Description
Poor Orphan, the sixth piece of Schumann's Album for the Young, Op. 68, written for children in 1848. The 43 pieces are divided into two parts, For Younger Children and For Older Children, and this one sits in the easier first part.
In A minor and 2/4, a plaintive minor-key melody gives this piece an unusual emotional depth among the collection's more childlike numbers. It runs about a minute and a half with around 373 notes, somewhat more than most pieces in the first part. Its range is narrow, from E3 to G5, fitting comfortably on a 61-key keyboard.
Scaled for beginners, its notes stay simple, while conveying its sorrowful character becomes the real challenge. The first step is to separate melody from the chordal accompaniment so that the melody always sounds on top. Slow the playback, use the hand colours to find where the melody lies, and practise placing the accompanying chords a little more quietly; it is a piece well worth working into for the expressive playing it fosters.
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 →