Piano Concerto (Schumann)

The Piano Concerto in A minor, Op 54 is a romantic solo concerto for piano and orchestra by Robert Schumann. He completed the Concerto in 1845 and led it in December of the year for the first time on. The concert, which was created during the high romance, carries many characteristics of the Romantic era. Like some other piano concertos of the 19th century, the A minor Concerto has a symphonic character (see fusion principle). Since the work was initially conceived as imagination, the entire concert is under romantic and fantastic impressions. Schumann required for completing the delayed more than five years. On the title page of the autograph Schumann refers to the different dates of origin of the rates.

Formation

Schumann had already made ​​some attempts at composition of piano concertos. In 1828 he began a concert in E flat major and from 1829 to 1831 he worked on a Concerto in F major, but none of this work was completed. On 10 January of the year 1833 Schumann expressed for the first time the idea to write a piano concerto in A minor. In a letter to his future father Friedrich Wieck he put it: "I think I needed to go from the Piano Concerto in C major or A minor. " Finally emerged in 1841 from 17 to 20 May, the fantasy for piano and orchestra in A minor. Schumann tried unsuccessfully to install this movement work among publishers. The Allegro affettuoso designated for piano with accompaniment of the orchestra, Op 48 set could be sold in any single publisher. In August 1841 and in January 1843 Schumann revised the sentence, but was unsuccessful. So he decided to the work to a piano concert enlarge. 1845 added Schumann added an intermezzo and a rondo and completed the Piano Concerto.

The first performance of the first movement ( imagination ) took place on January 13, 1841 at the Leipzig Gewandhaus with soloist Clara Schumann. The full three -movement version was again premiered in Dresden on December 4, 1845 with his wife Clara Schumann at the piano and Ferdinand Hiller as conductor. The concert was recorded unlike many piano concertos of the Romantic with enthusiasm. Clara Schumann wrote after the premiere: " ... as rich in invention as interesting from beginning to end, it's as fresh and what a nice coherent whole thing! "

About the Music

Occupation

Schumann chooses the usual occupation for concerts of early Romanticism for his Piano Concerto in A minor. The orchestra consists of pairs occurring flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns and trumpets. In addition, timpani and string orchestra medium, but quite symphonic size. The Duration of the concert, depending on interpretation about 35 minutes.

1st movement: Allegro affettuoso

The main theorem of the A minor concerto is named Allegro affettuoso, had its origins in the imagination -movement assumed. The movement is in 4/4-time. Like most works of Schumann, the concert is under the impression of the conflict between the stormy Florestan and the dreamy Eusebius.

The monumental movement in A minor begins with a dominant impact of the orchestra. On these exposure chord followed by a downward collapsing, rhythmically incisive and appropriate to the ideal of Florestan chord progression of the solo piano. Only then is heard, performed by the woodwinds, which the ideal of Eusebius appropriate, dreamy main theme. The melody is played by the first oboe and begins with the notes C - H - A - A, which are available for the Italian spelling of the first name Chiara by Robert Schuman's wife Clara Schumann, who has worked as a soloist at the premiere of the Piano Concerto.

In the course of the first movement Schumann varies this theme varied ways. During the solo instrument is devoted to the main idea of the concert, the strings begin to intone a flore stani between provided with syncope side thought ( bar 41 ). As a result, this idea is dominant by the main theme quietly urging returns in varied form.

It is followed by a marked Animato page block up to the end of Schumann introduces a second theme, which does not, however, reached the rank of the main theme.

With a Grodzka action, the implementation of the main clause begins (bar 156). This has almost the rank of an independent central part. In A-flat major, the metric modified main theme of piano arpeggios is lapped. Suddenly chords of the Florestan theme interrupt the peace of the main theme. It is a fight between two ideals which characterizes the further implementation with rapid changes of soli and tutti.

With further increases and the modulation provided for in A minor, the recapitulation is produced, which again brings the exposure almost literally. The last tense increase brings forth ( clock 402) a solo cadenza of monumental size and virtuosity. It is undoubtedly the culmination of the sentence.

In the coda, a throbbing, mysterious 2/4-Rhythmus dominated the action. This is transformed into a little later militant Davidsbündlermarsch. With four tutti chords of the main movement of the concerto ends.

2nd set: Intermezzo

The second movement in F major begins with a delicate melody played by strings and piano. It follows the theme of the movement with the onset of cellos, and therefore takes over the piano a more accompanying function. The following is a small restatement of the theme from the first movement before directly then the third movement begins.

3rd movement: Allegro vivace

The theme of this movement in A major is introduced by the piano peppy about the powerful orchestral accompaniment. Overall, the set is characterized by an extremely varied range of color and full piano, with interesting temporal structures. The finale offers powerful bass lines of the piano and ends dramatically over a timpani roll.

Intention

Despite its three movements, the work has retained the character of a fantasy. The basic idea of the work are longing and the happiness of two people loving themselves. Schumann sets in this work his struggle to Clara Wieck musically to. The main theme of the first movement is similar to the melody of the Florestan 's aria from Beethoven's opera Fidelio. Congruent to Beethoven, this topic is also in Schumann for conjugal devotion and struggle for freedom. A particular concern is Schumann in all his works, the fight against philistinism. Even in his A minor Concerto, the fight against philistine properties will be fought musically.

Reception

The contemporary reception of the work was very positive. Particular emphasis was the skillful, colorful and independent treatment of the orchestra, which piano and orchestra alike leave the room. Thus, the Leipziger Allgemeine Zeitung praised the music composition at December 31:

The Dresden evening newspaper praised the " absolutely independent, beautiful and interesting guided treatment of the orchestra ," and recognizes that the strong " retreat of the piano part in the background " could be quite seen as progress.