This work comes from one of Schumann's most productive years for chamber music: 1849. As with the other chamber works from that year, the Five Pieces in Folk Style are relatively easy to perform. They avoid the overt complexities of many of the composer's other works. Indeed, they are quite tuneful and generally calm. (Perhaps Schumann was attempting to stave off the onset of his mental illness!) The first piece ("Vanity of Vanities: With humor") includes a swooping, perhaps gypsy-inspired, cello line. The second piece ("Fairly slowly") is quite pastoral, giving the impression of walking alongside a brook. The third piece ("Not quickly, playing with much tone") is especially melodic in the cello, with the piano rather "sputtering" by comparison. The fourth piece ("Not too briskly") is at first a joyous dance, but this style quickly gives way to a more mellow tune. The last piece ("Starkly and markedly") rounds out the set by being somewhat reminiscent of the first one.
Classical Music | Cello Music
Robert Schumann
5 Stücke im Volkston for Cello and Piano, Op. 102 Play
Recorded on 01/11/2012, uploaded on 05/04/2012
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
This work comes from one of Schumann's most productive years for chamber music: 1849. As with the other chamber works from that year, the Five Pieces in Folk Style are relatively easy to perform. They avoid the overt complexities of many of the composer's other works. Indeed, they are quite tuneful and generally calm. (Perhaps Schumann was attempting to stave off the onset of his mental illness!) The first piece ("Vanity of Vanities: With humor") includes a swooping, perhaps gypsy-inspired, cello line. The second piece ("Fairly slowly") is quite pastoral, giving the impression of walking alongside a brook. The third piece ("Not quickly, playing with much tone") is especially melodic in the cello, with the piano rather "sputtering" by comparison. The fourth piece ("Not too briskly") is at first a joyous dance, but this style quickly gives way to a more mellow tune. The last piece ("Starkly and markedly") rounds out the set by being somewhat reminiscent of the first one.
Notes by Durrell Bowman
More music by Robert Schumann
Fantasie in C Major for Violin and Piano, Op. 131
Carnaval, Op. 9
Presto Passionato in g minor, Op. 22a
Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano in A minor, Op. 105
Wehmuth, from Liederkreis, Op. 39
Novellette no. 6 in A Major: Sehr lebhaft mit vielem Humor, from Novelletten, Op. 21
Ich hab' im Traum geweinet (from Dichterliebe)
Romance in F-sharp Major, Op. 28, No. 2
Papillons in C-sharp Major, Op. 2
Dritte Sonate für Klavier und Violine op. post.
Performances by same musician(s)
Sonata for Cello and Piano in e minor, Op. 38
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