Description
Although cast in a single movement, this large-scale fantasy shifts constantly between contrasting episodes. At one point Schumann notates an "inner voice" that is never actually played, a striking example of his experimental compositional imagination. The music swings rapidly between playfulness and melancholy, demanding both emotional range and stamina from the performer. Composed in 1839, it lasts about twenty-seven minutes and contains over 12,800 notes, effectively a fantasia in scale that asks an advanced player to sustain tension across its full length.
A broad collection of standalone piano pieces not belonging to any specific set, offering hundreds of varied character pieces to explore and compare.
About the Composer
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Robert Schumann was a leading German Romantic composer born in Zwickau. His poetic style reflects his deep literary sensibility, and his wife Clara Schumann was herself a renowned pianist and composer. His pedagogical piano collection Album for the Young remains beloved for its simple yet evocative miniatures for children and families. This site includes 63 of his works, including several pieces from that collection.
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