One of the great composers of the 19th century, Robert
Schumann ( 1810 - 1856) was the quintessential artist
whose life and work embody the idea of Romanticism in
music. Schumann was uncomfortable with larger musical
forms, such as the symphony and the concerto
(nevertheless, representative works in these genres
contain moments of great beauty), expressing the full
range of his lyrical genius in songs and short pieces
for piano. Schumann's extraordinary ability to
translate profound, delicate -...(+)
One of the great composers of the 19th century, Robert
Schumann ( 1810 - 1856) was the quintessential artist
whose life and work embody the idea of Romanticism in
music. Schumann was uncomfortable with larger musical
forms, such as the symphony and the concerto
(nevertheless, representative works in these genres
contain moments of great beauty), expressing the full
range of his lyrical genius in songs and short pieces
for piano. Schumann's extraordinary ability to
translate profound, delicate -- and sometimes fleeting
-- states of the soul is exemplified by works such as
the song cycle Dichterliebe (A Poet's Love), after
Heinrich Heine, and his brilliant collections of short
piano pieces, including Phantasiestücke (Fantastic
Pieces), Kinderszenen (Scenes form Childhood), and
Waldszenen (Forest Scenes). In his songs, as critics
have remarked, Schumann attained the elusive union of
music and poetry which Romantic poets and musicians
defined as the ultimate goal of art.
Begun on October 24, 1842, the Piano Quartet in E flat
major, Op. 47, was completed within a month. Schumann
played through the work with friends early in December,
but it was not published until 1845. Although Schumann
started composing the Quartet in E flat major only a
few days after completing the Quintet in E flat major,
Op. 44, the two works could not be more different; the
(slightly) later work is actually the more traditional,
especially in Schumann's use of counterpoint.
Schumann seems to have been more comfortable with the
intimate instrumentation of the chamber works than he
was with the full orchestra. However, the chamber
works, aside from the string quartets, are piano
driven, with the strings either following the keyboard
part or acting in opposition to it as a unified choir.
In the Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47, thematic
links between movements are heard, as well as
Schumann's tendency for protracted development of
material, resulting in large structures.
Schumann's arrangement of the movements (the Scherzo is
second, the slow movement third) suggests a nod to
Beethoven, as does the opening of the first movement,
Sostenuto assai - Allegro ma non troppo. The
introduction is static, non-thematic, and is reduced to
its primary melodic feature -- a falling/rising whole
step -- at the very beginning of the Allegro tempo. The
second part of the introduction appears a moment later.
The overall effect is similar to that of Beethoven's
String Quartet, Op. 127, also in E flat major. The
staccato scales accompanying the broad secondary theme
reflect Schumann's increasing study of counterpoint,
while the large-scale sonata form is extended through
development in the recapitulation.
The Scherzo boasts two trio sections. The second of
these features Schumann's predilection for destroying
the bar line through syncopation so strong and
consistent that the listener feels the downbeat in the
wrong place. The piano is chiefly responsible for this
"illusion," with block chords on the third beat of the
measure that are tied through the first two beats of
the next. The rhythm is reinforced in every other
measure by a similar chord in the three string
instruments, the entire passage providing an effective
contrast to the nimble eighth notes of the Scherzo
section.
Marked Andante cantabile and in ternary form, the third
movement is notable for a passage in which Schumann
directs the cellist to tune the instrument's C string
down a step to B flat, enabling it to play a B flat
pedal tone under staccato scales in the viola and
violin. Throughout the opening section, the piano's
role is chiefly accompanimental, providing repeated
chords to support the melodic material shared by the
cello and viola. At the shift to G flat major of the
central section, however, the piano part becomes more
linear. When the opening section returns, the melody
appears in the viola part over a more active piano
accompaniment and below a fleeting violin obbligato
line that anticipates the first idea of the Finale.
Schumann's Finale, in sonata form, opens like a fugue.
After an introductory outburst, the viola states the
lively theme, which is next taken up by the piano on
the dominant, and next by the violin. In a free rondo
form, the Finale features a lengthy closing section,
often referred to as a coda, that is a developmental
extension of the primary material.
Source: AllMusic
(https://www.allmusic.com/composition/piano-quartet-in-
e-flat-major-op-47-mc0002405925).
Although originally composed for Piano Quartet (Violin,
Viola, Cello & Piano), I created this Interpretation of
the Sonata in Eb Major Quartet in Eb Major Op. 47) for
Winds (Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet, French Horn & Bassoon)
& Strings (2 Violins, Viola, Cello & Bass).
Download the sheet music here:
https://musescore.com/user/13216/scores/5600801
SHEET MUSIC