Description
Toy soldiers on the march, rendered with nothing but a dotted rhythm and short, clipped chords. This is No. 2 of Schumann's Album for the Young, Op. 68.
In G major and duple time, it lasts about forty-eight seconds but contains over 310 notes and never pauses. The range stays within three octaves and the hand positions barely change.
Rhythmic accuracy is the point. Dotted rhythms slip easily — the long note shortens, the short one lengthens — and the march falls apart when they do. Rather than counting the dots, isolate the short notes first and make them exactly even. Cut the chords short with a loose wrist rather than striking from the fingers, and they stay light instead of hardening.
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
What this piece teaches
The opposite of the previous piece: a march built on short, detached notes and a bouncing dotted rhythm.
How to practise it
- Staccato means letting the key go quickly, not striking it - flick it lightly with the fingertip.
- The dotted rhythm tends to blur. At 0.75x, say the rhythm aloud before you play it.
- The length of each falling note shows the short and long values at a glance.
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 →