Description
Placed directly after the march, this piece does nothing but sing quietly. It is No. 3 of the Album for the Young, Op. 68, and its German title means a little humming song. The first half of the collection is assembled from contrasting miniatures like this so that a child meets many manners of playing without losing interest.
The melody of this common-time C major piece moves within a very narrow compass, with no real leaps. The left hand supports quietly in chords, written so as not to obstruct the right-hand line. The range is just under three octaves and there are only about 280 notes — among the fewest in the set.
Legato is the lesson: connecting a humming melody without breaks while the fingers change. The pedal makes it easy, but then the fingers never learn it. Work it first without pedal, until no gap remains between one note and the next, and only then add a shallow pedal where it is actually needed.
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 pieces from that collection and from Kinderszenen, Op. 15.
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