Carnaval (Schumann)

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Carnaval is a work by Robert Schumann for piano solo, his op. 9, written in 1834-1835. Schumann dedicated the work to the violinist Karol Lipiński. The work is subtitled Scènes mignonnes sur quatre notes (Little Scenes on Four Notes). It consists of 22 pieces for piano connected by a recurring motif. In each section of Carnaval appears either or both of two series of musical notes. These are:

• A, E-flat, C, B; signified in German as A-S-C-H
• A-flat, C, B; signified in German as As-C-H.

These both spell the German name for the town of Asch (this is now Aš in the Czech Republic), in which Schumann's then fiancée, Ernestine von Fricken, was born. They are also the musical letters in Schumann's own name.

In Carnaval, Schumann goes further musically than in Papillons, for in it he himself conceives the story of which it was the musical illustration. Carnaval remains famous for its resplendent chordal passages and its use of rhythmic displacement.

Heinz Dill has mentioned Schumann's use of musical quotes and codes in this work.^[1] Eric Sams has discussed literary allusions in the work, such as to novels of Jean-Paul.^[2]

Contents 1 Movements 2 Orchestrations 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Movements

Although the work has 22 sections, only 20 of them are numbered. Schumann did not number "Sphinxes" and "Intermezzo: Paganini".

1. Préambule (A-flat; Quasi maestoso)

2. Pierrot (E-flat; Moderato)

3. Arlequin (B-flat; Vivo)

4. Valse noble (B-flat; Un poco maestoso)

5. Eusebius (E-flat; Adagio; depicting the composer's calm, deliberate side)

6. Florestan (G minor; Passionato; depicting the composer's fiery, impetuous side)

7. Coquette (B-flat; Vivo; depicting the flirtatious servant from Friedrich Wieck's house who may have given him syphilis)

8. Réplique (B-flat-G minor; L'istesso tempo)

Sphinxes (This consists of three sections, each containing only one bar, with no key, tempo or dynamic indications. The notes are in the configurations S-C-H-A, As-C-H and A-S-C-H. It is generally omitted in performance and recording, although both Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alfred Cortot included it in their recordings.

9. Papillons (B-flat: Prestissimo)

10. A.S.C.H. - S.C.H.A: Lettres Dansantes (but despite the title, the pattern used is As-C-H; E-flat' Presto)

11. Chiarina (C minor; Passionato; depicting Clara Wieck)

12. Chopin (A-flat; Agitato)

13. Estrella (F minor; Con affetto; depicting Ernestine von Fricken)

14. Reconnaissance (A-flat; Animato)

15. Pantalon et Colombine (F minor; Presto)

16. Valse Allemande (A-flat; Molto vivace)

Intermezzo: Paganini (F minor; Presto; with a reprise of the Valse Allemande)

17. Aveu (F minor-A flat; Passionato)

18. Promenade (D-flat; Comodo)

19. Pause (A-flat; Vivo; an almost identical reprise of a passage from the opening Préambule, leading directly without pause into ...

20. Marche des "Davidsbündler" contre les Philistins (A-flat; Non allegro; quotations from a number of the previous sections fleetingly reappear, and the piece ends Prestissimo).

[edit] Orchestrations

Among those who have orchestrated Carnaval are Maurice Ravel.

It was choreographed for a ballet for a Diaghilev production, with orchestrations by Alexander Glazunov, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Anatoly Lyadov and Alexander Tcherepnin.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Carnaval was available at the International Music Score Library Project.
• Royal Ballet Gala Performances, 45rpm 200g 9LP
• Recording of original piano solo arrangement