4th Symphony (Schumann)

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The 4th Symphony in D minor, Op. 120, was composed by Robert Schumann from June to September 1841 and completed on the birthday of his wife Clara Schumann , but was not published until 1851 after extensive revision and new instrumentation. Chronologically, it is Schumann's 2nd Symphony; the works known today as the 2nd and 3rd symphonies were created later.

The symphony was originally intended to consist of one movement and was initially entitled "Symphonic Fantasy for Large Orchestra". The context of the sentences is also supported by numerous subject links in all sentences.

To the music

The version published in 1851 has four movements that follow each other without a break ("attacca"):

  1. Fairly slow - lively
  2. Romance. Pretty slow
  3. Scherzo. Lively - trio
  4. Slow - Brisk - Presto

The original version from 1841 had the following four (Italian) sentence names:

  1. Andante con moto - Allegro di molto
  2. Romanza: Andante
  3. Scherzo: Presto
  4. Largo - Finale: Allegro vivace

The instrumentation of the work requires two flutes , two oboes , two clarinets , two bassoons ; four horns , two trumpets , three trumpets ; Timpani and a five-part string orchestra.

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