Schumann was a poet at the piano, and the best known of his piano pieces bear programmatic titles such as “Träumerei” (“Reverie”), “Von fremden Ländern und Menschen” (“Of foreign lands and people”) or “Vogel als Prophet” (“The bird as prophet”). His whole oeuvre exudes a sense of poetic freedom, making him the Romantic composer par excellence. Whether in his easiest pieces for children from his Album for the Young or in the more demanding Papillons, we can hear Schumann’s own distinctive voice everywhere – a voice whose many registers can be experienced in this selection, which ranges from the easy to the moderately difficult.
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Preface
At the Piano The series “At the Piano” is intended for all those who have some experience playing the piano and would now like to play easier original works by famous composers. Students, teachers and those returning to the piano will encounter a wealth of well-known works. Contents Each volume in the series is devoted exclusively to one composer. This is because each … more
About the composer
Robert Schumann
Connected with his oeuvre is the term he coined, Poetic Music, with which he strove for a fusion of literature and music, a paradigm particularly seen in his lyric piano pieces prior to 1839. Thereafter he devoted himself to other genres (song, symphony, chamber music, among others).
| 1810 | Born in Zwickau on June 8, the son of a bookdealer. |
| from 1828 | Studies law in Leipzig, piano with Friedrich Wieck. Decision to pursue a career in music. |
| 1830–39 | He exclusively composes piano works, mostly cycles, including “Papillons,” Op. 2 (1829–32); “Carnaval,” Op 9 (1834/35); “Davidsbündlertänze,” Op. 6 (1837); “Kinderszenen” (“Scenes from Childhood”), Op. 15 (1837/38); “Kreisleriana,” Op. 16 (1838); “Noveletten,” Op. 21 (1838). |
| 1832 | A paralysis of a finger in his right hand makes a career as a pianist impossible. Founding in 1833 of the fantasy brotherhood the “Davidsbund” (“League of David”). |
| 1835–44 | Editor of the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Journal of Music). |
| 1840 | Marriage to Clara Wieck; 138 songs, including the Eichendorff Liederkreis, Op. 39; the song cycle “Dichterliebe,” Op. 48 |
| 1841 | Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major (“Spring” Symphony), Op. 38, and Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120. |
| 1842 | Three string quartets, Op. 41; further chamber music. |
| 1843 | Teacher of composition at the Leipzig Conservatory. Oratorio “Paradise and the Peri,” Op. 50. |
| 1845 | He settles in Dresden. Journey to Russia. |
| 1845 | Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54, Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61. |
| 1850 | City music director in Düsseldorf. Premiere in Leipzig of his opera “Genoveva,” Op. 81. Symphony in E-flat major (“Rhenish”), Op. 97; Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129. |
| 1853 | Beginning of his friendship with Brahms. Completion of the Scenes from Faust. Violin Concerto in D minor for Joseph Joachim. |
| 1854 | Suicide attempt and admission to the psychiatric institution in Endenich, near Bonn. |
| 1856 | Death in Endenich on July 29. |
About the authors
Sylvia Hewig-Tröscher (Editor, Fingering)
Sylvia Hewig-Tröscher studied piano at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich under Erik Then-Bergh and Hermann Reutter, as well as under Louis Hiltbrand at the Conservatoire de Musique in Geneva. 1977 she finished the „ Classe de Virtuosité“ in Geneva with the Premier Prix avec distinction and received the Henry Broliet prize as well as being awarded the GEDOK prize. Also organ studies under Lionel Rogg finishing with the „Diplome d’Orgue“. Masterclasses with George Halmos, Klaus Schilde, Karl Seemann and Wilhelm Kempff, followed, as well as with the cembalo player Li StadelmannIn. 1977 the piano trio Orfeo was established.
Since then, as a solo pianist and chamber musician, her concert activities have led her to Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, America, Egypt, India, Korea, and Japan. The list of recordings includes Bayerischer Rundfunk and Südwestfunk Freiburg, Baden-Baden, record and CD recordings of (among others) seldom played works of the classical and romantic periods with Musica Bavarica. Further CD recordings including modern music and first performances with Calig, Symicon, Bayer Records, Arts Magnamedia, and Sony, also co-production of the Bayreischer Rundfunk and Deutscher Musikrat.
Masterclasses in Villa Marteau, Marktoberdorf, Hammelburg, Brixen, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana and New York. Today Sylvia Hewig-Tröscher works as a professor of piano and vice president of the Hochschule für Musik and Theater Munich.
At The Piano is an excellent series for students and teachers. Those who fancy learning a major composer’s ‘piano favourites’ will really enjoy working their way through each book. G. Henle have combined a scrupulous ‘pure’ score with plenty of valuable information, offering a fascinating glimpse into the history and style of each composer.