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Kreisleriana, op.16 Kater Murr (The Cat Murr), is one of the most intriguing literary work of the German romanticism by the novelist E. Th. A. Hoffmann. This is where the character Kreisler, the mad Kappelmeister, who impressed Schumann that much, appears first. While the young Brahms will use the pseudonym "Kreisler Junior" for some of his early works, Schumann saw, in the enigmatic character of Kreisler, one Ludwig Böhner, an obscure and ambitious composer of his time. However, the Kreisler as Schumann imagined, could have only composed a music as dark, whimsical and amazingly audacious as those eight fantasies which make for the opus 16. This cycle, one of the summits of the musical romanticism and one the highest masterworks of the composer, was composed in 1838. This particular year, 1838, was indeed one of the miracle years of the composer with the creation of the Sonata in F minor (Concerto without Orchestra), the Sonata in G minor, the Novelettes and the Kinderscenen. Kreisleriana is dedicated to his friend "Monsieur Chopin", and this dedication seems as appropriate as the dedication of the Fantasie in C to Franz Liszt, which appeared two years earlier. To Liszt, the most monumental, most powerful piece and to Chopin the most sublime, most fanciful and intimate one. The exceptionally somber side of Kreisleriana has often been mentioned yet the optimistic and bright sections are not rare in this series. Even Schumann did never set into such a confined time-space so much conflicting moods together as in the Kreisleriana cycle. It is interesting to note that the succinctly poetical Kinderscenen are composed at the same time. The series is a very homogeneous set to be listened as a whole. It starts with an amazingly crafted ascending line, whirling with syncopated basses and ending abruptly. In the middle section of this classically built (A-B-A) scherzo, the previously used rhythm and metrics remain while the descending arpeggios show a fragmented melodic line. The second piece is by far the most elaborated one, the beautiful melodic line of its main section is notated exactly as if intended for strings chamber orchestra. Violins I and II, the altos and cellos and basses are set as if the piece was a piano transcription of a strings section. Probably Schumann was referring to this piece when writing to Clara about a new work and mentioning a music "so simple and emanating from the heart." The main melody with its splendid curve is extensively worked on with various imitations throughout the piece. All inner voices display amazing cantabile characteristics. There are two Intermezzi, the first one is disarmingly straightforward, a little mischievous scherzo, while the second is stormy and passionate. The last apparition of the main motive is profoundly modified with that amazing dreamy version in F-sharp major. "Sehr aufgeregt", very agitated, the third number starts with bouncing triplet on a dark pedal tone of G at the low register. In this number, the middle section in B-flat major is the most developed part. A tangle of scales in contrary motion, which respond to each other in a tightly packed counterpoint. At the coda, notated "even faster", the piece proceeds by exacerbation, get rid of the triplets and literally dive into abysses. The fourth piece, "Sehr langsam" is one of the darkest pages by Schumann. A fragmented melodic line with audacious harmonization dives non-harmonized into the abyssal low end of the instrument. The central section features a beautiful melodic line evenly accompanied, slightly more conventional, yet again audacious in its harmonization. Even though some authors see a Chopin-like aspect in the scherzo which is the fifth piece, with its triple time beat it may remind a Mazurka-like metric but that seems far-fetched to me. The sixth piece is structured around a popular German ballade theme with two intermediate sections. The theme is exposed in a string quartet-like notation with the melody at the viola part. The first intermediate section is in strong contrast, built with powerful chords and fast interconnecting lines. This comes together with very audacious enharmonic modulations. After the reprise of the theme, first in the bass and then in the soprano (violin) parts, a scherzo-like animated section evolves softly and with gaiety, a short re-exposition of the theme concludes this very unusual and interesting piece. The penultimate piece in C minor is in a ferocious animation and speed, but strangely ends with large serene chords after a fugato style middle section. "Fast and playful" (Schnell und spielend) is the last number. A playful dotted rhythm over dark held basses suggest here a somehow dark kind of "game". The central section display a very elaborate harmonization with highly interesting time-shifts and harmonic clashes as it appears sometimes, in the late works by Beethoven. The entire work ends with a gradual diving to the darkest zones of the keyboard as if the Kappelmeister Kreisler disappearing in the darkness from where the combined imaginations of Hoffmann and Schumann made him appear at first. Fantasie in C major, op. 17 For some authors, the Fantasie op. 17 is the large scale piece where Schumann accomplished best his lifelong dream of a strongly build large scale work. When compared to his Sonatas, the Fantasie displays a formal consistence never attained in Schumann's entire output. The Fantasie was first thought as a Sonata and in some aspects that could have been a very more appropriate title, may be more appropriate than applied to his "real" sonatas. After having composed the Etudes Symphoniques and before the Phantasiestücke, the Fantasie is his only composition in the year 1836. That year was also a year of profound crisis, it is when Robert had to leave Clara on the insistence of her father. The dedicatee Franz Liszt, probably the only musician who was able to fully appreciate it, had been passionate about the Fantasie right away and mentioned it as "magnificent and sublime". The large three movements of the Fantasie have an overall continuity which starts with the feverish and anguished tension of the first to the intimistic meditative ending of the last. It may seems plausible to think that the sonatas op. 109 and op.111 by Beethoven could have been the instigators for that unusual form. Only seventeen years later, Liszt returned the favor by dedicating to Schumann his own Sonata in B minor. There may be another reason behind the dedication of the Fantasie by Schumann to Liszt. The great Hungarian pianist was at the time the only pianist performing often the last sonatas by Beethoven, those sonatas Schumann was intensely attempting to pursue the heritage with his Fantasie op. 17. The large three movements of the work have an overall continuity which starts with the feverish and anguished tension of the first and proceeds to the intimistic meditative ending of the last. It may be plausible to think that the sonatas op. 109 and op.111 by Beethoven could have been the instigators for that unusual form. |
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