Description
A hymn of the German Protestant congregation, placed by Schumann — deliberately — in a children's collection. This is No. 4 of the Album for the Young, Op. 68, "Chorale"; since Bach the chorale has also been the basic material for learning to write four independent voices.
Both hands carry chords in this G major piece in common time, and four voices move together. The melody is in the topmost voice, but the other three each trace their own line, so the texture is vertical harmony and horizontal motion at once. With around 230 notes and a calm tempo, it is sparely written.
Everything depends on bringing only the top voice out of the chord. Strike four notes together and the thumb side inevitably dominates. Put the weight on the fifth finger and hold the others back. Playing the voices separately and hearing how the inner parts move before putting them together is what turns a succession of chords into four people singing.
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.
View all works by Schumann →