Two Schumann Compositions

Air Date: October 22, 2017

Two compositions from one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era Robert Schumann. He suffered from mental illness and often said he had two different sides of himself name Florestan the “brash” side and Eusebius the “reflective” side. The program:

Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6
Zitong Wang, piano
Davidsbündlertänze means Dances of the League of David and is one of Schumann most famous works. It is a group of eighteen pieces composed for solo piano. The dances are Lebhaft; Innig; Mit Humor; Ungeduldig; Einfach; Sehr rasch; Nicht schnell; Frisch; Lebhaft; Balladenmäßig: Sehr rasch; Einfach; Mit Humor; Wild und lustig; Zart und singend; Frisch; Mit gutem Humor; Wie aus der Ferne and Nicht schnell.

Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 
Ying Li, piano
Robert Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 is a set of eight pieces for solo piano. Schumann two characters Florestan and Eusebius are prominent in this piece and are constantly changing between the two characters. The movements are marked: Des Abends: Sehr innig zu spielen (“In the Evening”); Aufschwung: Sehr rasch (“Soaring”); Warum?: Langsam und zart (“Why?”); Grillen: Mit Humor (“Whims”); In der Nacht: Mit Leidenschaft (“In the Night”); Fabel: Langsam (“Fable”); Traumes Wirren: Äußerst lebhaft (“Dream’s Confusions”); Ende vom Lied: Mit gutem Humor (“End of the Song”).

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