Composer

:

Robert Schumann

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Sonata

Compose Date

:

1836

Average_duration

:

30:56

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

Robert Schumann's "Fantasie in C major, Op. 17" is a three-movement work for solo piano. It was composed in 1836 and premiered in Leipzig the following year. The piece is dedicated to Schumann's wife, Clara Wieck, whom he had just married after a long and difficult courtship. The first movement, marked "Durchaus fantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen" (to be played entirely fantastically and passionately), is a sweeping and dramatic sonata-allegro form. It begins with a bold and virtuosic statement in the right hand, which is soon joined by a lyrical melody in the left. The two themes are developed and intertwined throughout the movement, with moments of intense drama and moments of tender introspection. The movement ends with a triumphant restatement of the opening theme. The second movement, marked "Mäßig. Durchaus energisch" (moderately, with absolute energy), is a scherzo and trio. It is characterized by its playful and rhythmic energy, with a lively and syncopated main theme that is passed between the hands. The trio section is more lyrical and introspective, with a delicate and flowing melody in the right hand over a simple accompaniment in the left. The scherzo returns, with the main theme now transformed into a more complex and virtuosic variation. The movement ends with a sudden and unexpected chord. The third movement, marked "Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten" (slowly and solemnly, to be played throughout quietly), is a set of variations on a theme that Schumann had previously used in his song cycle "Liederkreis, Op. 39." The theme is a simple and melancholy melody, which is first presented in the right hand over a gentle accompaniment in the left. The variations that follow are increasingly complex and virtuosic, with moments of intense drama and moments of delicate beauty. The movement ends with a return to the original theme, now transformed by the journey it has taken through the variations. Overall, the "Fantasie in C major, Op. 17" is a deeply personal and emotional work, reflecting Schumann's intense feelings for his wife and his struggles with mental illness. It is characterized by its sweeping melodies, virtuosic flourishes, and moments of intense drama and introspection. It remains one of Schumann's most beloved and frequently performed works for solo piano.

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