So rach we moglich; Andantino; Scherzo, sehr rasch und markiert; Rondo, presto
Robert
Schumann (1810-1856),
as a composer and critic, was a central figure and driving force of German
Romanticism in the first half of the 19th century. His music embodies the Romantic spirit's
emphasis on heightened contrasts, emotions, and imagination, as represented by
his opposing literary characters: the fiery and tempestuous Florestan and the
lyrical and contemplative Eusebius (under whose names Schumann wrote
pseudonymously).
As a composer who tended to explore
one genre at a time, Schumann spent the 1830's almost exclusively composing
piano music for Clara Wieck Schumann, who, by
that time, had already become a famous pianist.
His three piano sonatas are early works; he seems to have preferred
programmatic works of shorter movements rather than the larger sonata form to
which he never returned. Nevertheless,
theSonata in g minor Op. 22 is a large scale work in four movements that explores emotional and technical
extremes. Through the extension and
repetition of rhythmic patterns and harmonic sequences, Schumann achieves the
sort of sustained and mounting intensity that we associate with the essence of
Romantic music.
The composition of this sonata, his second, spanned a
relatively long period, and much of its material was taken from earlier
works. The Andantino was adapted from an
1828 song 'Im Herbste', and the first and third movements are dated from the
summer of 1833. Schumann completed this
sonata in 1835; however Clara thought the finale too difficult and asked Robert
to rework it. He replaced the unplayable
finale with a new Rondo, and the sonata was then first published in 1839. Even with the new Rondo, the sonata challenges
the performer's technical limits and demands ever-new heights of
expressivity. For example, in the first
movement, Schumann marks the score 'as fast as possible'. Later in this movement, he then marks
'faster' and then 'faster still.'
Perhaps, Florestan has the last word in Opus 22. Ieva Jokubaviciute
Classical Music | Piano Music
Robert Schumann
Sonata in g minor, Op. 22 Play
Recorded on 10/24/2006, uploaded on 01/23/2009
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Sonata in g minor, Op. 22 Robert Schumann
So rach we moglich; Andantino; Scherzo, sehr rasch und markiert; Rondo, presto
Robert Schumann (1810-1856), as a composer and critic, was a central figure and driving force of German Romanticism in the first half of the 19th century. His music embodies the Romantic spirit's emphasis on heightened contrasts, emotions, and imagination, as represented by his opposing literary characters: the fiery and tempestuous Florestan and the lyrical and contemplative Eusebius (under whose names Schumann wrote pseudonymously).
As a composer who tended to explore one genre at a time, Schumann spent the 1830's almost exclusively composing piano music for Clara Wieck Schumann, who, by that time, had already become a famous pianist. His three piano sonatas are early works; he seems to have preferred programmatic works of shorter movements rather than the larger sonata form to which he never returned. Nevertheless, theSonata in g minor Op. 22 is a large scale work in four movements that explores emotional and technical extremes. Through the extension and repetition of rhythmic patterns and harmonic sequences, Schumann achieves the sort of sustained and mounting intensity that we associate with the essence of Romantic music.
The composition of this sonata, his second, spanned a relatively long period, and much of its material was taken from earlier works. The Andantino was adapted from an 1828 song 'Im Herbste', and the first and third movements are dated from the summer of 1833. Schumann completed this sonata in 1835; however Clara thought the finale too difficult and asked Robert to rework it. He replaced the unplayable finale with a new Rondo, and the sonata was then first published in 1839. Even with the new Rondo, the sonata challenges the performer's technical limits and demands ever-new heights of expressivity. For example, in the first movement, Schumann marks the score 'as fast as possible'. Later in this movement, he then marks 'faster' and then 'faster still.' Perhaps, Florestan has the last word in Opus 22. Ieva Jokubaviciute
More music by Robert Schumann
Widmung
Maerchenbilder for viola and piano - I mov, op.113
Fantasie in C Major for Violin and Piano, Op. 131
Carnaval, Op. 9
Toccata in C Major, Op. 7
Adagio and Allegro for Viola and Piano, Op. 70
Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano in A minor, Op. 105
Wehmut, from Liederkreis, Op. 39
Novellette no. 6 in A Major: Sehr lebhaft mit vielem Humor, from Novelletten, Op. 21
Romance in F-sharp Major, Op. 28, No. 2
Performances by same musician(s)
On an Overgrown Path I, They chattered like swallows
Sonata No. 13 Op. 27, No. 1 in E-flat Major, "Quasi una Fantasia"
On an Overgrown Path I, Our evening
On an Overgrown Path I, A blown-away leaf
On an Overgrown Path I, Come along with us
On an Overgrown Path I, The Virgin of Frydek
On an Overgrown Path I, My word stop
On an Overgrown Path I, Good night
Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 8 in G Major, Op. 30, No. 3
Sonata for Violin and Piano
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