Schumann is a composer of my greatest consideration and respect.But I think it is misleading, to ever emphasize the "beauty" of Album für die Jugend and Kinderszenen. These books are the most mediocre pieces, Schumann has composed in his whole life.
Why not the Intermezzi too?
Schumann is a composer of my greatest consideration and respect.But I think it is misleading, to ever emphasize the "beauty" of Album für die Jugend and Kinderszenen. These books are the most mediocre pieces, Schumann has composed in his whole life. He composed these books to please Clara, but there is not much left of Schumann's genius and personality. These composition are pieces "in the style of Clara".
How can you not adore the last 2 especially - how much more poetry can you pour into a 1-2 minute piece.
Just compare Kinderszenen with the pieces Schumann composed before op.15
What textbook did you regurgitate that from? I would strongly advise against throwing up undigested bulls#@t.
These books are the most mediocre pieces, Schumann has composed in his whole life......but there is not much left of Schumann's genius and personality.
The letter you cited does not support the points you made as listed above.
You're right. Clara thought, Robert's works were way too complicated for the audience.It's not quite clear to me, what she thought about the Kinderscenen. Too complicated as well...? Or too uninteresting without the titles...?
I'm glad you're interested in this topic, but why do you care so much about what Clara thought? She was a wonderful pianist, but she wasn't a composer on the same level as her husband.
Clara was a wonderful pianist? How do you know?
There was such thing as a review in the 19th century . It's just like Liszt...how do you know he was a wonderful pianist? Same deal.
She didn't play Robert's realworks in public.
Okay, a review Anton Schindler, the Beethoven expert, wrote about Clara Schumann as pianist:Frau Schumann präsentierte sich als Pianistin von Geist, die jedoch in der großen Schar der Pianisten viele ihres Gleichen zählt, mit Männern aber wie Thalberg, Liszt, Chopin, Henselt u.A. nicht zu vergleichen ist.Mrs. Schumann presented herself as a mindful/spiritful (?) pianist, how there are many in the big crowd of pianists, but we can't compare her with men like Thalberg, Liszt, Chopin, Henselt and others.About her playing of Beethoven's op.53 he wrote, it was "harassed, blurred and sloppy". In the whole, the character of her playing appears "monotone and flat" and only with the help of the abuse of the pedal, a certain impression of a late-autumn tinge is produced.
Regardless, you are getting off topic. My criticism was directed toward the two wild assertions you made in your initial post:"These books are the most mediocre pieces, Schumann has composed in his whole life...""...but there is not much left of Schumann's genius and personality."I would like you to substantiate these claims. As they are written, they are meaningless blanket statements.
I stand to what I said. It's exactly what I think about Kinderszenen and Album für die Jugend. You're allowed to disagree with me
Oh, and for the record, I DO NOT think that Bach is a bad composer...quite the contrary.
Could it be, that you don't like Schumann very much...?
Hi,I have been playing for 5 years. I played much music from different composers, but i never played Schumann before. I want to play something by him and I told my teacher. She suggested I may try the Carnaval op.9. I am asking about other pieces that can give me a glimpse of Schumann's style. To tell you an idea about my playing, I play Chopin's G minor Ballade, Etudes no.10,12 op.10 Scriabin Etude no.12 in D# minor, Mendelssohn's fantaisies op.16.... and others.
Anton Schindler, the Beethoven expert, wrote about Clara Schumann as pianist:Mrs. Schumann presented herself as a mindful/spiritful (?) pianist, how there are many in the big crowd of pianists, but we can't compare her with men like Thalberg, Liszt, Chopin, Henselt and others.
hey counterpoint! i know that's a somewhat old thread, but your argument have a problem in my opinion. a man comparing a woman to other men in the heart of the 19th century, and concluding that she's not in a pair with them means nothing to me. you must agree that even now-a-days there is something called prejudice, and in that period it was a bigger and very serious issue. it's interesting that there is not a review claiming clara to go home take care of her husband's underwear instead of playing a male's role...
Topic: Starting playing Schumann 