Robert Schumann. About Schumann's Pianoforte Music (Continued) Author(s): Fanny Davies and Frederick Corder Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 51, No. 810 (Aug. 1, 1910), pp. 493-496 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/908084 Accessed: 07-01-2016 09:12 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 138.38.44.95 on Thu, 07 Jan 2016 09:12:31 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.--AGUST I, 1910. 493 Surelywe all agree that Schumann's pianoforte musicis ofan intimatekind. And whatis 'intimate' Th musicaI Eims05 if not the of delicate AND SINGING- CLASS CIRCULAR. presentation esoteric, beauty? AUGUST I, 191o. Again, Schumann's manner of writingis so often in chords that one cannot lay too great stresson the importanceof playingchords in a way that will convey to the hearer the significance ROBERT SCHUMANN. of the harmoniestherein contained. They are not octaves ! And it will not do to forceout (Continued from fage 428.) padded melody or exaggerate a rhythmicscheme which ABOUT SCHUMANN'S PIANOFORTE MUSIC. mustnecessarily imply a neglectof the less obvious By FANNY DAVIES. -but just as great-beauties. Take for example the little 'Nachtstiick' in F: what a different Being far froma practised writer,I should have meaningthe top notes convey when the changing hesitated to undertaketo put into printmy views middle notes get theirfull value ! on Robert Schumann's pianofortemusic. But I In orderto betterrealise the spiritof Schumann's cannot resist the kind invitationof the Editor of pianofortemusic, one should make acquaintance the Musical Times,to say a fewwords on a subject with the literaryworks of Theodor Hoffmannand which has filled such an importantpart in my of Jean Paul Richter. Both these writersare full musical life. of the exuberantmadness of springand youth,and Reviewingthe developmentof the great pianoforte bursting with fantastic imagination ('Schwarmerei' literatureof the world,the firstquestion that occurs and 'Fantasterei '). They, as well as Clara Wieck, is this: What positiondoes Schumann take in it? largely influenced his mind when young. One The great line of strictlyclassical pianoforteshould also become acquainted with Schumann's composers ended with Beethoven. In Schumann own literarywork, and above all with his letters, we find the beginning of that new style of forhere we findthe truekey to the twofoldnature pianofortemusic whichhas been called 'Romantic.' of Schumann, which he christenedseparately as In this sense Schumann was both a revolutionaryE. and F.-Eusebius the tender,the yearning-the and a pioneer in giving us intimate and dreamy (der Schwdirmer); and Florestan the descriptivemusic. He created a new genre of passionate,wild and exuberant. It is characteristic pianoforteliterature, relating as he did, stories in of Florestan when joyous that he almost music,portraying people, and everythingthat went invariablybreaks out into (= valse time!) ; and on in the worldat his time. And here let me say of Eusebius that he is the dreamer of beautiful emphaticallythat his portrayingis spiritualand thingsand not a sicklysentimentalist. emotional and not photographic. Schumann's In playing the music of Schumann, as of any absolutelydescriptive movements-as, forinstance, other great composer,one has of course to follow the clock striking twelve at the end of the the simple law (not so simple to carry out) of 'Davidsbtindler Tanze,' Op. 6-are sub-conscious adapting oneself to the style and type of coincidences. In a letterto Clara Wieck, we find composition. This is a technical as well as an him expressing his delight at discovering this interpretativeproblem, for the techniqueand touch particularinstance, some time after finishingthe must naturallybe in keeping with the style and composition; and his own wordsin anotherletter type of the workone plays. will perhaps throw the clearest light on his whole Take, for instance, those three great 'story- method of writing: 'Everything that goes on in telling' pieces of Schumann: the 'Kinderscenen,' the world affectsme, and I think it over in my the 'Waldscenen,' and the 'Kreisleriana.' Should own way: politics, literature,and people; and it not be obvious (alas! that it is not always afterwards,all this seeks to embody itselfin Music, so) that the 'Kinderscenen,' which are stories to findits outlet there. Everythingtypical of the about childhood and written with correspond- times impressesme, and I have to re-expressit in ing simplicityand directness,should be played Music. All this I do not reflectupon, am not with simplicityand directness. Yet how often consciouslyaware of whilst composing; it comes one hears some of the best known of these little to me afterwardsonly.' pieces renderedin a most offensivelysentimental The salient featuresof Schumann's pianoforteand melodramaticstyle! music are its great rhythmical variety and The 'Waldscenen,' on the otherhand, expressing complexity,the extraordinarywealth and 'fineness' as theymostly do the simplicityof naturebut not -subtlety-(Feinheit) of innervoices, all formingof childhood, obviously demand a greater and a well- balanced whole that fits the idea he broader style of technique and touch; yet they wishes at the moment to convey. The inner would be completelyspoiled if one were to apply to polyphonyis so importantand significant,that even them the style of playing demanded by the when it has only a subordinatepart to play it is an 'Kreisleriana,' with its gorgeous colouring and, indispensable one. It follows,then, that unless throughout,fantastic imagination. Schumann's manifold subtletiesare fullyrealised, Unfortunatelythe composer cannot dispense the more obvious,in factthe leading beauty,of his with the reproducer. Has not, then, the writingis not fullyrealised in presentation. reproducer a very great responsibility,and ought This content downloaded from 138.38.44.95 on Thu, 07 Jan 2016 09:12:31 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 494 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-AUGUST I, 1910. he notto 'know his place' whenhe comes in contact And nowa wordabout Clara Schumann'sdemand witha geniuslike Schumann's? To pick out certain for 'hineinlegen.' This curious and beautiful details arbitrarily,and grosslyto exaggeratethem, word she applied whenever she wanted to bring therebydestroying the whole true proportionof out the full emotional and spiritualimportance of the partsthe composerhas laid stressupon, is often any particularidea in a work,whether melodic or the only way a playerknows of being original. polyphonic. The meaningof the word cannot be Schumann was a poet with full knowledge of realisedby techniquealone. It suggestssomething the balance of constructionwith detail whichgo to spiritualand emotional, and demands the right make a great work of Art; and he was most touch on the pianoforte,and it musthave behind it particularthat his marks should be the means of the warmthof human affectionsuch as is conveyed conveyinghis intentionsas clearlyas possible. by the pressure of a hand one loves. Therefore Is it not, therefore,a gross act of inartisticit will be easily seen that ' hineinlegen' as used by vandalism not to pay the minutest attention to Clara Schumann,does not mean extremedigging everydetail in the worksof a great composer who into the keys in orderto produce a 'warm' tone, knew exactly what he wished to say, and how to which after all that method can never do. As say it; but who being dead cannot defend the element of human affection is such an himself? indispensablefeature of all Schumann's pianoforte Editors too, have a greatdeal to answerfor. To music, 'hineinlegen' cannot and must not be quote an instance among many; in a much-used overlooked. edition of 'Grillen ' (No. 4 of the Phantasiestiicke, In conclusion,may I say that the best guide for Op. I2), the valse passage beginning at bar 26 all Schumann-lovers,far better than any descriptive reads thus: writingof mine, is (notwithstandinga very few insignificantprinter's errors) contained withinthe covers of Clara Schumann's monumental edition t-?r of Robert Schumann'sworks. IAW , I- -- t .. SCHUMANN'S ORCHESTRATION.-BY F. CORDER. I l L + - I+ I I + IJ.} _ l+ . ..1 .. - .'J , It is unfortunatethat when a composerhas once been accepted as a his admirerswill no "Mm"- genius longer permit him to be criticised in any way. There lives yet in my memory the storm of awakened in in where slurs indignation Germany, I877, by Observe the are placed. But Schumann a article in which himself newspaper by JosephRubinstein, says: the writeraffirmed that Schumann's over-use of 4 5 4 2 the rosalia, or sequence, in melody was a serious weaknessin his composition. It was an undeniable, i[ - obvious fact,but Schumann was then at the height - of a which has to and L.... popularity latelybegun fade, his worshipperswould not have it spoken. I, too, ;A t;r .L have got myselfsingularly