Symphony No. 3 (Schumann)
Encyclopedia
Composed from November 2 to December 9, 1850, the Symphony No. 3 “Rhenish” in E flat major, Op. 97, is the last symphony
that Robert Schumann
composed, although it was not the last symphony that he published. The Third Symphony is a work composed in five movements :
It is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets in B, two bassoons, four french horns in E, two trumpets in E, three trombones, timpani
and strings
. The first performance was on February 6, 1851 in Düsseldorf conducted by Schumann himself. The first performance was received with mixed reviews, “ranging from praise without qualification to bewilderment.” According to Peter A. Brown, members of the audience applauded between every movement, and especially at the end of the work when the orchestra joined them in congratulating Schumann by shouting “hurrah!”.
, vocal
, and symphonic music. Although Schumann has an incomplete G minor symphony dating back to 1832-33 (of which the first movement was performed on two occasions with an unenthusiastic reception), he only began seriously composing for the symphonic genre after receiving his wife’s encouragement in 1839. Schumann was quickly successful as a symphonic composer as his real orchestral debut with his First Symphony
was received quite warmly. In 1841 Schumann completed his First Symphony
, and had it premiered in Leipzig with Felix Mendelssohn conducting. By the end of his career Schumann had composed a total of four symphonies. Also in 1841 he finished the work which was later to be published as his Fourth Symphony. In 1845 he composed his C major Symphony, which was published in 1846 as No. 2, and ,in 1850, his Third Symphony. Therefore, the published numbering of the symphonies is not chronological. The reasoning for the “incorrect” numerical sequencing of the symphonies is because his Fourth Symphony was originally completed in 1841, but it was not well received at its Leipzig premiere. The lukewarm reception caused Schumann to withdraw the score and revise it ten years later in Dusseldorf. This final version was published in in 1851 after the “Rhenish” Symphony was published.
op. 129 which was published four years later. Schumann was inspired to write this symphony after a trip to the Rhineland
with his wife. This journey was said to be a happy and peaceful trip with Clara
which felt as if they were on a pilgrimage
. As a result of this trip, he incorporated elements of his journey and portrayed other experiences from his life in the music. The key of the symphony has been connected to Bach’s
idea of E flat major
and the Holy Trinity. In this case, the three flats represent the trinity being the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
. The symphony begins immediately with a heroic theme in E-flat major, scored for full orchestra. The strong hemiolic
rhythm of the main theme returns throughout the movement giving an ever present forward push. This forward push allows for the melodies of this movement to freely soar over the bar lines. The transition moves from the tonic
to submediant
, G minor
, with the use of a newly introduced motive in the strings consisting of energetic ascending eighth notes juxtaposed with material from the main theme. The subordinate theme is scored for winds and with less rhythmic drive has gentler more feminine quality. The exposition unfolds with the return of the scale motif from the transition and main theme ending in the dominant, B-flat. Schumann does not repeat the exposition, but rather has the strings and bassoon drop from unison B-flat to an F-sharp, leading to a triplet forte explosion in the unexpected key of G major marking that marks the beginning of the development. The development section is composed mainly of the three main themes from the exposition. Schumann skilfully moves through a variety of keys for nearly 200 bars, never returning to E-flat, until a dominant
arrival preceding the climactic and triumphant return of the main theme in the home key.
The second movement, Sehr Massig, is in C major and takes the place of a Scherzo
. The form of this movement is a synthesis of a traditional minuet
and trio
and theme variations. The opening theme is based on the ländler
, a German folk dance. This is played out first in the lower strings and bassoons, and then is repeated and varied. The second theme with “trio” feeling is in A minor, played by the winds. Schumann uses a pedal point C throughout this section which is highly unusual, not because it is a pedal point, but rather because C is the third not instead of the root of A minor. After this middle section the rustic theme returns scored for full orchestra and thins out until only the celli and bassoons are playing the theme, ending with soft pizzicato
.
The third movement, Nicht Schnell, is in the subdominant
, A-flat major. The omission of timpani and brass in combination with the static harmony (the movement never strays far or for long from A-flat), creates a moment of calm repose in the middle of the symphony. The thematic construction uses long beautiful themes that are constantly being pushed along by this friendly little motif of four chromatically ascending sixteenth notes, often on the fourth beat of a measure.
The Fourth movement, Feierlich, though written with three flats in the key signature is in E-flat minor. The movement begins with a sforzando eight note E-flat minor chord in the strings that decays immediately into a pianissimo french horn and trombone choral. This beautiful and hauntingly quiet low brass writing is a notoriously difficult spot in performances since the trombones haven’t played at all up until this point. This expansive theme is voiced by the winds and first violins in eight notes, accelerating the tempo by more than double the previous tempo as the opening statement reaches its conclusion. Following the opening statement’s conclusion, the theme is used in imitation, mostly at the fourth and fifth, and combined with an accelerated version. After this, the tempo changes into a triple meter where the first theme under goes a series of contrapuntal
treatments. While the meter returns to a duple meter, the brass and winds play interwoven contrapuntal lines of the most expansive form of the theme while the strings push forward with constant 16th notes. This comes to a close on an E-flat minor chord, and after one beat’s rest an unexpected fanfare in B major which is then answered by the string in pianissimo, restating it in E-flat. While this is repeated the rhythmic motion slows down, and fragments of the theme can be heard at the end.
In the fifth movement, the piece returns to E-flat major in duple meter with the spirited feeling of a Finale. The first theme returns to the rustic dance feel from earlier in the symphony, scored for full orchestra. Sixteen bars later a second, lighter but just a spirited, theme appears. These themes are varied and imitated as the movement pushes exuberantly forward towards its heroic conclusion in E-flat major.
Ninth Symphony
and Mendelssohn’s
symphonies and concerti
as points of reference. In particular, he used Mendelssohn as an example of how “songlike forms can be integrated into developmental themes.” In his survey on Schumann’s symphonies, Brown suggests that the main models for his Third Symphony are Beethoven’s Third
and Sixth
Symphonies, and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique
.
When evaluating the relationship between Schumann’s Third Symphony and Beethoven’s Third Symphony, there is the obvious connection between the tonal centers
of each piece, they both share the same tonality
. The relationship between Schumann’s Third Symphony and Beethoven’s Third Symphony is mostly evident in the first movement. Although it was mentioned earlier that E-flat major is known to have religious associations, this tonality is also generally perceived as having relations with the idea of the heroic due to Beethoven’s Third Symphony “Eroica”. Schumann begins his first movement with a typically heroic main theme in the same key as Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony. This main theme feels so typically heroic and triumphant that it could easily be mistaken as material for a triumphant finale movement. The reasoning for this is due to the manner in which he repeats this melody several times each with more proud and triumphant treatments. The next model (and main model) for the Rhenish Symphony is Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, the “Pastorale”. To begin, one of the most obvious relationships is that there are five movements in each of the symphonies. The next most obvious similarity between the Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony and Schumann’s Third Symphony is that in both symphonies, the fourth and the fifth movements are played without a pause in between. Aside from the similarities in the large scale layout of each work, the musical similarity can be seen in the second movement. As in the second movement of Beethoven’s sixth Symphony, the second movement of Schumann’s Third Symphony is a musical depiction of the flowing Rhine river just like in Beethoven’s work, the second movement is a depiction of a flowing Brook. In both pieces, this imagery is due to the flowing eighth notes in a wave contour. One of the clearest differences between Beethoven’s and Schumann’s approaches to using programmatic elements in their symphonies is that Beethoven actually left a title to his second movement: “Szene am Bach” (Scene at the Brook). Schumann also originally left a title which translated to “Morning on the Rhine”, but that was removed before publication. As it was mentioned earlier, Schumann’s reason for removing the title is because of his belief that providing the extramusical program to the listener would force a certain opinion of the music upon them. This is supported by the following quote from Schumann: “If the eye is once directed to a certain point, the ear can no longer judge independently.” Schumann also once said that "we must not show our heart to the world: a general impression of a work of art is better; at least, no preposterous comparisons can then be made." In the case of Schumann’s work, the idea which influenced this movement is very clear even without an explicit title. Aside from the programatic elements, Brown also draws a link between the two works based on the function of the fifth movement. Although some analysts believe that the fourth movement can be seen as a slow introduction to the fifth movement, that is highly unlikely since the fourth movement is longer and more complex than the fifth. Brown’s opinion, and a more likely explanation of the fifth movement’s function, is that it is used as an extreme contrast to the preceding movement as was the case in Beethoven’s symphony. In both of these works, the fourth movement is a highly “specialized” movement depicting something very specific, in Beethoven’s case, a thunderstorm, and in Schumann’s case, the procession in the elevation of a cardinal in a cathedral. In both these cases, the following movement contains highly contrasting music. In Schumann’s case, a much livelier movement and in Beethoven’s case, the last movement is the depiction of “cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm”.
In addition to having Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony’s programmatic elements as a model, a minor relationship between Schumann’s Third Symphony and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique could also be drawn.The program for Beethoven’s work was based on his perception of nature around him, but there was no detailed story behind it. In the case of Berlioz, he had a whole story to back up his work. This is also the case with the fourth movement of Schumann’s Third Symphony where he uses his experience of witnessing the elevation of a cardinal at a Cathedral in Cologne which is a more detailed story while Beethoven’s program seemed to be more out of pure inspiration.
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
that 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....
composed, although it was not the last symphony that he published. The Third Symphony is a work composed in five movements :
- Lebhaft
- Scherzo: Sehr mäßig
- Nicht schnell
- Feierlich
- Lebhaft
It is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets in B, two bassoons, four french horns in E, two trumpets in E, three trombones, timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
and strings
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
. The first performance was on February 6, 1851 in Düsseldorf conducted by Schumann himself. The first performance was received with mixed reviews, “ranging from praise without qualification to bewilderment.” According to Peter A. Brown, members of the audience applauded between every movement, and especially at the end of the work when the orchestra joined them in congratulating Schumann by shouting “hurrah!”.
Biographical Context
Throughout his life, Schumann explored a diversity of musical genres, including chamberChamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
, vocal
Vocal music
Vocal music is a genre of music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered instrumental music Vocal music is a genre of...
, and symphonic music. Although Schumann has an incomplete G minor symphony dating back to 1832-33 (of which the first movement was performed on two occasions with an unenthusiastic reception), he only began seriously composing for the symphonic genre after receiving his wife’s encouragement in 1839. Schumann was quickly successful as a symphonic composer as his real orchestral debut with his First Symphony
Symphony No. 1 (Schumann)
Symphony No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 38 was the first symphonic work composed by Robert Schumann. Although Schumann made some "symphonic attempts" in the autumn of 1840 soon after he married his beloved Clara Wieck, he did not compose his First Symphony until early 1841...
was received quite warmly. In 1841 Schumann completed his First Symphony
Symphony No. 1 (Schumann)
Symphony No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 38 was the first symphonic work composed by Robert Schumann. Although Schumann made some "symphonic attempts" in the autumn of 1840 soon after he married his beloved Clara Wieck, he did not compose his First Symphony until early 1841...
, and had it premiered in Leipzig with Felix Mendelssohn conducting. By the end of his career Schumann had composed a total of four symphonies. Also in 1841 he finished the work which was later to be published as his Fourth Symphony. In 1845 he composed his C major Symphony, which was published in 1846 as No. 2, and ,in 1850, his Third Symphony. Therefore, the published numbering of the symphonies is not chronological. The reasoning for the “incorrect” numerical sequencing of the symphonies is because his Fourth Symphony was originally completed in 1841, but it was not well received at its Leipzig premiere. The lukewarm reception caused Schumann to withdraw the score and revise it ten years later in Dusseldorf. This final version was published in in 1851 after the “Rhenish” Symphony was published.
Genesis of the Symphony
Within the same year that Schumann composed his Third Symphony, he also completed his Cello ConcertoCello Concerto (Schumann)
The Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129, by Robert Schumann was completed in a period of only two weeks, between 10 October and 24 October 1850, shortly after Schumann became the music director at Düsseldorf.The concerto was never played in Schumann's lifetime...
op. 129 which was published four years later. Schumann was inspired to write this symphony after a trip to the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
with his wife. This journey was said to be a happy and peaceful trip with Clara
Clara Schumann
Clara Schumann was a German musician and composer, considered one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era...
which felt as if they were on a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
. As a result of this trip, he incorporated elements of his journey and portrayed other experiences from his life in the music. The key of the symphony has been connected to Bach’s
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
idea of E flat major
E flat major
E major or E-flat major is a major scale based on E-flat, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has three flats: B, E, A.Its relative minor is C minor, and its parallel minor is E minor....
and the Holy Trinity. In this case, the three flats represent the trinity being the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Analytical Overview
The first movement, Lebhaft, follows the 19th century model of a large-scale sonata formSonata form
Sonata form is a large-scale musical structure used widely since the middle of the 18th century . While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well—particularly the final movement...
. The symphony begins immediately with a heroic theme in E-flat major, scored for full orchestra. The strong hemiolic
Hemiola
In modern musical parlance, a hemiola is a metrical pattern in which two bars in simple triple time are articulated as if they were three bars in simple duple time...
rhythm of the main theme returns throughout the movement giving an ever present forward push. This forward push allows for the melodies of this movement to freely soar over the bar lines. The transition moves from the tonic
Tonic (music)
In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
to submediant
Submediant
In music, the submediant is the sixth scale degree of the diatonic scale, the 'lower mediant' halfway between the tonic and the subdominant or 'lower dominant'...
, G minor
G minor
G minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. For the harmonic minor scale, the F is raised to F. Its relative major is B-flat major, and its parallel major is G major....
, with the use of a newly introduced motive in the strings consisting of energetic ascending eighth notes juxtaposed with material from the main theme. The subordinate theme is scored for winds and with less rhythmic drive has gentler more feminine quality. The exposition unfolds with the return of the scale motif from the transition and main theme ending in the dominant, B-flat. Schumann does not repeat the exposition, but rather has the strings and bassoon drop from unison B-flat to an F-sharp, leading to a triplet forte explosion in the unexpected key of G major marking that marks the beginning of the development. The development section is composed mainly of the three main themes from the exposition. Schumann skilfully moves through a variety of keys for nearly 200 bars, never returning to E-flat, until a dominant
Dominant (music)
In music, the dominant is the fifth scale degree of the diatonic scale, called "dominant" because it is next in importance to the tonic,and a dominant chord is any chord built upon that pitch, using the notes of the same diatonic scale...
arrival preceding the climactic and triumphant return of the main theme in the home key.
The second movement, Sehr Massig, is in C major and takes the place of a Scherzo
Scherzo
A scherzo is a piece of music, often a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony or a sonata. The scherzo's precise definition has varied over the years, but it often refers to a movement which replaces the minuet as the third movement in a four-movement work, such as a symphony, sonata, or...
. The form of this movement is a synthesis of a traditional minuet
Minuet
A minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
and trio
Ternary form
Ternary form, sometimes called song form, is a three-part musical form, usually schematicized as A-B-A. The first and third parts are musically identical, or very nearly so, while the second part in some way provides a contrast with them...
and theme variations. The opening theme is based on the ländler
Ländler
The ländler is a folk dance in 3/4 time which was popular in Austria, south Germany and German Switzerland at the end of the 18th century.It is a dance for couples which strongly features hopping and stamping...
, a German folk dance. This is played out first in the lower strings and bassoons, and then is repeated and varied. The second theme with “trio” feeling is in A minor, played by the winds. Schumann uses a pedal point C throughout this section which is highly unusual, not because it is a pedal point, but rather because C is the third not instead of the root of A minor. After this middle section the rustic theme returns scored for full orchestra and thins out until only the celli and bassoons are playing the theme, ending with soft pizzicato
Pizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
.
The third movement, Nicht Schnell, is in the subdominant
Subdominant
In music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth tonal degree of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance "below" the tonic as the dominant is above the tonic - in other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdominant. It is also the note immediately...
, A-flat major. The omission of timpani and brass in combination with the static harmony (the movement never strays far or for long from A-flat), creates a moment of calm repose in the middle of the symphony. The thematic construction uses long beautiful themes that are constantly being pushed along by this friendly little motif of four chromatically ascending sixteenth notes, often on the fourth beat of a measure.
The Fourth movement, Feierlich, though written with three flats in the key signature is in E-flat minor. The movement begins with a sforzando eight note E-flat minor chord in the strings that decays immediately into a pianissimo french horn and trombone choral. This beautiful and hauntingly quiet low brass writing is a notoriously difficult spot in performances since the trombones haven’t played at all up until this point. This expansive theme is voiced by the winds and first violins in eight notes, accelerating the tempo by more than double the previous tempo as the opening statement reaches its conclusion. Following the opening statement’s conclusion, the theme is used in imitation, mostly at the fourth and fifth, and combined with an accelerated version. After this, the tempo changes into a triple meter where the first theme under goes a series of contrapuntal
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
treatments. While the meter returns to a duple meter, the brass and winds play interwoven contrapuntal lines of the most expansive form of the theme while the strings push forward with constant 16th notes. This comes to a close on an E-flat minor chord, and after one beat’s rest an unexpected fanfare in B major which is then answered by the string in pianissimo, restating it in E-flat. While this is repeated the rhythmic motion slows down, and fragments of the theme can be heard at the end.
In the fifth movement, the piece returns to E-flat major in duple meter with the spirited feeling of a Finale. The first theme returns to the rustic dance feel from earlier in the symphony, scored for full orchestra. Sixteen bars later a second, lighter but just a spirited, theme appears. These themes are varied and imitated as the movement pushes exuberantly forward towards its heroic conclusion in E-flat major.
Models for the Third Symphony
In general, Schumann used Beethoven’s symphonies as the main model for his symphonic writing, but he also used Schubert’sFranz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
Ninth Symphony
Symphony No. 9 (Schubert)
The Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944, known as the Great , is the final symphony completed by Franz Schubert. Nicknamed The Great C major originally to distinguish it from his Symphony No...
and Mendelssohn’s
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
symphonies and concerti
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
as points of reference. In particular, he used Mendelssohn as an example of how “songlike forms can be integrated into developmental themes.” In his survey on Schumann’s symphonies, Brown suggests that the main models for his Third Symphony are Beethoven’s Third
Symphony No. 3 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E flat major , also known as the Eroica , is a landmark musical work marking the full arrival of the composer's "middle-period," a series of unprecedented large scale works of emotional depth and structural rigor.The symphony is widely regarded as a mature...
and Sixth
Symphony No. 6 (Beethoven)
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the Pastoral Symphony , is a symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, and was completed in 1808...
Symphonies, and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique
Symphonie Fantastique
Symphonie Fantastique: Épisode de la vie d'un Artiste...en cinq parties , Op. 14, is a program symphony written by the French composer Hector Berlioz in 1830. It is one of the most important and representative pieces of the early Romantic period, and is still very popular with concert audiences...
.
When evaluating the relationship between Schumann’s Third Symphony and Beethoven’s Third Symphony, there is the obvious connection between the tonal centers
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
of each piece, they both share the same tonality
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
. The relationship between Schumann’s Third Symphony and Beethoven’s Third Symphony is mostly evident in the first movement. Although it was mentioned earlier that E-flat major is known to have religious associations, this tonality is also generally perceived as having relations with the idea of the heroic due to Beethoven’s Third Symphony “Eroica”. Schumann begins his first movement with a typically heroic main theme in the same key as Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony. This main theme feels so typically heroic and triumphant that it could easily be mistaken as material for a triumphant finale movement. The reasoning for this is due to the manner in which he repeats this melody several times each with more proud and triumphant treatments. The next model (and main model) for the Rhenish Symphony is Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, the “Pastorale”. To begin, one of the most obvious relationships is that there are five movements in each of the symphonies. The next most obvious similarity between the Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony and Schumann’s Third Symphony is that in both symphonies, the fourth and the fifth movements are played without a pause in between. Aside from the similarities in the large scale layout of each work, the musical similarity can be seen in the second movement. As in the second movement of Beethoven’s sixth Symphony, the second movement of Schumann’s Third Symphony is a musical depiction of the flowing Rhine river just like in Beethoven’s work, the second movement is a depiction of a flowing Brook. In both pieces, this imagery is due to the flowing eighth notes in a wave contour. One of the clearest differences between Beethoven’s and Schumann’s approaches to using programmatic elements in their symphonies is that Beethoven actually left a title to his second movement: “Szene am Bach” (Scene at the Brook). Schumann also originally left a title which translated to “Morning on the Rhine”, but that was removed before publication. As it was mentioned earlier, Schumann’s reason for removing the title is because of his belief that providing the extramusical program to the listener would force a certain opinion of the music upon them. This is supported by the following quote from Schumann: “If the eye is once directed to a certain point, the ear can no longer judge independently.” Schumann also once said that "we must not show our heart to the world: a general impression of a work of art is better; at least, no preposterous comparisons can then be made." In the case of Schumann’s work, the idea which influenced this movement is very clear even without an explicit title. Aside from the programatic elements, Brown also draws a link between the two works based on the function of the fifth movement. Although some analysts believe that the fourth movement can be seen as a slow introduction to the fifth movement, that is highly unlikely since the fourth movement is longer and more complex than the fifth. Brown’s opinion, and a more likely explanation of the fifth movement’s function, is that it is used as an extreme contrast to the preceding movement as was the case in Beethoven’s symphony. In both of these works, the fourth movement is a highly “specialized” movement depicting something very specific, in Beethoven’s case, a thunderstorm, and in Schumann’s case, the procession in the elevation of a cardinal in a cathedral. In both these cases, the following movement contains highly contrasting music. In Schumann’s case, a much livelier movement and in Beethoven’s case, the last movement is the depiction of “cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm”.
In addition to having Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony’s programmatic elements as a model, a minor relationship between Schumann’s Third Symphony and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique could also be drawn.The program for Beethoven’s work was based on his perception of nature around him, but there was no detailed story behind it. In the case of Berlioz, he had a whole story to back up his work. This is also the case with the fourth movement of Schumann’s Third Symphony where he uses his experience of witnessing the elevation of a cardinal at a Cathedral in Cologne which is a more detailed story while Beethoven’s program seemed to be more out of pure inspiration.