humoreske, Op. 20 derives from the term humor that refers to mood in general. The piece is characterized by the juxtaposition of several emotional states usually without any transitional preparation from one to the other. Schumann cherished this work and in a letter to his beloved Clara on March 11, 1839 he writes: "I have been sitting the whole week at the pianoforte, composing, laughing and crying all at once, you will find this all beautifully depicted in my Op. 20, the great Humoreske." The Artist: Sergio Gallo received his degrees from the Conservatoire Europien de Musique in Paris (Diplome d'Excellence), the Franz Liszt Academy of Budapest, Hungary, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (Master of Music and Artist Diploma), and the University of California (DMA). He has performed with orchestras throughout the Americas and has recorded recitals for Radio France and Radio Cultura. He has performed solo recitals in Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, as well as in major cities in the United States. Dr. Gallo serves on the faculty of the Music Department at the University of North Dakota. "Sergio Gallo performed the second book from images by Debussy not only with poetic imagination but also with tender tone and fascinating bravura, qualities one would say, not easily found in young pianists. In addition, the piece Festa no Serto by Villa-Lobos, which closed the recital, was performed with amazing temperament, richness of feeling and grandeur." Hungarian Press