Schumann Piano Quintet Program Notes

Schumann, Robert (1810-1856): Piano Quintet in E Flat Major, Op.44 I.Allegro brillante II.In modo d'una marcia. Un poco largamente III.Scherzo: Molto vivace IV.Allegro ma non troppo Prior to Schumann, piano quintets were ordinarily composed for keyboard, violin, viola, cello, and double bass, as for example Schubert's ‘Trout’ Quintet. Schumann's choice to deviate from this model and pair the piano with a standard string quartet reflects the changing technical capabilities and cultural importance, respectively, of these instruments. By 1842, the string quartet had come to be regarded as the most significant and prestigious chamber music ensemble, while advances in the design of the piano had increased its power and dynamic range. Bringing the piano and string quartet together, Schumann's Piano Quintet takes full advantage of the expressive possibilities of these forces in combination, alternating conversational passages between the five instruments with ‘concertante’ passages, in which the combined forces of the strings are massed against the piano. At a time when chamber music was moving out of the salon and into public concert halls, Schumann developed the piano quintet as a musical genre suited to both private and public arenas, alternating between chamber-like and almost symphonic proportions. Composed in 1842, Schumann’s ‘Year of Chamber Music’, the Piano Quintet was sketched out in only five days. It was dedicated to his beloved wife, piano virtuoso Clara Schumann. She was due to perform the piano part for the first private performance on 6 December, 1842. However, she fell ill and Felix Mendelssohn stepped in to sight-read the piano part. Mendelssohn's suggestions to Schumann after this performance led the composer to make revisions to the inner movements, including the addition of a second trio to the third movement. The first movement has a marvellously bold opening theme and an enchantingly romantic second subject. The piano plays a major role, functioning as a partner to the string quartet as a whole rather than as one of five individual components of the musical texture. Schumann demonstrates his mastery of song-like writing in the lovely slow movement. The main theme is a funeral march which alternates with two contrasting episodes, one a lyrical theme played by the first violin and cello, the second a more agitated theme carried by the piano with string accompaniment.The third movement scherzo is a whirlwind tour de force, a dazzling construction of ascending and descending scale passages. Both its trios provide rhythmic contrast – the first is a lyrical canon for violin and viola, the second a heavily accented perpetual motion with the most challenging technical writing for strings. The finale is an exciting sonata-rondo packed with Schumann’s own style of contrapuntal devices, canons and fugato passages. The splendid coda incorporates the main them of the first movement with expert weaving, bringing the quintet to a brilliant, unified, and satisfying close. Clara Schumann played the piano part, with Mendelssohn’s recommended changes, at the first public performance of the Quintet on 8 January 1843, at the Leipzig Gewandhaus. Clara pronounced the work "splendid, full of vigor and freshness" and thenceforth made it a staple of her repertoire. The performance was so successful that it had to be repeated on February 9th to satisfy audience demand. The composer was understandably pleased with his new creation, calling it “very spirited and full of life,” and the work proved to be an immense hit with its early audience — Hector Berlioz, visiting Leipzig at the time of the Quintet’s premiere, spoke glowingly of it. The score, published by Breitkopf und Härtel within weeks of its first performance, inspired similar works from Brahms, Franck, Dvořák, Reger, Fauré and others during later decades, and has remained Schumann’s most beloved contribution to the chamber music repertoire. Elizabeth Dalton, 2015 .

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