Overture, Scherzo and Finale (Schumann)

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Overture, Scherzo and Finale in E major for orchestra is Opus 52 by Robert Schumann (1810–1856). Written and premiered in its basic form in 1841, the composition, which most closely resembles a symphony without a slow movement, was heavily revised in the following years.

History of origin

Robert and Clara Schumann, lithograph by Eduard Kaiser , 1847

Almost immediately after Robert Schumann's First Symphony was successfully premiered in March 1841, he began composing a new orchestral work in Leipzig . An overture, initially conceived as a single work, was written between April 12 and 22, 1841, a second and third movement (Scherzo and Finale) followed at the end of April / beginning of May. Schumann was initially unclear about the name; in his diaries and household books are the names "Suite", "Symphonette" or "Sinfonietta". After revision in the summer / autumn of 1841, the three-movement work was premiered on December 6, 1841 under the direction of Ferdinand David in the Leipzig Gewandhaus , but did not have the desired success. Initially, there was no print because the publishers Schumann offered the composition showed no interest: Hofmeister had offered it in 1842 as “2nd Symphony (Overture, Scherzo and Finale)”, Haslinger in 1845 in a version for piano four hands.

In October 1845 Schumann reworked the finale in particular, which had found the least popular response in 1841, but also made changes in the first two movements. The first performance of this new version on December 4, 1845 in Dresden under Ferdinand Hiller met with a much better reception. In 1846 the Friedrich Kistner publishing house first published the individual parts, and in 1853, after minor retouching, also the score along with a version by the composer for piano two hands. The overture, scherzo and finale were given opus number 52 and are dedicated to their composer and conductor friend Johannes Verhulst .

Instrumentation and characterization

The instrumentation of Schumann's op. 52 includes the following instruments: 2 flutes , 2 oboes , 2 clarinets , 2 bassoons , 2 horns , 2 trumpets , 3 trombones ( ad libitum ), timpani and strings .

The playing time is around 17 minutes.

The overture begins Andante con moto with a 17-bar introduction in E Minor, the main part in E Major ( Allegro ) follows a simplified Sonatensatz form with a waiver of implementation , a many Ouvertüren Rossini comparable installation.

The Scherzo ( Scherzo vivo ) in C sharp minor has a two recurring trio in D flat major. The theme of the scherzo is related to a figure appearing in the coda of the overture, while the coda of the scherzo quotes the main theme of the overture.

The finale ( Allegro molto vivace ) is again in E major and follows the sonata form, this time with development. It is more contrapuntal than the preceding movements; after an introductory fanfare, the main theme appears immediately in fugato .

The work, which Schumann deliberately composed in a rather pleasing and easily understandable way, did not achieve the popularity of the symphonies during his lifetime, so between 1846 and 1854 he was able to record 21 performances of the 1st symphony, but only 5 of his op. 52.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Wulf Konold (Ed.): Lexicon Orchestermusik Romantik. SZ . Piper / Schott, Mainz 1989. ISBN 3-7957-8228-7 , p. 764
  2. ↑ Tabular chronology of the genesis and performance history in Jon W. Finson: Schumann, Popularity, and the "Ouverture, Scherzo, and Finale," Opus 52 . The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 69, No. 1 (Winter, 1983), p. 8, Oxford University Press ( preview, JSTOR access required for full view )
  3. ↑ cf. Jon W. Finson: Schumann, Popularity, and the "Ouverture, Scherzo, und Finale," Opus 52 . The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 69, No. 1 (Winter, 1983), p. 25, Oxford University Press ( preview, JSTOR access required for full view )

literature

Web links