Description
As the title suggests, this piece depicts a child's first taste of sorrow. Its minor-key harmonies and gently swaying melodic line convey sadness without becoming overwrought. Though rated beginner level, subtle control of tempo and phrasing is needed to bring out its quiet, characteristically Schumannesque emotional weight.
A collection of 43 piano pieces Schumann gave to his daughter Marie for her seventh birthday — musically rich works enjoyable for children and adults alike.
Browse all songs in Album for the Young Op.68 →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 63 of his works, including several pieces from that collection.
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