Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet and Piano
Encyclopedia
Three Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet
and Piano
, Op. 73, were written in 1849 by the Romantic era composer
Robert Schumann
. Though they were originally intended for clarinet and piano, Schumann directed that the clarinet part could be also performed on violin
or cello
.
notion that creative expression is the product of the artist's unrestricted imagination. In addition, the connotations of "fantasy" justify the sudden mood changes, which are a signature of so much of Schumann's music, and which reflect his emotions and mood swings. The pieces are like songs without words, or an instrumental song cycle.
The first piece is in A minor
, and begins dreamily with hints of melancholy, but concludes with a resolution and hope in A major
, looking forward to the next movement.
The second piece is in A major, and is playful, upbeat, energetic and positive, with a central section modulating to F major
with chromatic
triplets in dialogue with the piano.
The final piece is again in A major. The pace suddenly drives into a frenzy of passion and fiery energy, bordering on the irrational. The movement pushes the players to their limits as Schumann writes "schneller und schneller" (faster and faster). The movement ends exuberantly with a triumphant close.
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
and Piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, Op. 73, were written in 1849 by the Romantic era composer
Romantic music
Romantic music or music in the Romantic Period is a musicological and artistic term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in Western music history, from 1810 to 1900....
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
. Though they were originally intended for clarinet and piano, Schumann directed that the clarinet part could be also performed on violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
or cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
.
Origin
Schumann wrote them over just two days in February 1849, and originally entitled them "Night Pieces" before settling on the title "Fantasy Pieces". The title is one Schumann was fond of, since he used it in several works. This poetic title promotes the fundamental RomanticRomanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
notion that creative expression is the product of the artist's unrestricted imagination. In addition, the connotations of "fantasy" justify the sudden mood changes, which are a signature of so much of Schumann's music, and which reflect his emotions and mood swings. The pieces are like songs without words, or an instrumental song cycle.
Description
The three individual pieces are:- I. Zart und mit Ausdruck (Tender and with expression)
- II. Lebhaft, leicht (Lively, light)
- III. Rasch und mit Feuer (Quick and with fire)
The first piece is in A minor
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
, and begins dreamily with hints of melancholy, but concludes with a resolution and hope in A major
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
, looking forward to the next movement.
The second piece is in A major, and is playful, upbeat, energetic and positive, with a central section modulating to F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
with chromatic
Diatonic and chromatic
Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterize scales, and are also applied to intervals, chords, notes, musical styles, and kinds of harmony...
triplets in dialogue with the piano.
The final piece is again in A major. The pace suddenly drives into a frenzy of passion and fiery energy, bordering on the irrational. The movement pushes the players to their limits as Schumann writes "schneller und schneller" (faster and faster). The movement ends exuberantly with a triumphant close.