Interpretation for Papillons op 2

[justapianoplayer123]

Hi!
I am starting to learn Robert Schumann's Papillons. I did some research and it said that Robert Schumann was inspired from the last scene of Jean Paul's book Flegeljahre. Is there a way I could either read that to find the connections? Also, do any of you have any ideas of how to interpret Papillons? I am sorry that this might be a bit vague.
Thank you in advance,
      JustAPianoPlayer123

[pianoannieq]

Hi Justapianoplayer123,

I think that if you're going to learn a piece, you should be the one to use your ideas to make your own interpretation. I recommend listening to recordings on Youtube to get an idea of how the piece sounds. Follow the composer's or editor's markings and you'll be well on your way. My favorite thing to do when learning a piece is to construct a story around it. It allows me to find what exact sound I want with each emotion or part of the story. Experiment and find different ways to play a phrase or a single note to find what sound you like most, and use mindful repetition to produce that exact sound every time :)

[samwitdangol]

Hello!

     I have played this piece before, and I do not think that it is necessary to read the novel; just interpret the piece the way you want to. Somewhere online or in the Henle edition, you can read about how each section corresponds to a scene in the book, which may aid your interpretation.