Description
Nothing happens in "Perfectly Contented," the fifth piece of Kinderszenen, Op. 15, and that is the point. Where the pieces on either side are full of motion, conveying contentment by refusing to build is the idea at the centre of this brief piece.
In D major and duple time, a short motif is imitated between the hands and repeated while holding its shape. The harmony does not travel far and the dynamic range stays narrow. Around 400 notes fill about thirty-five seconds at an unhurried tempo.
The intermediate challenge is separating two imitating voices. Without deciding which of them — the one that leads or the one that follows — should come forward, it sounds like nothing but a succession of chords. Holding the following voice back a shade is enough to make it sound like two people talking. Varying the colour at each repetition keeps it from turning monotonous.
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.
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