Nachtstücke

The Nocturnes, Op 23 is a 1839 piano cycle composed by Robert Schumann. The title derives from the same narratives ETA Hoffmann from, with which the four places emphasizes monotonous character pieces are connected by their gloomy atmosphere.

Content

The first piece, a peculiar monotonous march in C major ( more slowly, often restrained ), is characterized by a rhythm, similar to Gustav Mahler, often falters, so nothing Munter - Decorative has and despite the Tongeschlechts a quirky funeral march recalls.

Already the first clock begins harmonically ambiguous, the original key is not reached until the third clock for a brief moment. Three different sized couplets and modify the rhythm by ostinato figures, without ever quite oust him.

The Terzraumabstieg known from Humoresque and Kreisleriana determined, in the first couplet from bar 9, the movement of the upper voices in uniform areas, while it ( 25 to 38 clock ) is a quaver movement in the tenor in the second section, the in from bar 33 the upper voice is doubled. In the third, canonical processing of clock 49-73 Schumann takes the momentum back to pianissimo. Only the last chorus, with its grand fortissimo episode corresponds to the usual notions of a gloomy funeral march, until the piece comes to a halt again and died away pianissimo a ritardando movement.

The motif also quite monotonous second composition in D minor ( Marks and lively) reminds the one hand, capricious, on the other hand, contrapuntal elements in a macabre graveyard vision.

A pianistic and tonally different world opens in a striking third piece ( with great animation ) in D flat major, whose vigor and wild motor to the boisterous dance fantasies ( Davidsbündlertänze op 6, Carnaval op 9 ) of the previous piano cycles remember. The peppy, first from the left, later played by the right hand eighth movements are of a grotesque, staccato quarters marked Capriccio ( clock 165-204 ) interrupted in F sharp minor, which is followed by a coda.

The last piece (ad libitum), a simple round song, has something poetic - balancing end. It ends the cycle with a settled between choral and folk style melody that is interrupted by frequent breaks and garnished by a Arpeggienbewegung the right hand, which is reminiscent of a lute or guitar accompaniment.

Background

Schumann was familiar with the work of Hoffmann and had read his nocturnes, which anknüpfte the author at his Fantasy Pieces in Callot's Manner. In his new collection Hoffmann emphasized, however, the less haughty effusive spell power of romance, but underlined the eerie and unfathomable, alluded to dark forces that are hidden in the depths of the soul.

Schumann's night pieces that are joined together by a similar motifs include, in addition to the Faschingsschwank to the last, begun in Vienna piano compositions.

His diary familiar Schumann on 31 March 1839 that he had " written a Leichenphantasie " to, mentioned " strange hunches " and the departure of his brother Edward. Was a letter from the previous day appeared to him as " the harbinger " of his death, Eduard actually died on 6 April 1839. Schumann, who had not yet received the message the following day, wrote in a letter to Clara to have seen in the composition of " funerals, coffins, unhappy, desperate people ."

The originally contemplated by him headings of the four pieces " funeral ", " Nocturnal binge ", " curiose society" and " roundelay with solo voice", recreate the atmosphere of the tales of Hoffmann recognize where meet also peculiar companies whose nocturnal revelry the Whimsical Demonic can break into your everyday life.