Description
The shortest of the thirteen, "Catch Me If You Can" is over in a little more than twenty seconds; it is the third piece of Kinderszenen, Op. 15. That the set is so often played piece by piece owes something to this: pieces this brief sit beside others of nearly two minutes.
Fine figuration with almost no rests passes ceaselessly between the hands in B minor and duple time. The figures change hands as pursuer and pursued trade places, and the speed of those handovers is the speed of the game. The minor key here conveys restlessness rather than darkness.
The fast handovers have to be exact, and that is what makes it intermediate. If a gap opens where the hands change, the chase visibly stops. Prepare the next hand position early and keep the fingers close to the keys. Hold the dynamic down throughout and do not lose the lightness — that is where the air of play comes from.
A suite of 13 pieces Schumann composed in 1838, including "Träumerei," evoking an adult's poetic recollection of childhood.
Browse all songs in Kinderszenen Op.15 →Sheet Music
Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
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 pieces from that collection and from Kinderszenen, Op. 15.
View all works by Schumann →