The debut solo album of French cellist Juliette Herlin — noted for having given the first performances since 1919 of a lost cello sonata by Camille Saint-Saëns — pairs her with Canadian pianist Kevin Ahfat. This repertoire features original works for cello and piano (Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Debussy’s Cello Sonata, etc.) as well as song transcriptions, exploring the subtle connections between Robert Schumann and Debussy, whose works share a profound musical intimacy. Dialogue offers a unique perspective on both composers’ craft in the art song genre and the expressive possibilities of the cello. “What all these pieces share is the two composers’ pursuit of a musical language defined by deep introspection, lyrical expression, and fantasy,” says Herlin.