38â Cultureâ EIRâ Juneâ18,â2010
Dedicated to the memory of Susan Schlanger.ďż˝
PrologueTwoâhundredâyearsâago,âonâJuneâ8,â1810,âinâaâtownâ
calledâZwickauâinâwhatâwasâthenâtheâcentralâpartâofâGer-many,âRobertâSchumannâwasâbornâtoâaâbooksellerâandâhisâwife.âAsâheâgrewâup,âheâyearnedâtoâdevelopâhisâcre-ativeâ powersâ toâ expressâ beautiful,â profoundâ ideasâ inâbothâmusicâandâwords.
Schumannâstartedâbyâwritingâmusicâforâ theâpiano,âthenâchallengingâchamberâmusic,âwonderfulâsongs,âandâgreatâ symphonies.â Heâ wouldâ oftenâ writeâ musicâ inâ aâsingleâgenreâatâaâtime,âtoâconcentrateâonâmasteringâeach,âbeforeâmovingâonâtoâtheânext.
HisâbelovedâClaraâwouldâbeâhisâmuse,âhisâcomposi-tionâstudent,âhisâcollaborator,âandâtheâgreatestâpromoterâofâhisâworks,âasâwellâasâhisâwifeâandâtheâmotherâofâhisâsevenâchildren.âTheirââloveâandâlife,ââtheânameâofâoneâofâhisâbestâsongâcycles,âservesâstillâasâaâroleâmodelâofâaâmarriageâbuiltâonâtheâcommitmentâtoâhelpâdevelopâeachâothersââcreativityâgivingâjoyâtoâtheâworld.
1.â SusanâSchlangerâfoughtâaâlong,âheroicâfightâagainstâcancer,âwhileâsheâcontinuedâtoâbeâoneâofâtheâleadersâofâLyndonâLaRoucheâsâpoliticalâcam-paignâinâtheâU.S.A.âuntilâherâdeathâinâ2009.âSheâlovedâRobertâSchumannâsâmusic,âandâtheâfirstâdraftâofâthisâarticleâwasâwrittenâforâaâFestschriftâforâherâaâfewâmonthsâbeforeâsheâdied.
The First MovementThroughoutâthisâyearâofâ2010,âClassicalâmusicâloversâ
aroundâtheâworldâareâcelebratingâtheâ200thâbirthdayâofâtheâgreatâGermanâcomposerâRobertâSchumann.âThisâar-ticleâ isâaâcontributionâ toâ thatâcelebration.âAsâweâlookâbackâtoâfindâjoyâinâSchumannâsâmusicalâ ideas,âsoâdidâSchumann,âhimself,âlookâbackâtoâtheâcreativeâmindâofâJohannâSebastianâBach.
Thisâarticleâisâtheâsecondâinâaâseriesâexploringâhowâtheâ worksâ ofâ Johannâ Sebastianâ Bach,â especiallyâ hisâgroundbreakingâ seriesâofâpreludesâandâ fugues,2â inâ allâkeys,âaâcelebrationâandâexplorationâofâtheârevolutionaryânewâwell-temperedâmusicalâtuningâsystem,âentitledâtheâWell-Tempered Clavier (WTC),3âbecameâteachingâman-ualsâforâcomposersâwhoâlivedâafterâhim.âTheâfirstâarticle,ââMozart,âBachâandâtheââMusicalâMidwife,ââââdiscussedâhowâWolfgangâAmadeusâMozartâwasâinspiredâbyâBach.ďż˝â
2.â Inâtheâfirstâapproximation,âaâfugueâisâaâkindâofâadvanced,âfreestyleâcanon,âwhichâwillâbeâdefinedâmoreâpreciselyâlaterâinâthisâarticle.3.â The Well-Tempered Clavier,âinâtwoâvolumes,âeachâcontainingâaâseriesâofâfuguesâandâpreludesâinâallâkeys,âwasâwrittenâbyâBachâtoâexploreâtheârevolutionaryâ newâ tuningâ systemâ calledâ well-tempering,â designedâ toâallowâmusicâtoâbeâplayedâinâallâkeys,âandâtoâmodulate,âorâmove,âfromâkeyâtoâkeyâwithinâaâsingleâcomposition.âSeeâtheâboxâonââTheâRevolutionâofâBachâsââWell-TemperedâClavier,ââpageâ��.ďż˝.â Seeâhttp://www.schillerinstitut.dk/bach.html
Robert and Clara Schumann, And Their Teacher, J.S. Bachby Michelle Rasmussen
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Now,âtheâstoryâofâhowâbothâRobertâandâClaraâSchumannâlearnedâtoâcomposeâdirectlyâfromâBachâwillâbeâtold.
Bachâ wasâ literallyâ Schumannâsâ musicâteacher,â thoughâheânoâlongerâ lived.âSchumannârecog-nizedâ thatâ theâ bestâ wayâ toâ learnâ toâ writeâ musicâ thatâwouldâmoveâhisâlisteners,âwouldâbeâtoâgoâdirectlyâtoâtheâsource.âItâwasâBach,âwhichâinâGermanâmeansââbrook,ââSchumannâ thirstedâ after.â Itâ wasâ Bachâ whoâ gaveâSchumannâhisâmusicalâ nourishment,â andâ sharedâwithâhimâtheâsecretsâofâhisâcreativeâsoul.âSchumannâdidâwhatâLyndonâLaRoucheâhasâalwaysâsaidâisâtheâbestâwayâtoâlearn:âHeâstrivedâtoâreliveâBachâsâcompositionalâmethodâbyâimmersingâhimselfâinâhisâworks,âespeciallyâBachâsâcontrapuntalďż˝âfugues.
StudyingâBachâenrichedâSchumannâsâpowerâofâ in-sightâintoânotâonlyâhowâtoâwriteâmusicâbasedâonâweavingâtogetherâ several,â independentâ voicesâ toâ formâ aâ livingâunityâoutâofâconstantâchange,âbut,âalso,âinsightâintoâtheâcreativeâpowersâofâtheâhumanâmindâitself,âinexpressibleâinâwords,âbutâfindingâexpressionâinâthatâwonderfulâworldâ
ďż˝.â Seeâfootnoteâ22
ofâClassicalâmusic.âInsightâreachingâbeyondâtheâmusicâexperiencedâbyâtheâsenses,âtoâtheâunheardâprinciplesâthatâgenerateâmusicalâdevelopment,âasâJohnâKeatsâwrote:
Heardâmelodiesâareâsweet,âbutâthoseâunheardAreâsweeter;âtherefore,âyeâsoftâpipes,âplayâon;Notâtoâtheâsensualâear,âbut,âmoreâendearâd,Pipeâtoâtheâspiritâdittiesâofânoâtone.â.â.â.ďż˝
StudyingâBachâincreasedâtheâabilityâofâSchumannâsâcreativeâmindâtoâresonateâwithâtheâideasâofâcreativeâmindsâofâtheâpast,âtoâproduceârevolutionaryâmusicalâideasâthatâwould,âinâturn,âinspireâyoungâmusicians,âlikeâJohannesâBrahms,âtoâproduceâtheâbreakthroughsâofâtheâfuture.ďż˝
SchumannâsustainedâthatâloveâofâBachâthroughâhisâ
ďż˝.â FromâJohnâKeats,ââOdeâonâaâGrecianâUrn.âďż˝.â SeeâsectionâofâLyndonâLaRoucheâsâMayâ8,â2010âwebcastâonâmusicalâinsightâandâresonance,âEIR,âMayâ21,â2010.
The creativity of musicians Clara and Robert Schumann was nourished by Bach, whose works they studied together during their honeymoon, and long after.
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life,â whichâ canâ beâ seenâ inâ hisâ works;â andâ Bachâ alsoâbecameâaâcentralâfocusâofâhisâmarriage.âInâ18ďż˝0,âRobertâwasâfinallyâableâtoâmarryâhisâlove,âClara,âdespiteâgreatâoppositionâfromâherâfather,âwhichâdrainedâthemâboth.âSheâ wasâ theâ leadingâ pianistâ ofâ herâ generation,â muchâbetterâknownâthanâRobertâatâthatâtime.âWhatâdidâtheyâdoâtoâcelebrateâtheirâmarriage?âTheyâstudiedâBachâtogether!âRobertâsâloveâforâClara,âandâherâmusicality,âledâhimâtoâhelpâ developâ herâ creativeâ compositionalâ qualitiesâthroughâtheirâjointâstudyâofâBach.
Fromâ theâveryâbeginning,â theyâestablishedâaâmar-riageâdiary,âwhichâwasâtoâbecomeâaâcentralâforumâforâtheirâmusicalâandâpersonalâdialogue.âNow,âitâallowsâusâtoâbecome,âinâaâsense,âaâsilent,âbutâthoughtful,âpartâofâthatâdialogue,âfromâourâvantageâpointâ1ďż˝0âyearsâlater.
Sept. 2�, �840 (nine days after their marriage on Sept. �2, �840:
.â.â.Weâ haveâ startedâ withâ theâ Fugues8â ofâ Bachâ[fromâThe Well-Tempered ClavierâMR];âRobertâmarksâthoseâplacesâwhereâtheâthemeâalwaysâre-turnsâstudyingâtheseâfuguesâisâreallyâquiteâin-terestingâandâgivesâmeâmoreâpleasureâeachâday.âRobertâ reprimandedâ meâ veryâ strongly;â Iâ hadâdoubledâoneâplaceâ inâoctaves,â andâ thusâ imper-missiblyâ addedâ aâ fifthâ voiceâ toâ theâ four-voiceâtexture.â Heâ wasâ rightâ toâ denounceâ this,â butâ itâpainedâmeânotâtoâhaveâsensedâitâmyself.
Clara9
Sept. 26:
Todayâ itâ isâalreadyâ1ďż˝âdaysâ thatâweâhaveâbeenâmarried!â Howâ beautifullyâ andâ happilyâ weâveâspentâ theseâ days!â Butâ thisâ weekâ weâ wereâ alsoâfairlyâ busy.â Ourâ fugalâ studiesâ areâ continuing;âeveryâtimeâweâplayâoneâitâbecomesâmoreâinter-estingâforâme.âSuchâgreatâartâwithâsuchâaânaturalâflow;âoneâcanâsayâthisâaboutâalmostâeveryâoneâofâtheâfugues.âComparedâtoâBachâs,âMendelssohnâsâfuguesâreallyâstrikeâoneâasâimpoverished,âalsoâitâisâtooâapparentâhowâtheyâareâmade,âandâhowâdif-ficultâitâprobablyâwasâforâhimâatâtimes.âPerhapsâ
8.â Aâfugue,âtakenâfromâtheâItalianâwordââtoâhunt,ââisâtheânameâofâaâpieceâofâmusicâwhereâaâshortâmusicalâmotif,âcalledâtheâsubject,âfirstâappearsâalone,âandâthen,âinâturn,âasâtheâotherâvoicesâenter,âinâsuccession,âasâifâtheyâareâchasingâeachâother.9.â Gerdâ Nauhaus,â ed.,â The Marriage Diaries of Robert & Clara Schumannâ(Boston:âNortheasternâUniversityâPress,â1993),âp.â8.
itâsâfoolishâforâmeâtoâwantâtoâmakeâaâcomparison,âbutâthisâforcesâitselfâuponâmeâinvoluntarilyâwhen-everâIâ(asâIâalmostâalwaysâdo)âplayâtheâMendels-sohnâfuguesâafterâBachâs.âIncidentally,âIâtrulyâbe-lieveâthereâisânoâoneâaliveâtodayâwhoâcouldâwriteâsuchâfuguesâotherâthanâMendelssohn,âwhoâsinceâchildhoodâ hasâ livedâ onlyâ withâ Bach,â Händel,âHaydn,âandâotherâoldâmasters. Clara10
Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 (third week):
.â.â.âMyâ Claraâ hasâ beenâ veryâ diligent;â yes,â sheâburnsâforâmusic.âIâheardâherâstudyânewâandâoldâetudesâbyâChopin,âalsoâbyâHenselt,âdiverseâthingsâbyâ Bachâ [and]â myâ âFantasieââ andâ âKreisleri-ana.ââAlsoâ theâ Fâ Minorâ Sonataâ byâ Beethoven.âWeâareâpursuingâourâdailyâstudiesâofâTheâWell-TemperedâClavier. Robert11
10.â Ibid.,âp.â11.11.â Ibid.,âp.â12.
Johann Sebastian Bach (ďż˝685-ďż˝750) was the âteacherâ of all the brilliant composers of the ďż˝9th Century. Much of his work had been buried until the Mendelssohn-Schumann circle of collaborators rediscovered it.
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Oct. 7:
.â.â.âLastâweekâweâfinishedâ theâfirstâ bookâofâ theâWell-Tempered ClavierâbyâBach,âbutâdidânotâcon-tinueâ ourâ studyâ ofâ theâ secondâ bookâRobertâwantedâtoârestâforâaâweek! Clara12
Inâtheseâexcerptsâfromâtheâfirstâfewâweeksâofâtheirâmarriageâdiary,âRobertâandâClaraârevealâtoâusâthatâtheseâtwoâgreatâmusiciansâspirituallyâconsummatedâtheirâmar-riageâ byâ studyingâ Bachâsâ Well-Tempered Clavier.âAsâoneâauthorâputâit,ââForâhimâthisâwasâaâchanceâtoâshareâandâ renewâ hisâ devotionâ toâ theâ composerâ heâ reveredâaboveâallâothers,âforâherâitâwasâaâmomentâofârevelation,âaâprofoundâenrichmentâofâherâmusicalâeducation.â13âSheâhadâalwaysâcomposedâmusic,âandâimprovisedâdailyâatâtheâpiano,âencouragedâbyâherâfather,âtheâpianoâandâvoiceâteacherâFriedrichâWieck.1ďż˝âConcertâpianistsâalsoâoftenâ
12.â Ibid.,âp.â1ďż˝.13.â Ronaldâ Taylor,â Robert Schumann: His Life and Workâ (London:âGranada,â1982),âpp.â18ďż˝-18ďż˝.1ďż˝.â Wieckâhadâallâhisâpianoâstudentsâstudyâsinging,âandâtaughtâthemâtoâplayâwithâaâsingingâtone.âNancyâB.âReich,âClara Schumann, The Artist and the Womanâ(Ithaca,âN.Y.:âCornellâUniversityâPress),âp.â281.âThisâisâ
playedâtheirâownâworks,âespeciallyâtoâdisplayâtheirâvir-tuosity,âbutâherâstudiesâwithâRobertâdeepenedâherâmusi-calâinsight.
AfterâBach,âtheyâjointlyâstudiedâBeethovenâsâsym-phonies,â andâ Mozartâ andâ Beethovenâ overtures,â suc-ceededâ byâ Haydnâ andâ Mozartâ quartets,â whichâ theyâplayedâtogether,âsideâbyâside,âatâtheâpiano.âRobertâalsoâintroducedâClaraâtoâGoethe,âShakespeare,âandâotherâlit-eraryâClassics.
Asâyouâwillâseeâbelow,âRobertâSchumann,âwhoâhadânoâformalâmusicalâeducationâwhileâheâwasâgrowingâup,âlearnedâtoâcomposeâbyâstudyingâtheâfuguesâofâBach,âes-peciallyâfromâtheâWTC,âandâthatâwasâtheâgiftâheâwantedâtoâgiveâClara.âClaraâwasâfamousâthroughoutâEuropeâforâherâ exceptionalâ pianoâ playing,â andâ herâ repertoireâ al-readyâincludedâsomeâworksâbyâBachâ(includingâperfor-mancesâplayingâBachâtogetherâwithâFelixâMendelssohn,âwhoâ revivedâ Bachâsâ work).1ďż˝â1ďż˝â Butâ now,â sheâ reallyâbeganâtoâgoâbeyondâtheânotes,âandâdiscoverâtheâcompo-sitionalâ principlesâ Bachâ usedâ toâ createâ hisâ fugues,âthroughâtheâeyesâofâRobert,âtheâcomposer.âSheâalsoâthenâbecameâtheâfirstâpianistâtoâregularlyâplayâBachâfuguesâduringâherâconcerts.1ďż˝
TheâjoyâthatâwelledâupâinâRobertâafterâtheirâmarriageâfoundâ itsâ musicalâ expressionâ inâ hisâ âYearâ ofâ Song,ââwhenâ heâ wroteâ hisâ masterpiecesâ Dichterliebeâ andâFrauenliebe und -leben,â andâ otherâ beautifulâ songs.âCharacteristicâforâmanyâofâtheseâsongsâisâthatâtheâpianoâ
theâauthoritativeâbookâonâClaraâinâEnglish.1ďż˝.â Threeâyearsâbeforeâ theirâmarriage,â inâ aâ reviewâofâClaraâWieckâsâcompositionââSoirĂŠesâforâPiano,ââOp.âďż˝,âRobert,âinâtheâguiseâofâhisâDa-vidsbĂźndlerâ (Leagueâ ofâ David,â anâ imaginaryâ musicâ societyâ ofâSchumannâsâcreation)âmembersâFlorestanâandâEusebius,âpraisedâbothâherâcompositionsâandâtheâdepthsâofâherâcomprehensionâofâtheâworksâofâtheâgreatâmasters:ââLetâBachâpenetrateâtoâaâdepthâwhereâevenâtheâminerâsâlampâisâthreatenedâwithâextinction;âletâBeethovenâlashâoutâatâtheâcloudsâwithâhisâtitanâsâfists;âwhateverâourâownâtimeâhasâproducedâinâtermsâofâheightsâandâdepthsâsheâgraspsâitâall,âandârecountsâitâwithâaâcharming,âmaidenlyâwisdom.âAtâtheâsameâtime,âsheâhasâraisedâherâownâstandardsâtoâaâdegreeâthatâleavesâoneâwonderingâanxiouslyâwhereâitâallâmayâlead.âIâventureânoâpredictions.âWithâsuchâtalentsâoneâisâconfrontedâwithâcurtainâafterâcurtain;âtimeâliftsâthemâoneâbyâone,âandâwhatâisârevealedâalwaysâdiffersâfromâwhatâwasâexpected.âThatâoneâcannotâcontemplateâsuchâaâwondrousâphenomenonâwithâindifference,âthatâoneâmustâfollowâherâspir-itualâdevelopmentâstepâbyâstep,âmayâbeâexpectedâofâallâthoseâwho,âinâthisâsingularâtime,âacknowledgeâtheânaturalâintimateârelationshipâofâkindredâspirits,âpastâandâpresent,âratherâthanâmereâaccidentâorâchance.â.â.â.ââFromâHenryâPleasants,âed.,âRobert Schumann, Schumann on Musicâ(Mineola,âN.Y.:âDover,â1988),âp.â122.1ďż˝.â Seeâ theâ chartâ ofâ theâ worksâ ofâ Bachâ thatâ Claraâ performedâ inâ theâonlineâAppendixâatâhttp://www.schillerinstitut.dk/drupal/schumann1ďż˝.â AsâwellâasâBeethovenâsonatas,âReich,âop.âcit.,âp.â2��.
Ludwig van Beethoven in ďż˝803, painting by Christian Hornemann. Robert Schumann studied Beethovenâs work intensely, alongside that of Bach.
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engagesâaâfullâdialogueâwithâtheâsinger,âbecomingâmuchâmoreâthanâaâmereâsubordinatedâaccompaniment.
LetâsâseeâhowâSchumannâsâloveâofâBachâevolved,âandâhowâitâchangedâbothâhisâmethodâofâcomposing,âandâtheâqualityâofâmusicalâideasâinâtheâresultingâcompositions.
Robert Learns from BachInâ181ďż˝,âatâ theâageâofâseven,âRobertâbeganâtakingâ
musicâandâpianoâlessonsâfromâBaccalaureusâKuntzsch,âaâ professorâ atâ theâ highâ schoolâ inâ hisâ hometownâ ofâZwickau.âRobertâbecameâsoâenthusiasticâaboutâmusicâthatâheâmadeâhisâfirstâattemptsâtoâcompose.âHisâabilityâtoâimproviseâatâtheâpianoâincludedâfunnyâmusicalâcharac-terâsketchesâofâhisâfriends.18â19
WhileâenrolledâatâtheâuniversityâinâLeipzigâtoâstudyâlawâ(dueâtoâpressureâfromâhisâmother),âheâandâaâgroupâofâmusic-lovingâstudentsâmetâonceâaâweekâtoâplayâcham-berâmusic.ââInâtheâintervals,âtheyâconversedâonâmusicalâmatters,âespeciallyâofâtheâoldâmasterâBachâandâhisâWell-Tempered Clavichord,â evenâ thenâ aâ sourceâ ofâ ardentâstudyâtoâSchumann,âandâalwaysâlaidâuponâhisâpiano.â20âHeâwasâalsoâinspiredâtoâcomposeâseveralâpiecesâduringâthisâperiod.
Inâ 1828,â atâ theâ ageâ ofâ 1ďż˝,â Schumannâ metâ ClaraâWieckâforâtheâfirstâtime,âwhenâtheâeight-year-oldâpianistâperformedâinâLeipzig.âHerâplayingâmadeâsuchâanâim-pressionâonâhim,âthatâheâdecidedâtoâdropâhisâlawâstudiesâtoâ studyâ pianoâ withâ Claraâsâ father,â Friedrichâ Wieck.âLivingâwithâtheâWiecks,âRobertâcontinuedâhisâlessonsâforâaboutâaâyear.âTheâdamageâtoâoneâofâhisâfingers,âdueâtoâpracticingâwithâaâmechanicalâdeviceâheâhimselfâin-vented,âeliminatedâtheâthoughtâofâbecomingâaâconcertâpianist,âandâturnedâhisâdestinyâtowardâcomposition.
Atâtheâsameâtime,âinâBerlin,âhisâlaterâmusicalâco-con-spirator,âFelixâMendelssohn,âgrandsonâofâtheâgreatâJewishâ
18.â JosephâWilhelmâvonâWasielewski,âLife of Robert Schumannâ(De-troitâReprintsâ inâMusic,â InformationâCoordinators,â 19��),â pp.â 1ďż˝-18.âWasielewski,âaâmusicianâwhoâknewâSchumannâpersonally,âwasâtheâcom-poserâsâfirstâbiographer.19.â Especiallyâthroughâtheâinfluenceâofâhisâfather,âAugustus,âwhoâwasâaâbooksellerâandâliteraryâfigure,âRobertâwasâalsoâdrawnâtoâliterature,âanâinterestâwhichâcontinuedâthroughoutâhisâlife.âWhileâatâschool,âheâstudiedâtheâworksâofâFriedrichâSchiller,âGoethe,âtheâGreekâtragedians,âandâJeanâPaulâRichter,âamongâothers.â(SchillerâsaidâofâRichter,âwhoâSchumannâsaidâhadâaâbigâinfluenceâonâhim,âthatâheâwouldâhaveâbeenâworthyâofâad-mirationâifâheâhadâmadeâasâgoodâuseâofâhisâriches,âasâotherâmenâmadeâofâtheirâpoverty.)âItâisâfromâthisâperiodâthatâSchumannâbeganâtoâwriteâaboutâmusicalâaesthetics,âandâheâwouldâcontinueâtoâcommunicateâhisâinsightsâintoâmusic,âthroughâhisâwritings.20.â Wasielewski,âop.âcit.
philosopherâMosesâMendelssohn,âoneâyearâyoungerâthanâSchumann,âerectedâaâmusicalâmilestone,âbyârevivingâtheâworkâofâBach,âasâonlyâaâfewâofâhisâworksâwereâstillâinâcirculationâatâthatâtime.âInâ1829,âMendelssohnâliterallyâdustedâoffâtheâmanuscriptâofâBachâsâgreatestâchoralâwork,âThe Saint Matthew Passion,â directingâ theâ firstâ perfor-manceâ(ofâexcerpts)âsinceâBachâsâdeathâinâ1��0,âatâtheâBerlinâSingakademie.âThisâcausedâaâgreatâsensation,âandâreopenedâtheâeyesâofâtheâmusicalâworldâtoâtheâforgottenâworksâofâthisâgreatâmaster.âMendelssohnâsâfriendâandâco-initiatorâofâtheâproject,âtheâactorâEduardâDevrient,âwouldâlaterâwriteâinâhisâmemoirs,âthatâMendelssohnâexclaimed:ââToâthinkâthatâitâtookâanâactorâandâaâJewâsâsonâtoâreviveâtheâgreatestâChristianâmusicâforâtheâworld!â21
AsâRobertâwouldâ laterâwrite,â âMozartâ andâHaydnâhadâbutâaâpartialâandâone-sidedâknowledgeâofâBach.âNoâoneâcanâguessâhowâBachâwouldâhaveâinfluencedâtheirâproductivity,âhadâtheyâknownâhimâinâallâhisâgreatness.â
BackâtoâtheâyoungâRobert.âByânowâheâhadâdecidedâtoâfullyâdevoteâhimselfâ toâcomposingâandâwritingâaboutâmusic.âInâ1831,âheâstartedâaâbriefâperiodâofâstudyâofâhar-monyâandâcounterpoint22â(theâbasicsâofâthoroughâbass,âsimpleâandâdoubleâcounterpoint,âasâfarâasâcanons23)âwithâtheâ directorâ ofâ musicâ atâ theâ Leipzigâ Opera,â HeinrichâDorn,â whoâ wouldâ alsoâ teachâ counterpointâ toâ theâ 12-year-oldâClara,âstartingâtheâyearâafter.2ďż˝âButâRobertâalsoâstudiedâBachâonâhisâown.
21.â StevenâP.âMeyer,ââMosesâMendelssohnâandâ theâBachâTradition,ââwww.schillerinstitute.org/fid_9ďż˝-01/992_mend_spm.html22.â Theâartâofâwritingâtwoâorâmoreâlines,âorâvoices,âofâmusicâdesignedâtoâbeâ inâdialogueâwithâeachâother,â fromââpointâagainstâpoint,ââwritingâaâcontraryânoteâ toâaâgivenânote,âorâpoint.âForâexample,â addingâone,âorâmore,âcounterpointâvoice(s),âtoâaâwell-knownâpsalmicâmelody.
Whenâwritingâcounterpoint,âtheâcomposerâstrivesâtoâenableâeachâvoiceâtoâbeâaâcoherent,âmelodicâvoice,âinâandâofâitself.âHowever,âthroughânatu-ralâdevelopmentâofâeachâofâtheâvoices,âincludingâtheâuseâofâtheâinversionâofâmusicalâintervalsâorâthemes,âtheyâcomeâintoâconflictâwithâeachâother,âcreatingâdissonances,âorâmusicalâintervalsâthatâareâuncomfortable,âthatâcreateâtension,âandâdemandâtoâbeâresolved.âThisâcreatesâanâimpetusâforâparadox,â surprise,âdevelopment,âandâchangeâ inâ theâmusic.âTheâartâofâcounterpointâ developedâoverâ centuries,â andâ reachedâ itsâ highestâ pointâwithâBachâsâmusic.23.â Thoroughâbassâisâtheâartâofâinventingâanâaccompanimentâtoâaâgivenâbassâ line,âwhereâ theâcomposerâhasâgivenâharmonicâ indicationsâ inâ theâformâofânumbersârepresentingâtheâbasicâintervalsâtoâbeâusedâ(forâexam-pleââďż˝ââmeansâaâfourthâaboveâtheâgivenâbassânote.)âStudyingâthoroughâbassâisâaâgoodâintermediateâstepâtoâcomposing.âDoubleâcounterpointâisâtheâartâofâwritingâtwoâlinesâofâmusicâwhichâcanâbeâinvertedâthatâis,âeachâlineâcanâeitherâbeâonâtopâorâonâtheâbottom.âNoteâthatâwhenâinvertingâtwoâlinesâofâmusic,âtheâintervalsâbetweenâthemâwillâbeâchanged.2ďż˝.â ClaraâwouldâalsoâtakeâcounterpointâlessonsâwithâSeigfriedâDehn,âaâleadingâtheorist,âinâ183ďż˝.âReich,âop.âcit.,âp.â21ďż˝.
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Then,â alreadyâ inâ 1832,â Schumannâ stoppedâ takingâlessonsâ fromâ Dorn,â becauseâ âmyâ entireâ beingâ rebelsâagainstâeveryâexternalâinfluence,âandâIâhaveâtoâdiscoverâthingsâonâmyâownâforâtheâfirstâtime,âinâorderâtoâassimi-lateâthemâandâputâthemâinâtheirâproperâplace.â2ďż˝
InâaâletterâtoâKuntzschâonâJulyâ2ďż˝,â1832,âSchumannâwrote:
Aâ fewâ monthsâ agoâ Iâ finishedâ myâ theoreticalâcourseâwithâDorn,âhavingâgotâasâfarâasâcanons,âwhichâIâhaveâbeenâstudyingâbyâmyselfâafterâMar-purg,âwhoâisâaâcapitalâtheorist.âOtherwiseâSebas-tianâBachâsâWell-Tempered Clavierâisâmyâgram-mar,âandâisâcertainlyâtheâbest.âIâhaveâtakenâtheâfuguesâoneâbyâone,âandâdissectedâthemâdownâtoâtheirâ minutestâ parts.â Theâ advantageâ ofâ thisâ isâgreat,âandâseemsâtoâhaveâaâstrengtheningâmoralâ
2ďż˝.â CitedâinâPeterâF.âOstwald,âSchumann: The Inner Voices of a Musical Geniusâ (Boston:â Northeasternâ Universityâ Press),â 198ďż˝,â p.â 88;â fromâRobertâSchumann,âJugendbriefe,âpp.â1ďż˝8-1ďż˝9.
effectâuponâoneâsâwholeâsystem;âforâBachâwasâaâthoroughâman,âallâover,âthereâisânothingâsicklyâorâstuntedâaboutâhim,âandâhisâworksâseemâwrittenâforâeternity.âNowâIâmustâlearnâtoâreadâscoresâandâstudyâinstrumentation.â.â.â.2ďż˝
Schumannâ calledâ theâ WTCâ theâ âbookâ ofâ books,ââwhichâ heâ laterâ recommendedâ thatâ hisâ studentsâ playâeveryâday.âAsâSchumannâsâfirstâbiographerâputâit,âcon-cerningâtheâWinterâofâ1832-33,ââHeâespeciallyâandâea-gerlyâpracticedâcounterpoint,âurgedâtheretoâbyâtheâas-siduousâstudyâofâtheâgreatâmasterâBach.â
Robertâ wasâ alsoâ inspiredâ byâ theâ pedagogicalâ ses-sionsâheâhadâwithâClara,âevenâbeforeâtheyâwereâmarried.âHeâwritesâinâhisâdiaryâthatâheâthoughtâupâaâmotifâ(G-C-D-Gâ)âwhileâheâandâClaraâplayedâfour-handedâpianoâto-gether,â sight-readingâ throughâ sixâ ofâ Bachâsâ fugues.âTransposedâdownâaâfifth,â itâbecameâtheâbassâcounter-
2ďż˝.â Mayâ Herbert,â ed.,â Early Letters of Robert Schumannâ (London:âGeorgeâBellâandâSons,â1888),âatâhttp://www.archive.org,âp.â1ďż˝9.
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Wikipedia Commons/Peter Zeliznak
Robert Schumann wrote that âMozart and Haydn had but a partial and one-sided knowledge of Bach. No one can guess how Bach would have influenced their productivity, had they known him in all his greatness.â Left, Franz Josef Haydn; right, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
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The Revolution of Bachâs âWell-Tempered ClavierâBachâsâWell-Tempered Clavierâ(1ďż˝22)âhasâbeenâreferredâtoâ asâ theâ âOldâ Testamentââ ofâ Classicalâ pianoâ music.â(TheâNewâTestamentâbeingâBeethovenâsâpianoâsonatas.)âBookâIâofâ theâWell-TemperedâClavierâ (BWVâ8��-ďż˝9)âcontainedâ2ďż˝âpreludesâandâfugues,âoneâforâeachâofâtheâmajorâandâminorâkeys.
Aâ secondâ book,â Twenty-four New Preludes and Fugues,â whichâ repeatedâ theâ procedureâ withâ 2ďż˝â newâcompositions,â wasâ writtenâ betweenâ 1��0â andâ 1���â(BWVâ8ďż˝0-93).
Bachâusedâthisâworkâtoâexplore,âinâdepth,âtheânewâmusicalâpossibilitiesâthatâaroseâasâaâresultâofâtheâdevel-opmentâ ofâ aâ newâ systemâ ofâ tuningâ keyboardâ instru-ments,âcalledâwell-tempering,âwhichâcouldâgiveâ theseâfixed-noteâinstrumentsâincreasedâabilityâtoâplayâmulti-voiced,âorâpolyphonicâmusic,âasâifâthereâwereâdifferentâspeciesâofâhumanâvoicesâsingingâtogether,âwithâsimilarâflexibilityâandâirony.
Inâ1ďż˝91,âtheâGermanâorganistâandâmathematicianâAn-dreasâWerckmeisterâ(1���-1ďż˝0ďż˝)âpublishedâaâtreatiseâen-titled,â âMusicalâ Temperamentâ orâ .â.â.â mathematicalâ in-structionâhowâtoâproduceâ.â.â.âaâwell-temperedâintonationâonâtheâclavier.ââBach,âWerckmeister,âandâothersâwhoâsup-portedâtheâwell-temperedâsystem,ârejectedâtheâpreviouslyâheldâideaâthatâmusicalâintervalsâinâtheâphysicalâuniverse,âhadâ toâ conformâ toâ abstractâ mathematicalâ proportions.âThisâideaâhadâputâaâstraitjacketâonâtheâmusicalâuniverse,âlimitingâitâtoâonlyâthoseâkeysâinâwhichââpureââintervalsâcouldâbeâplayed.
Theânewâmovement,âofâwhichâBachâwasâaâ leader,âcreatedâsystemsâinâwhichâitâwouldâbeâpossibleâtoâplayâmusicâinâallâkeys.âTheââcommaââ(theâpartâofâtheâoctaveâthatâisâleftâoverâifâonlyâmathematicallyââpureââmusicalâintervalsâareâused)âwasâdistributedâunequallyâthrough-outâallâofâtheâkeys.â(Differentâkeysâhadâdifferent-sizedâintervals,âgivingâeachâkeyâ itsâownânuanceâorââcolor,ââcreatingâaââmusicalâpalette,ââwhichâisâlostâinâtheâmodernâpracticeâ ofâ âequal-tempering,ââ whereâ allâ half-notesâhaveâtheâsameâvalue.)âItâwereâthenâpossibleâbothâtoâwriteâmusicâ inâ everyâkey,â andâ toâmodulateâtoâmoveâ fromâoneâkeyâtoâanyâanotherâwithinâtheâsameâpieceâofâmusic,âinâaâwayânotâpossibleâbefore.
Theâmusicalâuniverseâwasâliberatedâfromâaâsystemâ
centeredâinâtheâkey-in-itself,âorâitsâclosestâneighbors,âtoâbeingâaâsystemâthatâwasâexpandedâtoâencompassâallâofâtheâmajorâandâminorâkeys.âInâaddition,âBachâsâuseâofâtheâLydianâinterval,âpreviouslyâbanned,âandâotherâlawfullyâcreatedâdissonances,âservedâasâaâmusicalâtranscendentalâbridge,âtoâallowâmusicalâdevelopmentâtoâsupercedeâevenâtheâ2ďż˝-keyâsystem.
Musicalâactionâwasâtransformedâfromâbeingâlimitedâtoâchangeâwithinâaâfewâkeys,âtoâbecomingâactionâbasedâonâtheâunlimitedâdevelopmentâofâmusicalâideasâthrough-outâ theâ entireâ â2ďż˝-key-plusââ musicalâ universe,â whereâmusicalâ developmentâ takesâ advantageâofâ explicitâ andâimplicitâ relationsâ betweenâ aâ wholeâ rangeâ ofâ differentâkeys;âwhereâtheâpossibilitiesâtoâcreateâmusicalâchange,âtransformation,âparadox,âandâdevelopmentâareâincreasedâtoâtheâmaximum.
âAsâanyâlistenerâtoâaâBachâcompositionâcanâeasilyârecognize,ââ wroteâ Bruceâ Directorâ inâ New Federalist, Mayâ28,â2001,ââtheâpositionâofâanyânote,âisâanâambigu-ity,â thatâbecomesâ lessâambiguous,âasâ theâcompositionâunfolds,âandâtheâintervalsâsoâgenerated,âandâtheirâinver-sions,â areâ heardâ withâ respectâ toâ theâ well-temperedâsystemâ ofâ bel cantoâ polyphonyâ asâ aâ whole.â Itâ isâ theâchange,âwithârespectâtoâtheâwholeâwell-temperedâsystem,âthatâdeterminesâtheânotes,ânotâtheânotesâthatâdetermineâtheâchange.â
JustâbeforeâBach,âotherâcomposersâhadâexperimentedâwithâwritingâsingleâpiecesâwhichâmodulatedâthroughoutâallâtheâkeys,âorâwithâwritingâdifferentâpiecesâforâallâ2ďż˝âkeys.âButâBachâsâmusicalâgeniusâsurpassedâthem.âBach-familyâbiographer,âKarlâGeiringer,âwritesâthatâBachâre-alizedâ thatâ theâ newâ systemâ couldâ revolutionizeâ theâmethodâofâfugalâcomposition.âBefore,âchangeâwasâonlyâpossibleâbyâintroducingânewâmusicalâsubjectsâorââcoun-ter-subjects,ââorâvariationsâofâtheâtheme.âNow,âchangeâwasâpossibleâbyâwritingâdevelopmentalâsections,âcalledâepisodes,â whichâ wouldâ transportâ theâ themeâ fromâ oneâkeyâtoâanother,âwithâtheâestablishmentâofâtheânewâkeyâbeingâsolidifiedâbyâtheâthemeâbeingâannouncedâinâ theânewâkey.âAâgreaterââonenessââexistedâthanâeverâbefore,âbecauseâtheâmaterialâforâtheâepisodesâwasâtakenâdirectlyâfromâtheâmainâtheme,âorâtheâthemeâsâcounterpoint.
Bachâcontinuedâtoâdevelopâhisâfugalâcompositionalâmethod,âlaterâcreatingâsuchâmasterpiecesâofâcreativityâasâtheâMusicalâOffering,âandâtheâArtâofâtheâFugue.
From âBach, Mozart and the âMusical Midwife,â â by Mi-chelle Rasmussen (www.schillerinstitut.dk/bach.html).
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pointâforâhisâ1833ââImpromtus,ââvariationsâuponâoneâofâClaraâsâ themes.2ďż˝â Inâ anâ autobiographicalâ sketch,âSchumannâ recordsâ thatâ theâ âImpromtusââ wereâ theââresultâ ofâ theâ stimulationââ ofâ studyingâ Bachâsâ worksâduringâtheâ1830s.âThere,âheâexperimentedâwithâdiffer-entâcontrapuntalâprinciplesâofâchange,âbecomingââaâmu-sicalârealizationâofâwhatâweâwillâsoonâencounterâasâtheâhistoricalâ imperativeâ ofâ Schumannâsâ [literary]â criti-cism:â theâ invocationâ ofâ theâ pastâ asâ anâ inspirationalâsourceâforâaâânewâpoeticâage.âââ28
This,âthen,âwouldâbecomeâtheâideaâexpressedâinâtheâmanifestoâheâwroteâinâ183ďż˝,âuponâlaunchingâhisâNeue Zeitschrift fĂźr Musik (New Magazine for Music).âTheâgoalâwasââtoârecallâtheâoldâtimesâandâtheirâworksâwithâgreatâemphasis,âthusâtoâdrawâattentionâtoâtheâfactâthatâfreshâartisticâbeautiesâcanâbeâstrengthenedâonlyâatâsuchâpureâsources,âandâthenâtoâattackâasâinartisticâtheâworksâofâtheâpresentâgenerationâsinceâtheyâproceedâfromâtheâpraisesâ ofâ superficialâ virtuosos.â29âThisâ isâ theâ centralâideaâofâanyârenaissance,âorâre-birth,âandâitâwasâthisâideaâwhichâbecameâbothâtheâguidingâprincipleâofâSchumannâsâintellectualâdevelopment,âandâtheâprincipleâheâbroughtâtoâbothâhisâlisteners,âandâhisâreaders.
Thisâ magazineâ wouldâ alsoâ serveâ asâ theâ forumâ heâusedâ toâwageâhisââDavidsbĂźndlerââbattlesâagainstâ theâmusicalââPhilistines,ââwhoâonlyâprizedâvirtuosoâeffects,âorâ formâ only,â withoutâ deepâ content.â Schumann,â withâhelpâfromâMendelssohn,âandâlaterâBrahms,âwouldâwieldâhisâmusicalâandâ literaryâpenâagainstâRichardâWagner,âFranzâLizst,âandâtheâotherâRomantics.30
âThe History of the FugueâFromâ183ďż˝âtoâ1838,âRobertâbeganâhisâsecondâphaseâ
ofâcontrapuntalâstudy.âInâ183ďż˝,âthereâwereâtwoâperiodsâinâwhichâheâworkedâonâmasteringâcounterpoint.31âItâwasâduringâ thisâperiodâ thatâ heâ copiedâBachâsâmasterpieceâ
2ďż˝.â âRomanceâvariĂŠe,ââOp.â3,âJohnâDaverio,âRobert Schumann: Herald of a âNew Poetic Ageââ(NewâYork:âOxfordâUniversityâPress,â199ďż˝),âp.â100.28.â Invertibleâ counterpointâ inâ No.â 3;â Claraâsâ themeâ asâ aâ migratingâcantus firmusâinâNos.âďż˝âandâ8;âandâtheâfinale,âplusâtheâtransformationâofâClaraâsâthemeâthroughout.âDaverio,âop.âcit.,âpp.â108-109.29.â âSchumannâandâhisâMusic,ââbyâMelvinâMaddocksâandâtheâeditorsâofâTime-Life,ârecordânotes,â19��,âTime-LifeâRecords,âAlexandria,âVir-ginia,â p.â 10,â andâ Davidâ Shavin,â âRebeccaâ Mendelssohnâ DirichletâsâComplexâDomain,ââEIR,âJuneâ11,â2010.30.â ForâmoreâaboutâtheâDavidsbĂźndler,âsee:âhttp://davidsbuendler.free-hostia.com/march.htm31.â MaterialâforâthisâsectionâisâtakenâfromâDaverio,âop.âcit.,âp.â1ďż˝3.
The Art of the Fugueâinâorderâtoâstudyâitâfromâtheâinside.âInâOctober,âheâstudiedâMarpurgâsâ treatiseâonâfugues32âandâalsoâdelvedâintoâBachâsâorganâfugues.âYet,âheâwasânotâsatisfiedâwithâhisâownâattemptâtoâwriteâaâfugue,âsoâheâwentâbackâtoâhisâstudies,âwhichâintensifiedâbyâNov.â2âintoâaâFugenpassionâ(fugalâpassion),âfollowedâtwoâdaysâlaterâbyâaâFugenwuthâ(fugalâfrenzy).
TheâculminationâwasâtheâFugengeschichte (The His-tory of the Fugue)âaâ1ďż˝-pageâmanuscriptâcontainingâSchumannâsâownâexamplesâofâ fugalâ techniquesâ takenâfromâBachâandâGeorgâMuffat,â andâquotesâ fromâMar-purgâsâtreatise.33â3ďż˝
Thisâauthorâhasâobtainedâaâcopyâofâtheâstill-unpub-lishedâ The History of the Fugueâ fromâ theâ RobertâSchumannâHaus,âinâhisâbirthplace,âZwickau.âTheâfirstâchanceâtoâgazeâatâRobertâsâownâhand-writtenâmusicalânotationâfromâhisâexamplesâofâfugalâthemesâandâexposi-tions,âhisâcrossingâoutâofâexamplesâheâwasânotâsatisfiedâwith,âandâhisâownâtextualâpedagogicalânotations,âwasâanâespeciallyâmovingâexperience.
ItâhasâoftenâbeenâsuggestedâthatâThe History of the FugueâwasâwrittenâbyâRobertâasâaâpedagogicalâwork-bookâtoâteachâClaraâfugalâcomposition.3ďż˝âWhetherâforâClara,â forâ Robertâ himself,â orâ others,â asâ oneâ playsâthroughâ theâ fugalâ themesâ andâ fullâ orâ partialâ exposi-tionsâ containedâ inâ theâ manuscript,â oneâ canâ reliveâSchumannâsâsearchâforâtheâsecretsâcontainedâinâBachâsâartâofâcounterpoint.â(Anâexpositionâisâtheâbeginningâofâaâfugue,âwhichâcontains,âinâsuccession,âtheâentranceâofâtheâthemeâinâallâofâtheâindividualâvoicesâofâthatâpar-ticularâ fugue,â andâ theâ simultaneousâ counterpointâ inâtheânon-themeâvoices,âuntilâtheâcadence3ďż˝âafterâtheâen-tranceâofâtheâlastâvoice.)âHeânotesâwhichâthemesâareâgood,âandâshouldâbeâdevelopedâ later,â andâwhichâareânotâgoodâenoughâtoâbeâaâseedâcrystalâforâcontrapuntalâdevelopment.
Inâoneâcaseâ(seeâFigure 1),âheâdevelopsâtheâsameâthemeâinâthreeâdifferentâwaysâthatâis,âtheâthemeâisâtheâsame,âbutâwhenâheâcomesâtoâtheâentranceâofâtheâsecondâvoice,âknownâasâtheââanswer,ââheââtriesâonââthreeâdiffer-entâsizesâforâtheâfirstâinterval.âTheâtheme,âasâheardâinâtheâ
32.â MarpurgâwroteâhisâAbhandlungen von der Fugeâinâ1��3.33.â Daverio,âop.âcit.,âp.â1ďż˝2.3ďż˝.â GeorgâMuffatâ(1��3-1ďż˝0ďż˝)âwasâaâBaroqueâcomposer.âHeâwroteâRe-gulae Concentuum Partiturae,âaâtreatiseâonâthoroughâbassâandâcounter-point.3ďż˝.â Daverio,âop.âcit.,âp.â1ďż˝2.3ďż˝.â Aâcadenceâisâaâtemporaryâharmonicallyâpleasingârestingâplace,âlikeâaâcommaâinâaâsentence,âsignalingâtheâendâofâaâsectionâofâmusic.
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firstâvoice,âbeginsâbyâ jumpingâupâaâfifth,â fromââcââ toââg.ââWhenâtheâsecondâvoiceâenters,âheâexperimentsâwithâreshapingâ theâ firstâ interval,â firstâ writingâ aâ fourthâ up,âfromââgââtoââcââââ(anâinversionâofâtheâfifthâwhichâcom-pletesâtheâoctaveâfromââcââtoââcâââ),â thenâtryingâagainâwithâaâfifthâup,âfromââgââtoââdââââ(anotherâtypeâofâinver-sionâwhichâduplicatesâtheâsizeâofâtheâoriginalâinterval),âandâfinally,âwithâaâsixth,âfromââgââtoââeââ.â
Theâfunâpartâisâthatâtheâcounterpointâchangesâeachâtimeâthatâis,âtheâcontinuationâofâtheâfirstâvoice,âsimul-taneouslyâheardâwhileâtheâsecondâvoiceâisâplayingâtheâtheme.â Theâ changeâ ofâ theâ sizeâ ofâ theâ intervalâ whichâbeginsâtheâsecondâvoice,âchangesâtheâmusicalââfield,ââand,âtherefore,âtheâcounterpointâalsoâhasâtoâchange.âInâexampleâ1ďż˝,âSchumannâwritesâaâvariationâofâthisâsameâtheme,ânowâinâaâtripletâsetting,âwhichâheâthinksâisâgood,âwritingâthatâheâshouldâdevelopâitâlaterâintoâaâfullâfugue.âInâthisâcase,âwhenâtheâsecondâvoiceâenters,âheâchoosesâtoârepeatâtheâintervalâofâaâfifthâup,âtheâmiddleâexampleâexplainedâabove,âforâtheââanswer.â
AnotherâthingâthatâstruckâmeâisâthatâSchumannâex-perimentsâwithâtheâdifferentâcontrapuntalâprinciplesâofâ
changeâwithinâhisâownâtonalâlanguage.âInâotherâwords,âoneâcanâclearlyâhearâthatâtheyâareâwrittenâbyâSchumann,âandânotâbyâBach.
AndâSchumannâwasâexplicitâ thatâ contrapuntalâde-vicesâwereâtoâbeâusedâinâtheâserviceâofâmakingâliving,âbeautifulâmusic,ânotâdead,âmechanical,âalmostââmathe-matical,ââpieces.ââTheâbestâfugueâwillâalwaysâbeâtheâoneâthatâ theâ publicâ takesâforâ aâ Straussâ waltz;â inâ otherâwords,âwhereâtheâartisticârootsâareâcoveredâasâareâthoseâofâaâflower,âsoâthatâweâonlyâperceiveâtheâblossom,ââheâwroteâ inâ aâ reviewâ ofâ Mendelssohnâsâ âPreludesâ andâFugues,ââOp.â3ďż˝,âinâ183ďż˝.3ďż˝
Mostâ ofâ Schumannâsâ difficult-to-readâ handwritingâinâThe History of the FugueâisâdecipheredâbyâWolfgangâBoetticherâinâhisâbookâRobert Schumann. EinfĂźhrung in PersĂśnlichkeit und Werk (19ďż˝1),38âwhichâmayâbeâfoundâinâ theâ Internetâ appendixâ toâ thisâ articleâ (http://www.schillerinstitut.dk/drupal/schumann).
3ďż˝.â Daverio,âop.âcit.,âp.â309.38.â (Berlin:âDerâDeutschenâRobertâSchumannâGesellschaft,â19ďż˝2),âpp.âďż˝0ďż˝-ďż˝0ďż˝.
From Schumannâs âThe History of the Fugue,â examples ďż˝2-ďż˝6. Examples ďż˝2-ďż˝4 show the same theme with three different answers. The first interval of each of the second voices increases in size. Notice that the continuation of the first voice is therefore changed. Schumannâs notations, corresponding to the numbering of the lines, are:
�4. [above the musical line] Or could the companion [the answer] not jump to the sixth, rather than the fifth? [below] To be done skillfully, in which case it will all sound perfectly natural.
�5. The same theme, analogous�6. Good theme, to be developed later
FIGURE 1
Boetticher, 1941
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âInâaâletterâtoâClaraâduringâthisâsecondâ periodâ ofâ counterpointâstudy,â Robertâ documented,â âIâgiveâ severalâ hoursâ dailyâ toâ theâseriousâ studyâ ofâ Bachâ andâBeethoven,â outsideâ myâ ownâstudies.â39âAndâinâ1838,âheâwrote,ââBachâ isâ myâ dailyâ bread.â Iâ re-freshâmyselfâinâhisâpresenceâandâperpetuallyâdrawânewâideasâfromâhim.âďż˝0âTheâloveâofâBachâsharedâbyâSchumannâandâBach-reviverâMendelssohn,âwasâanâimportantâpartâ ofâ theirâ friendship,â whichâaidedâtheâprocessâofârevivingâtheâgreatâmasterâsâwork.ââMendels-sohnâ hadâ aâ lotâ ofâ Bachâsâ greatâchoralesâcopiedâforâme,âandâIâwasâjustâravingâaboutâthemâwhenâCâââ arrived,ââ heâ tellsâ Claraâ inâ1839.ďż˝1âďż˝2
Andâ howâ didâ SchumannâsâBachâstudiesâdevelopâhisâabilityâtoâcompose?âInâhisâearlyâcompo-sitions,â inâadditionâ toâwhatâwasâmentionedâ beforeâ onâ theâ inde-pendentâroleâofâtheâpianoâinâmanyâofâ hisâ 18ďż˝0â songs,â youâ canâ seeâBachâsâ influenceâ byâ theâ wayâ theâ inner,â contrapuntalâlinesâweaveâtheirâwayâthroughâhisâpianoâmusic.ďż˝3
Toâ concludeâ thisâ section,â lookâ overâ Schumannâsâshoulderâasâheâwritesâdownâhisâthoughtsâinâ1838:
.â.â.âIâ feelâ thatâmyâpathâ isâ fairlyâ solitary;ânoâac-claimingâcrowdâinspiresâmeâtoâfreshâeffort,âbutâIâkeepâmyâeyesâfixedâonâmyâgreatâexamples,âBachâandâBeethoven,âwhoseâfar-offâ imagesâgiveâun-failingâhelpâandâencouragement.â.â.â.âTheâhumanâheartâisâoftenâaâstrangeâspectacleâinâwhichâsorrowâ
39.â Dr.â Karlâ Storck,â ed.,â Hannahâ Bryant,â trans.,â Letters of Robert Schumannâ(NewâYork:âArnoâPress,â19ďż˝9),âp.â191.ďż˝0.â Taylor,âop.âcit.,âp.âďż˝1.ďż˝1.â Herbert,âop.âcit.,âEarly Letters of Robert Schumann,âOct.â10,â1839,âp.â29ďż˝.ďż˝2.â Theâ Schumannsâ andâ Mendelssohnsâ wereâ inâ closeâ touchâ forâ 12âyears,â withâ regularâ contactâ duringâ 18ďż˝1-��â whenâ theyâ allâ livedâ inâLeipzig.â Mendelssohnâ alsoâ conductedâ performancesâ ofâ Schumannâsâworks.âAlanâWalkerâandâFrankâCooper,âRobert Schumann: The Man and His Musicâ(NewâYork:âArnoâPress,â19ďż˝9),âp.â290.ďż˝3.â Ibid.,âp.â298.
andâ joyâ areâ strangelyâblended.â Youâ haveâ stillâ toâexpectâ myâ bestâ work;â forâ Iâamâ consciousâ ofâ aâ certainâinwardâ strength,â andâ canâevenâgoâsoâfarâasâtoâsayâthatâIâbelieveâtheâscienceâofâsound,âconsideredâ asâ theâ soulâsâspeech,â toâ beâ stillâ inâ itsâ in-fancy.âMayâmyâgoodâgeniusâinspireâ me,â andâ bringâ thisâundevelopedâscienceâtoâma-turity.��
1845: The Year of âFugual Passionâ
Robertâ andâ Claraâsâ 18ďż˝0ââhoneymoonââ studiesâ ofâ Bachâwereânotâabandoned,âbutâcontin-uedâtoâbeâaâsourceâofâcreativeâin-sight.â18��âbecameâanâintensiveâperiodâofâBachâstudiesâandâcon-trapuntalâ compositionâ forâ theâbothâofâthem,âafterâRobertâcameâbackâfromâaccompanyingâClaraâonâ aâ tourâ toâ Russiaâ sufferingâfromâ aâ seriousâ nervousâ condi-tion.â âIâ lostâ everyâ melodyâ asâ
soonâasâIâconceivedâit,ââheâwrote.ââMyâmentalâearâwasâoverstrained.â��âWhatâdidâheâdoâtoârenewâhisâcreativeâpowers?âHeâwentâbackâ toâhisâsourceâofâ inspirationâBach.âFromâhisâdiaryâinâJanuaryâ18��,âtheâbeginningâofâRobertâsâ yearâ ofâ âfugalâ passion,ââ weâ learnâ thatâ theirâfugueâstudies,â(whichâincludedâaâcounterpointâtreatiseâbyâLuigiâCherubini,â1��0-18ďż˝2)âwereâmovingâindustri-ouslyâahead.âAndâfromâClaraâsâdiary:
Todayâweâbeganâcontrapuntalâstudiesâthatâgaveâmeâmuchâpleasure,âdespiteâallâtheâtrouble,âbe-causeâIâsoonâsawâwhatâIâhadânotâbelievedâpos-sibleâIâwroteâaâ fugueâandâ thenâseveralâmoreâsinceâweâareâcontinuingâtheâstudiesâonâaâdailyâbasis.âIâcannotâthankâRobertâenoughâforâhisâpa-tienceâ withâ meâ andâ amâ doublyâ happyâ whenâsomethingâisâsuccessfulâsinceâheâcanâviewâitâasâ
��.â Storck,âop.âcit.,âpp.â112-13,âinâaâletterâtoâSimoninâdeâSireâonâFeb.â8,â1838.��.â Wasielewski,âop.âcit.,âp.â1ďż˝8.
Felix Mendelssohn was a close collaborator of the Schumanns, sharing with them the project to revive the works of Bach. Referring to himself and collaborator Eduard Devrient, an actor, Mendelssohn said: âTo think that it took an actor and a Jewâs son to revive the greatest Christian music for the world!â
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hisâworkâasâwell.âHeâhimselfâisâinâtheâmidstâofâaâfugueâpassion.��
Schumannâwasâconsciousâofâtheâfactâthatâtheâfugalâpassionâperiodâalsoâcausedâaââcompletelyânewâmannerâofâcomposing,ââasâheâputâitâinâhisâdiary.âWhereasâbefore,âheâdrewâhisâinspirationâfromâimprovisingâatâtheâpiano,ââaâ modeâ ofâ laborâ prejudicialâ toâ theâ creativeâ processâfromâwithin,â��âheânowâdevelopedâaâreflectiveâthoughtâprocessâ toâ createâ hisâ musicalâ ideas,â âinventingâ andâworkingâoutâeverythingâinâmyâhead,âďż˝8âbeforeâputtingâhisâhandsâonâtheâkeys.ââTheâmostâimportantâthingâisâforâtheâmusicianâtoâpurifyâhisâinnerâear,ââwasâtheâwayâheâphrasedâ hisâ recommendationâ toâ musiciansâ inâ 18ďż˝2.ďż˝9âAuthorâJohnâDaverioâwritesâofâ theâmusicalâeffectsâofâthisâ newâ typeâ ofâ creativeâ process:â âSimplyâ put,â theâlinearâdevelopmentâofâaâmelodicâentityâbeginsâtoârecedeâinâ favourâofâaâ richâwebâofâ simultaneouslyâelaboratedâmotivicâ combinations,âďż˝0â asâ aâ resultâ ofâ Schumannâsâcontrapuntalâstudies.âThisâdescriptionâalsoâgivesâaâhintâasâtoâtheâessenceâofâBachâsâgenius,âtheâunderstandingâofâwhichâ wouldâ developâ Schumannâsâ ownâ creativeâpowersâtheâabilityâ toâcreateâaâbeautiful,âunified,âyetâdynamicallyâ changingâ musicalâ process,â consistingâ ofâconsecutiveâ musicalâ developmentâ ofâ theâ differentâvoices,âandâofâtheâwhole,âhorizontallyâoverâtime,âatâtheâsameâtimeâthatâtheâindividualâvoicesâsimultaneouslyâin-teractâwithâeachâotherâasâifâinâaâdrama.
Reflectingâonâhisâownâchangingâthoughtâprocessesâduringâtheâtransitionalâyearâofâ18��,âSchumannâwroteâtoâMendelssohnâonâDec.âďż˝,â18��:
Forâmeâitâisâspecialâandâwonderfulâthatâalmostâeveryâmotifâwhichâformsâwithinâmeâalreadyâhasâtheâqualitiesâwhichâallowâitâtoâbeâusedâinâmanyâcontrapuntalâcombinations,âandâinâthisâIâamânotâthinkingâ inâ theâ leastâ ofâ formulatingâ themesâwhichâlendâthemselvesâtoâdevelopmentâinâthisâstrictâmediumâinâthisâorâthatâmanner.âTheyâcomeâ
��.â CitedâinâReich,âop.âcit.,âp.â2ďż˝3.��.â Wasielewski,âop.âcit.,âp.âďż˝2.ďż˝8.â EntryâinâSchumannâsâdiary,âTagesbuch II,â18��,âp.âďż˝02,âcitedâinâEricâFrederickâ Jensen,â Schumannâ (Newâ York:â Oxfordâ Universityâ Press,â2001),âp.â28ďż˝.âHowever,âSchumannâalsoâreportedâthatâheâdidânotâcom-poseâhisâ18ďż˝0âsongsâatâtheâpiano,âbutâinâhisâhead,âwhileâstandingâorâwalk-ing.ďż˝9.â Ibid.,âMayâ10,â18ďż˝2,âp.â28ďż˝.ďż˝0.â Daverio,âop.âcit.,âpp.â30ďż˝-30ďż˝.
ofâthemselves,âwithoutâreflection,âtheyâareâquiteânaturalâandâspontaneous.
Yetâ atâ someâpointâ duringâ theânextâ year,âwhenâ theâchangeâinâSchumannâsâcompositionalâmethodâfromâthatâofâ improvisingâatâ theâpiano,â toâworkingâwithâmusicalâideasâ asâ thoughtâ objects,â wasâ moreâ advanced,â heâ re-calledâthatâinâ1832,âheâhadâagreedâwithâtheâstatement:ââIâbelieveâ thatâ theâ moreâ anâ artistâ usesâ imagination,â theâmoreâheâisâanâartist.âTheâmoreâheâusesâreflection,âtheâlessâheâisâanâartist.âMiltitz.ââLookingâbackâonâthisâ1ďż˝âyearsâlater,âheâironicallyâpointedâoutââthenâBachâwouldâhaveâhadâaâbadânature.âďż˝1
ToâconcentrateâonârelivingâBachâsâmethodâofâcon-trapuntalâcomposition,âRobertâwroteâaâseriesâofâworks.âInâ Februaryâ andâ March,â heâ againâ wroteâ âfugalâ pas-sionââinâtheâfamilyâdiary.âAfterâaâyearâofâfrustratedâat-temptsâtoâcompose,âheâwroteâhisââFourâFugues,ââfol-lowedâ byâ moreâ ambitiousâ musicalâ projects.â Theâ G.âHenleâVerlagâeditionâofâtheseâworksâ(GerhardâWein-berger,âed.,âRobert Schumann, Werke fĂźr Orgel oder Pedalklavier,â198ďż˝)âincludesâtheâfollowingâintroduc-tion:
Atâtheâbeginningâofâ18��,âRobertâSchumann,âto-getherâ withâ Clara,â embarkedâ onâ anâ intensiveâcourseâofâcontrapuntalâstudiesâinâDresden.âItâhadâlongâbeenâhisâgoalâtoâobtainâcompleteâcommandâofâ theâ polyphonicďż˝2â style,â andâ heâ pursuedâ thisâgoalâtirelessly.âHisâdemandâtoâapplyâtheâhighestâartisticâstandardsâinâtheâcreationâofâcontrapuntalâformsâaroseâfromâaâdeep,âlifelongâvenerationâofâJohannâSebastianâBach.âTheâresultsâareâapparentâinâseveralâgroupsâofâworksâwrittenâwithinâaârela-tivelyâshortâperiodâbeginningâinâ18��,âincludingâtheâSixâStudiesâinâCanonicâFormâOp.â��âforâpedalâpiano,âtheâFourâSketchesâOp.âďż˝8âforâpedalâpiano,âtheâSixâFuguesâOp.âďż˝0âforâorganâorâpedalâpiano,âandâtheâFourâFuguesâOp.âďż˝2âforâpiano.
AccordingâtoâClara,âRobertâwasâconvincedâthatâheâhadâcreatedââsomethingâentirelyânewââinâtheseâcompo-sitions.âLoâandâbehold,â theâ lastâpieceâ inâ theâbookâ isâentitledâ âSixâFuguesâonâ theâNameâBACH,ââOp.âďż˝0.â
ďż˝1.â Boetticher,âop.âcit.,âp.â22ďż˝.ďż˝2.â Polyphonicâmeansââmanyâvoicesââwovenâtogetherâthroughâcounter-point.
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Theâintroductionâincludes:
Theâ Sixâ Fuguesâ op.â ďż˝0â onâ theâlettersâ B-A-C-Hâ (theâ pitchesâ B-flat-A-C-Bâ inâGermanâparlance)â [Figure 2]âwereâcomposedâbetweenâ 12â Marchâ (âevening:â ideasâ forâ Bachâfuguesâ)âandâ22âNovemberâ18��â(âcompletionâofâ sixthâ fugueâ).â.â.â.â Schumannâ himselfâ putâgreatâstoreâinâhisâB-A-C-Hâfugues,âasâisâappar-entâfromâaâletterâheâwroteâtoâhisâpublisher:ââThisâisâaâworkâwhichâoccupiedâmeâforâtheâwholeâofâtheâpreviousâyearâinâanâeffortâtoâmakeâitâworthyâofâ theâ loftyâ nameâ itâ bears.â Itâ isâ alsoâ aâ workâwhich,âIâbelieve,â isâ likelyâtoâoutliveâmyâotherâcreationsâtheâlongest.ââTheâoverallâconception,âtheâ thematicâ materialâ andâ theâ extremelyâ highâqualityâofâtheâwritingâallâderiveâfromâBach;âthisâfugueâ cycleâ representsâ theâ endâ ofâ aâ develop-mentalâphaseâwhichâculminatedâinâSchumannâsâstudyâofâBachâsâmusicâ(theâsixâfuguesâmayâbeâviewedâasâdirectlyâmodeledâonâtheââArtâofâtheâFugueâ)âandâofâtheâfugueâperâse.âNevertheless,âtheâfuguesâareâbyânoâmeansâderivativeâstylisticâcopies,âbutâeffectiveââcharacterâfuguesââinâtheâRomanticâvein.âInâtheâhistoryâofâorganâmusic,âtheyâ representâ theâ earliestâ significantâ organâcompositionsâ onâ theâ nameâ B-A-C-H.â.â.â.[SeeâFigure 3.]
ThoughâSchumannâwroteâthatâheâhadâworkedâonâthisâpieceâforâaâyear,ââinâanâeffortâtoâmakeâitâworthyâofâtheâloftyânameâitâbears,ââandâheâbelievedâthatâitâwouldâbeââlikelyâtoâoutliveâmyâotherâcreationsâtheâlongest,ââironi-cally,â today,â theâcompositionâ isâalmostâ totallyâ forgot-ten.
The Second and Third SymphoniesHowâ didâ hisâ 18��â counterpointâ studiesâ andâ newâ
methodâofâcompositionâaffectâhisâotherâtypesâofâcompo-sitions?âTheâfirstâmajorâworkâheâsubsequentlyâwroteâcanâgiveâtheâlistenerâaâglimpseâofâtheâanswer.âAtâtheâveryâendâ ofâ 18��,â thoughâ stillâ sufferingâ fromâ âmelancho-lia,âďż˝3âSchumannâstartedâfeelingâtheâexcitementâofânewâmusicalâideasâbubblingâforth.ââSymphoniaca,ââheâwroteâonâDec.â1ďż˝âinâtheâhouseâdiary,âheraldingâtheâbeginningâofâwhatâbecameâknownâasâhisâSecondâSymphony.
ListenâtoâtheâslowâAdagio espressivoâmovement.��âOneâ author,â whoâ calledâ itâ oneâ ofâ Schumannâsâ finest,âsuggestsâthatââtheâeight-measureâthemeâofâgreatâbeautyâresembles,â inâ itsâmelodicâstructure,â theâariaââErbarmeâDichâ��âfromâJ.S.âBachâsâSt. Matthew Passion.ââHeâre-latesâ that,â âWhenâ Brahmsâ laterâ analyzedâ thisâ move-ment,âheâdiscoveredâaâreferenceâtoâBachâsââMusicalâOf-fering,âââ��âaâsignâofâreverenceâinâClassicalâmusic,âasâinâSchumannâsâvariationsâonââB-A-C-H.â
Thoughâ thisâ authorâ hasâ noâ documentationâ aboutâwhatâBrahmsâwasâreferringâto,âheâmayâveryâwellâhaveâ
ďż˝3.â Schumannâhimselfâwroteâthatâheâwasâinâaâdepressedâmentalâstateâwhileâ writingâ theâ firstâ movementsâ ofâ thisâ symphony,â andâ onlyâ feltâhealthyâagainâwhileâwritingâtheâfinale.âTheâprocessâofâcreativeâconcen-trationâneededâtoâwriteâtheâsymphonyâhelpedârestoreâhisâmentalâhealth.��.â Forâ example,â Georgeâ Szellâsâ version:â http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y0qFrngw_k.âAâfreeâcopyâofâtheâscoreâisâavailableâatâtheâIn-ternationalâ Musicâ Scoreâ Libraryâ Project:â http://imslp.org/wiki/Sym-phony_No.2,_Op.ďż˝1_(Schumann,_Robert)��.â âErbarmeâDichââscore,âInternationalâMusicâScoreâLibraryâProject:âhttp://imslp.org/wiki/St._Matthew_Passion_BWV_2��_(Bach,_Johann_Sebastian)#Selections��.â Ostwald,âop.âcit.,âp.â20ďż˝.
Bachâs musical signature. In Germany, the American âB-flatâ is called B, and the American âB-naturalâ is called âH.â
FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3
The fifth variation from Schumannâs Six Fugues, Op. 60, on the letters B-A-C-H. Note that the first four notes are B-A-C-H.
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beenâ thinkingâ aboutâ whatâhappensâinâtheâmiddleâofâtheâmovement,��â whereâ theâ or-chestraâsoftlyâbeginsâaâdoubleâfugue,â thatâ is,â aâ fugueâ withâtwoâ differentâ themes,â inâdoubleâ counterpoint,â whereâeachâ ofâ twoâ counterpointâvoicesâ canâ eitherâ beâ onâ theâtop,âorâ theâbottom.âTheâfirstâfugalâ themeâ beginsâ byâ hop-pingâ upâ inâ thirdsâ andâ thenâhopsâ aâ largeâ intervalâ down,âasâdoesâtheâfirstâpartâofâBachâsââMusicalâ Offeringââ theme.âRightâ there,â Schumannâsâsecondâ fugalâ themeâ begins,âdescendingâ chromaticallyâ(byâhalfâsteps),âasâdoesâtheâsecondâpartâofâtheââMu-sicalâOfferingââ(Figures 4 and 5).âAfterâ12âmea-sures,â theâ stringsâ continueâ playingâ theâ doubleâfugue,âwhileâtheâwindâandâbrassâinstrumentsâstartâplayingâtheâthemeâfromâtheâveryâbeginningâofâtheâmovement,âmarkedâespressivo,ânowâbecomingâtheâcounterpointâtoâtheâdoubleâfugue.âTheâmovementâcontinuesâwithâtheâdynamicâdevelopmentâofâtheseâthreeâintertwiningâthemesâenvelopingâtheâlistener.
Here,âasâinâotherâexamplesâofâfugalâdevelop-mentâinâSchumann,âheâdoesânotâcreateâaâstiff,âaca-demic,â dustyâ treatise,â butâ aâ movingâ testamentâ toâ hisâsearchâforâcreativeâexpressionâinâmusic.
Listen,âatâ theâsameâtime,â toâ theâfourthâmovement,âmarkedâFeierlich,â ofâ theâThirdâSymphony,âknownâasâtheââRhenishâSymphony,ââwrittenâasâaâmusicalâdescrip-tionâofâtheâCologneâCathedral.ďż˝8âHearâtheâdeeplyâsensi-tiveâfugalâdevelopment,âstartedâbyâtheâtrombones,âtheâdiminutionâofâtheâthemeâ(theâthemeâplayedâmuchâfaster,âthatâisâforeshortened),âwhichâitselfâbecomesâaâcounter-point,âandâthenâplayedâinâcanon,âcreatingâaââcathedralâofâsoundâforâusâwithâitsâpowerfullyâsustainedâreligiousâmood.âďż˝9
Theseâareâjustâaâfewâexamplesâofâtheânewâkindsâofâcompositionsâ Schumannâ wroteâ fromâ 18��-ďż˝2,â whichâsomeâhaveâcalledâhisâmostâcreativeâperiod,âevenâinâlightâofâhisâwonderfulâearlierâyearâofâsong,âhisâpianoâcompo-
��.â AtâletterââOââinâtheâscore.ďż˝8.â ThereâareâseveralâperformancesâonâYouTube.ďż˝9.â WalkerâandâCooper,âop.âcit.,âp.â299.
sitions,âetc.âItâwouldâincludeâhisâyearâofâchamberâmusic,âandâotherâgreatâinventions.
âA Textbook for the Composing of FuguesâParallelâ toâ theâ aforementionedâThe History of the
Fugueâfromâ183ďż˝,âSchumannâwroteâaâTextbook for the Composing of Fugues,âcompletedâinâSeptemberâ18ďż˝8.âInâtheâpublishedâexcerpt,âheâbrieflyâdescribesâtheâoriginâofâ theâtermââfugue,ââandâstressesâ thatâfugalâcomposi-tionalâ principlesâ areâ crucialâ toâ everyâ masterpiece,âwhetherâwrittenâinâfugalâformâorânot:
Theâfugueâasâweânowâknowâit,âis,âsoâtoâspeak,âtheâkeystoneâofâcounterpoint.â.â.â.â[Cherubiniâcallsâtheâfugueâ the]â veritableâ archetypeâ ofâ allâ musicalâcomposition.âAndâinâtruth,âtoâtheâextentâthatâtheyâproceedâfromâtheâveryâdeepestâunderstandingâofâtheâ artâ form,â practicallyâ allâ masterpiecesâin-cludingâthoseâinâaâsomewhatâfreerâmodeâmayâbeâtracedâbackâtoâtheâFugueâform.
FIGURE 4
Bachâs Royal Theme from his MusicalâOffering.
FIGURE 5
The two âdouble fugueâ themes from Schumannâs Second Symphony, Adagioâespressivo. The first theme is similar to the first part of Bachâs Royal Theme, and the second theme is similar to the second part of Bachâs theme.
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Heâthenâdiscussesâhowâaâfugueâisâcomposed,âandâtheâimportanceâofâchoosingâaâgoodâtheme.â(Seeâbox.)
Inâadditionâtoâtheâfuguesâandâfugatoâsectionsâwhichâ
mayâbeâheardâinâSchumannâsâpublishedâmusic,âitâisâre-vealedâinâtheâsketchbooksâcoveringâhisâlaterâworks,âthatâheâwouldâevenâtakeâthemesâtoâbeâusedâinânon-fugalâset-
Schumannâs âTextbook for The Composing of FuguesâSchumann used Fr. W. Marpurg, AbhandlungâvonâderâFuge, ďż˝806; and L. Cherubini, TheorieâdesâKontra-punktsâundâderâFuge, ďż˝835, as models for his text-book, according to Boetticher (ďż˝942). However, the following crucial sections, differing from similar texts, were written by Schumann, and are translated from excerpts found in Boetticherâs book:
TheâTeachingâofâtheâFugue:â.â.â.TheâwordâFuga,âwhich,âinâClassicalâLatin,âmeansââflight,ââandâ inâmedievalâLatin,ââchase,ââasâinâtheâhunt,âorâpursuit,âisâalreadyâtoâbeâfoundâinâcompositionsâofâtheâ1ďż˝thâandâ1ďż˝thâCentu-riesâ[marginalânoteâbyâSchumannââSource?â].âTheâfugueâasâweânowâknowâit,âis,âsoâtoâspeak,âtheâkeystoneâofâcounterpoint.âItâisâhere,âfirstâandâforemost,âthatâoneâfindsâappliedâtheâlessonsâsoâderived,âasâitâmayâbeâcon-sideredâtheâtransitionâfromâtheâstrictâstyleâtoâtheâfreeâone,â andâ moreover,â allowsâ possibilitiesâ whichâ oneâwouldâbeâentitledâtoâexpectâfromâaâcomplexâartâform.âInâtheâwordsâofâCherubini,ââeverythingâaâproperâcom-poserâneedsâtoâknowâwillâappearâinâtheâFugueâinâitsârightfulâplace;âitâisâtheâveritableâarchetypeâofâallâmusi-calâcomposition.ââAndâinâtruth,âtoâtheâextentâthatâtheyâproceedâfromâtheâveryâdeepestâunderstandingâofâtheâartâform,âpracticallyâallâmasterpieces,âincludingâthoseâinâaâsomewhatâfreerâmode,âmayâbeâtracedâbackâtoâtheâFugueâform.
Inâanotherâsense,â[theâterm]âFugueârefersâtoâaâpieceâofâmusicâelaboratedâinâtwoâorâmoreâvoices,âbasedâonâaâ Theme,â inâ whichâ theâ Themeâ appearsâ inâ variousâplacesâ(inâdifferentâvoices)âandâretainsâitsâvalueârightâuntoâtheâend.âTheâThemeâmayâalsoâbeâcalledâSubject,âorâDuxâ(Leader).âTheâThemeâhavingâonceâbeenâstated,âitâwillâbeârepeatedâbyâtheâsecondâvoiceâinâtheâDomi-nantâofâtheâmainâkeyâ(althoughâthisâmayâvaryâatâtimes,âdependingâonâtheâfirstânoteâofâtheâDux).âThisâre-expo-sitionâisâcalledâAnswerâorâComesâ(thatâwhichâaccom-
panies).âTheâDuxâwillâbeâsetâ inâcounterpointâ toâ theâAnswer,âwhichâcounterpointârefersâtoâaâcounter-har-mony.âTheâAnswerâhavingâsaidâitsâpartâinâaâfugueâwithâ severalâ voicesâtheâ Themeâ ofâ theâ Duxâ willâthereuponâ enterâ inâ theâ sameâ positionâ inâ theâ scale;âfourthly,âtheâAnswerâwillâenter,âetc.â.â.â.âAllâfourâhavingâended,âthereâwillâbeginâaâsmallâinterlude,âfreer,âwhichâmay,âthough,âbeâtakenâfromâtheâTheme;âthisâisâknownâasâ theâ middle-entry.â Followingâ which,â whicheverâvoiceâhasânotâutteredâtheâthemeâforâtheâlongestâtimeâwillâ takeâ itâ upâ afresh,â asâ aâ newâAnswerâ inâ aâ new,âthoughârelatedâkey.
Asâtheâ[fugue]âproceeds,âoneâattemptsâtoâbringâtheâAnswersâeverâcloserâtoâtheâQuestionâ(afterâtheâneces-sary,âfreerâmiddle-entry)â.â.â.âandâfinallyâclosesâwithâaâPedalpoint.â.â.â.
InârelationâtoâtheâTheme:âhowâgreat,âorâslight,âtheâeffectâmayâbe,âwillâeverâdependâonâtheâqualityâofâtheâthemeâitself.âAccordingly,âtheâstudentâsâgreatestâcareâshallâgoâtoâ[theâfindingâof]âaâgoodâtheme.âAllâtheâskillâpouredâ intoâ aâ workâ mayâ goâ toâ waste,â ifâ theâ basicâthemeâbeâunsound,âorâifâtheâunderpinningâofâaâsub-stantialâbasicâthemeâbeâlacking.âHoweverâlovely,âper-haps,âthisâorâthatâmotive,âitâmayâproveâanâunsuitableâFugueâTheme.âTheârigorâofâthisâstyleâcalls,âaboveâall,âforâaâseriousness,âaâvigorâandâaâdignityâofâthoughtâalthoughâitâisâyetâaâdomainâopenâtoâplayfulness,âyeaâevenâhumor.âTheâweakâandâsentimentalâliesâfarthestâremovedâfromâthisâstyle.â.â.â.
TheâstudentâmustâalsoâseeâtoâitâthatâtheâThemeânotâexceedâanâoctaveâsârange.â.â.â.âLittleâisâtoâbeâachievedâthough,âbyârule.âOfâtheâessenceâisâthatâtheâThemeâlieâwithinâaânaturalâand,âinâfact,âmiddleârangeâofâtheâvoiceâthatâstatesâit.â.â.â.âTheâcounter-subjectsâofâaâFugueâmayâappearâatâtheâsameâtimeâasâtheâmainâone.âThatâbeingâsaid,âaâstillâgreaterâeffectâwillâbeâattainedâbyâintroduc-ingâtheâcounter-subjectâlittleâbyâlittle,âbearingâinâmindâasâwell,â thatâinâorderâtoâapprehendâtwoâthemesâandâtheirâelaboration,âconsiderableâabilityâwillâbeârequiredâofâtheâlistenerâsâear.â.â.â.
Inârelationâ toâ theâPedalpoint:âThisâ isâ indeedâ theâplaceâforâremoteâmodulations,âwhereuponâtheâThemeâwillâpromptlyâfollowâthroughâeachâofâtheâvoices.
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tingsâaâ waltz,â forâ exampleâandâ investigateâ theirâcountrapuntalâpotentialâasâfugues,âasâpartâofâhisâcompo-sitionalâprocess.â(SeeâtheâInternetâappendix:ââTheâfugueâproblem.â)ďż˝0
Schumannâsâinsightâaboutâhowâcrucialâfugalâcompo-sitionalâ principlesâ areâ toâ allâ Classicalâ musicâ master-pieces,âisâkey.âWorkingâwithâtheâfugalâform,âbasedâonâtheâ contrapuntalâ developmentâ ofâ aâ singleâ theme,â in-creasesâtheâpowerâofâtheâcomposerâtoâcreateâbeautifulâmusicâwhichâformsâbothâwhatâLaRoucheârefersâtoâasââaâunityâofâeffect,ââorâinâPlatoâsâterms,ââtheâOne,ââandâcon-stantlyâchanging,âconstantlyâdevelopingâmusic,âorââtheâMany.ââAâunifiedâcomposition,âwhichâ isâdynamicallyâchanging,â inâ surprising,âdramaticâways,â isâcreatedâbyâtakingâaâsingleâtheme,âandâchangingâitâbyâlookingâatâitsâreflectionâinâaânon-linearâmirror,âwhichâleadsâtoâdevel-opingâ theâ theme,â itself,â inâdifferentâ creativeâways,â inâadditionâtoâcounterposingâotherâvoicesâtoâit,âwhichâareâbeautifulâinâtheirâownâright,âbutâareâmusicalâideasâbornâtoâbeâplayedâsimultaneouslyâwithâtheâthemeâ(theâcoun-terpoint).ďż˝1â Transitionalâ passages,â calledâ episodes,âbasedâonâaspectsâofâ theâthemeâorâcounterpoint,âorâre-latedânewâideas,âaddâtoâtheâfun.âAllâcausingâtheâmusicâtoâshineâwithâsparksâofâprovocativeâparadoxâandâironyâthatâwhichâreallyâchallengesâtheâlistenersâtoâbeâcreativeâthemselves.
Concentratingâ onâ theâ anti-entropicďż˝2â developmentâofâaâsingle,âsimpleâtheme,âallowsâtheâlistenerâtoâmarvelâatâtheâprocessâofâdevelopmentâitself.âWhenâtheâthemeâisâplayedâatâtheâend,âalthoughâitâisâtheâsame,âitâisâdifferent,âbecauseâofâtheâdevelopmentâitâhasâundergone.âTheâpar-ticularâtypeâofâdevelopmentâbecomesâtheâmusicalâideaâofâthatâpiece.
Theâ rigorousâ challengeâ ofâ composingâ basedâ onâfugalâdevelopmentâofâaâsingleâtheme,âlikeâPlatoâsââtheâSameââandââtheâOther,ââhonesâtheâcomposerâsâabilityâtoâdoâthisâinâallâother,âfreerâforms,âwhetherâusingâspe-cificâfugal-typeâdevelopment,âorânot.âTheâpotentialâforâdramatic,â willfull,â anti-entropicâ developmentâ givesâClassicalâmusicâitsâabilityâtoâreflectâtheâdevelopmentalâ
ďż˝0.â Boetticher,âop.âcit.ďż˝1.â Forâanâinteractiveâpresentationâofâsomeâofâtheâdifferentâcontrapuntalâprinciplesâofâchange,âseeââTheâMusicalâOffering,âAâMusicalâPedagogi-calâ Workshopâ byâ J.S.â Bach,ââ orâ âTheâ Musicalâ Geometryâ ofâ BachâsâPuzzleâCanons,ââ byâ thisâ author,â at:âwww.schillerinstitut.dk/moweb/musical_offering.htmďż˝2.â Anti-entropic,âaâtermâusedâbyâLyndonâLaRoucheâtoâcharacterizeâourâuniverse,âandâespeciallyâhealthyâhumanâsocietalâdevelopment,âisâtheâop-positeâofâentropicâorâgoingâtowardsâdeathlyâequilibriumâorâbreakdown.
potentialâofâtheâhumanâmind,âtheâmostâcrucialâelementâofâ theâentireâconstantlyâchangingâuniverseâknownâtoâman.
Theâjoyousâcelebrationâofâtheâcreativeâpowersâofâtheâhumanâmindâitself,â isâwhatâmakesâClassicalâmusicâsoâspecial.
Clara Schumannâs CompositionsAndâ whatâ aboutâ Clara?â Herâ compositionalâ skillsâ
hadânowâadvancedâtoâtheâpointâatâwhichâsheâcouldâalsoâwriteâ fuguesâbasedâonâ themesâofâBach,â andâofâherâhusband.â Duringâ thatâ sameâ 18��â âfugualâ passionââyear,âClaraâwroteâthree,âasâyetâunpublished,âfour-partâfuguesâbasedâonâ themesâ fromâBachâsâWTC,âBookâ IIâ(FuguesâNo.âďż˝âinâE-flatâmajorâBWVâ8��,âNo.â9âinâEâmajorâBWVâ8ďż˝8,âandâ1ďż˝âinâGâminorâBWVâ88ďż˝),âinâtheâspaceâofâaâfewâdaysâinâFebruary.âInâfact,âtwoâofâthemâareâbasedâonâtheâveryâBachâfuguesâwhichâMozartâwroteâoutâforâstringâquartet,âwhenâheâwasâlearningâfromâBachâwhileâattendingâBaronâvanâSwietenâsâmusicalâsalonâďż˝3âyearsâearlierâfugueâNo.âďż˝âinâE-flatâmajor,âandâNo.â9âinâEâmajor.âThisâauthorâhasâobtainedâmanuscriptâcopiesâofâthem,âwrittenâoutâbyâtheâmodern-dayâDutchâpianistâJozefâDeâBeenhouwer,âwhoârecordedâClaraâsâcompleteâworksâforâpiano.
Thinkâofâperformingâaâconcertâexpressingâtheâhis-toricalâ sweepâ ofâ compositionsâ basedâ onâ theseâ sameâworks.âTheâprogramâwouldâconsistâofâaâsuccessionâofâBachâsâ originalâ fuguesâ forâ keyboard,â Mozartâsâ stringâquartetâversions,âwhereâoneâcanâhearâtheâcounterpointâbetweenâ theâ voicesâ muchâ moreâ clearly,â followedâ byâClaraâSchumannâsâfuguesâbasedâonâBachâsâthemes,âwithâherâownâdevelopment.
Aâtrueâdialogueâofâtheâmasters,âandâaâwonderfulâex-ampleâofâwhatâLaRoucheâandâothersâhaveâreferredâtoâasââtheâ simultaneityâ ofâ eternityâ!âwhereâ humanityâ inâphysicalâspace-time,âandâinâeternity,âbecomesâone.
Claraâsâ Bach-basedâ fuguesâ wereâ immediatelyâ fol-lowedâbyâthreeâfuguesâbasedâonâthemesâRobertâthoughtâupâforâher.ďż˝3âHeâwasâsoâproudâofâClaraâsâmusicalâdevel-opment,âthatâheâarrangedâforâthreeâofâherâfuguesâtoâbeâpublished.ââIâwouldâlikeâtoâsurpriseâmyâwifeâwithâtheâPreludesâandâFuguesâforâherâbirthdayâonâSept.â13,ââheâwroteâtoâtheâpublisherâBreitkopfâ&âHärtel.âInâanâearlierâletterâ toâ theâpublisherâC.F.âPeter,âheâwroteâ thatâClaraâmayâhaveâbeenâtheâfirstâwomanâtoâcomposeâinââthisâdif-
ďż˝3.â Claraâ alsoâ wroteâ anâ âF-sharpâ Minorâ Preludeâ andâ Fugueââ atâ thisâtime.âReich,âop.âcit.,âp.â230.
Juneâ18,â2010â âEIRâ Cultureâ âďż˝3
ficultâgenre.ââTheyâwereâpublishedâasâherâOp.â1ďż˝,âandâincludedâpreludesâsheâwroteâbeforeâeachâfugue.
Justâaâfewâmonthsâlater,âClaraâcomposedâherâgreat-estâwork,âherâfour-movementâpianoâtrio,âOp.â1ďż˝.��âTheâdevelopmentâsectionâofâtheâlastâmovementâisâaâfugatoâ(aâfugalâexpositionalâdevelopmentâofâthemesâinânon-fugalâsurroundings).âSheâwrote,ââThereâisânoâgreaterâjoyâ thanâcomposingâsomethingâoneselfâandâ thenâ lis-teningâtoâit,ââalthoughâsheâdidânotâthinkâitâcameâupâtoâtheâ sameâ levelâ asâ theâ workâ ofâ herâ maleâ colleagues,ââThereâareâsomeâniceâpassagesâinâtheâtrioâandâIâbelieveâitâisâalsoâfairlyâsuccessfulâasâfarâasâformâisâconcerned,âbutânaturallyâitâ isâstillâwomenâsâwork,âwhichâalwaysâ
��.â Ibid.,â p.â 2��.â Whenâ hearingâ ofâ theâ untimelyâ deathâ ofâ composerâFannyâMendelssohn,âFelixâsâsister,âClaraâwroteâthatâsheâhadâintendedâtoâdedicateâtheâworkâtoâher.
lacksâforceâandâoccasionallyâinvention.â��
Yet,â theâSchumannsââ goodâ friendâMendels-sohnâwasâespeciallyâimpressedâbyâherâachieve-ment,âandâmuchâlater,âtheâgreatâviolinistâJosephâJoachimâwroteâtoâher,ââIârecollectâaâfugatoâinâtheâlastâmovementâandârememberâthatâMendelssohnâonceâhadâaâbigâlaughâbecauseâIâwouldânotâbelieveâthatâaâwomanâcouldâhaveâcomposedâsomethingâsoâsoundâandâserious.â��
Thisâwouldâremainâtheâonlyâcompositionâonâsuchâasâscaleâthatâsheâwouldâwrite.âGivingâRob-ertâsâcompositionalâprocessâfirstâpriority,��âpro-vidingâ forâ herâ manyâ childrenâ afterâ hisâ death,âthroughâherâmusicâteaching,âandâtheâresumptionâofâherâconcertâcareer,âhinderedâfurtherâdevelop-mentâ ofâ herâ ownâ compositionalâ expression.ďż˝8âYet,âsheâhadâtastedâtheâsweetnessâproducedâbyâtheâdevelopmentâofâherâcreativeâpowers.âAfterâoneâofâherâlastâcompositions,âherââSixâSongs,ââOp.â23,âwrittenâinâ18ďż˝3,âsheâwouldâwrite,ââThereâisânothingâthatâsurpassesâtheâjoyâofâcreativeâac-tivity,âevenâifâonlyâforâthoseâhoursâofâself-forget-fulnessâinâwhichâoneâbreathesâsolelyâinâtheârealmâofâtones.âďż˝9
Herâ compositionalâ insightâ wasâ ofâ extremeâimportanceâtoâbothâherâhusbandâandâtoâJohannesâBrahms,âwhoâsentâalmostâeveryâpieceâheâwroteâtoâherâforâevaluation,âgreatlyârespectingâherâjudg-ment.âSheâandâBrahmsâwouldâalsoâeditâeditionsâofâRobertâSchumannâsâworks.
Robert and the âSt. John PassionâRobertâ Schumannâ alsoâ promotedâ Bachâ inâ waysâ
otherâthanâthroughâhisâownâcompositions.âHeârevealedâinâanâ18ďż˝9âletterâthatâheâhadâorganizedâaâconcertâsoci-etyâ toâplayâ theâ forgottenâworksâofâBachâandâothers:â
��.â R.âLarryâTodd,âFanny Hensel: The Other Mendelssohnâ(NewâYork:âOxfordâUniversityâPress,â2010),âp.âxi.��.â Joachim,âBriefe,â2:ďż˝9,âcitedâinâReich,âop.âcit.,âp.â21ďż˝.��.â Robertâwroteâinâ18ďż˝3:ââClaraâhasâwrittenâaânumberâofâsmallâpiecesâthatâshowâaâmusicalâandâtenderâ inventionâ thatâsheâhasâneverâattainedâbefore.âButâtoâhaveâchildrenâandâaâhusbandâwhoâisâalwaysâlivingâinâtheârealmsâofâimaginationâdoânotâgoâtogetherâwithâcomposing.âSheâcannotâworkâatâitâregularlyâandâIâamâoftenâdisturbedâtoâthinkâhowâmanyâpro-foundâideasâareâlostâbecauseâsheâcannotâworkâthemâout.ââReich,âop.âcit.,âp.â21ďż˝.ďż˝8.â Oneâofâherâlastâworks,âwrittenâinâ18ďż˝3,âwould,âinâfact,âbeââVaria-tionsâonâaâThemeâbyâRobertâSchumann,ââOp.â20.âReich,âop.âcit.,âp.â112.ďż˝9.â SixâLiederâfromââJucundeââbyâHermannâRollett.âReich,âop.âcit.,âp.â21ďż˝.
Creative Commons/Eiaene Arbeit
Robert Schumannâs music room in his home in Zwickau, which is now a museum.
��â Cultureâ EIRâ Juneâ18,â2010
âForâaboutâaâyearânowâIâhaveâbeenârunningâaâsimilarâconcertâsociety,âwhichâaffordsâmeâtheâdelightâofâhear-ingâ theâ worksâ ofâ Palestrina,â Bach,â andâ variousâ ne-glectedâcompositions.ââInâtheâsameâletterâheâcomparesâBachâsâSt. JohnâandâSt. MatthewâPassions,âwritingâthatâheâthinksâthatâ theâSt. John Passionâ isââmuchâbolder,âmoreâpowerfulâandâpoeticalâ.â.â.âWhatâterseness,âwhatâinspiration,âespeciallyâinâtheâchoruses,âandâwhatâcon-summateâart!âďż˝0
ďż˝0.â Storck,âop.âcit.,âpp.â2ďż˝9-2ďż˝0,âletterâtoâtoâDirectorâD.G.âOtten,âAprilâ2,â18ďż˝9.âHere,âSchumannâalsoârefersâtoââgenuineâmusicâloversâwhoâcareâaboutâBach,âPalestrina,âBeethovenâsâlaterâquartets,âetc.ââAnotherârefer-enceâtoâtheâvalueâheâplacedâonâBach,âand,âalso,âBeethovenâsâlateâworks,âisâfoundâinâaâ18ďż˝9âletterâtoâFranzâLiszt,âafterâaâdisputeâcausedâbyâLisztâsâdenigratingâremarksâaboutâMendelssohn,âatâaâpartyâheldâatâSchumannâsâhouse:ââAndâreally,âyouâknow,âourâlittleâgroupâatâLeipzigâwasânotâsoâbad,âincludingâasâitâdidâMendelssohn,âHiller,âandâBennett;âatâleast,âweâdidânotâ
Reminiscentâ ofâ Felixâ Mendelssohnâsâ 1829â re-vivalâ ofâ Bachâsâ St. Matthew Passion,â RobertâSchumannâorganizedâaâperformanceâofâtheâSt. John Passion,âforâtheâfirstâtimeâoutsideâofâtheâProtestantâchurchesâofâLeipzig,âinâAprilâ18ďż˝1,âinâpredominantlyâCatholicâDĂźsseldorf.âCallingâitââaâtreasureâprobablyâburiedâoverâ100âyears,ââSchumannâwroteâinâaâletterâaskingâforâhelpâtoâpublicizeâtheâperformance:
Yesterdayâsâperformanceâwasâtheâfirstâbiggerâoneâthatâhasâeverâoccurredâofâthisâpiece.âTheâSt.â Matthewâ Passionâ hasâ beenâ performedâhereâandâthereâ(inâBerlinâandâLeipzig,âalsoâinâBreslau,âIâbelieve),âbutâtheâSt.âJohnâPassionâonlyâaâfewâtimesâinâLeipzigâbyâtheâSt.âThomasâChurchâsâchoir,âbutânotâtheâcompleteâversion,âandâ generallyâ onlyâ aâ smallâ performance.âSteeringâ theâ attentionâ ofâ theâ Germanâ artâworldâtoâthisâoneâofâtheâmostâprofoundâandâperfectedâ worksâ ofâ Bachâisâ anâ endeavorâthatâIâwouldâlikeâtoâcontributeâto.â.â.â.
Theâ significanceâ ofâ theâ performanceâ wasâalsoâ itsâ effectâ inâ helpingâ toâ bringâ Bachâsâ sacredâmusicâintoâtheâconcertâhall,âtoâenableâmusicâloversâofâallâfaithsâtoâhearâthisâgreatâwork.âInâJanuaryâ18ďż˝1,âSchumannâhadâcontactedâtheâcantorâofâLeipzigâsâSt.âThomasâChurch,âwhereâBachâhadâbeenâmusicalâdi-rectorâ forâ2ďż˝âyears,â inâorderâ toâborrowâorchestralâparts,âandâforâsuggestionsâaboutâperformanceâprac-tice.âDuringâtheâperformance,âthereâwereâprobablyâ180-200âchoristers,âincludingâďż˝0âboysâwhoâsangâtheâ
chorales,âandâotherâsingersâfromânearbyâtowns.Schumannâsâ ownâ conductingâ notations,â suchâ asâ
tempi,âchangesâinâvolume,âandâhowâheâhandledâtheâcon-tinuoâsections,âareâpreservedâonâeveryâpageâofâtheâscoreâheâusedâforâtheâperformance.âThere,âitâmayâalsoâbeâseenâhowâheâdealtâwithâinstrumentsânoâlongerâinâuse,âsuchâasâtheâviolaâdaâgamba.âTheâformerâdirectorâofâtheâSchumannâ
compareâunfavourablyâwithâtheâParisians,âViennese,âandâBerliners.âIfâaâcommonâtraitâdistinguishesâourâcompositionsâasâaâgroup,âcallâitâphilis-tinismâorâwhatâyouâwill,âallâartisticâepochsâshowâaâsimilarâphenomenon.âTakeâBach,âHändelâandâGluck,âorâMozart,âHaydnâandâBeethoven,âre-spectively,âandâyouâwillâfindâaâhundredâinstancesâofâperplexingâsimilar-ityâinâtheirâwork.âIâmustâexceptâBeethovenâsâlastâcompositions,âalthoughâtheyâagainârevertâtoâBach.âNoâoneâisâentirelyâoriginal.âButâIâhaveâsaidâenough.âYourâremarkâwasâanâunjustifiableâaffront;âbutâweâwillâforgetâthatâevening.âWordsâdoânotâkill:âtheâmainâthingâisâtoâkeepâpressingâforwards.ââMayâ31,â18ďż˝9,âp.â2ďż˝2.
Dirk Goldhahn
The St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Bach was musical director for 27 years. Robert Schumann sought collaboration from the current musical director to perform Bachâs âSt. John Passionâ in ďż˝85ďż˝.
Juneâ18,â2010â âEIRâ Cultureâ â��
HouseâinâZwickauâdiscoveredâinâSchumannâsâsketchesďż˝1âthatâheâhadâwrittenâhisâownâarrangementsâforâtheâwindâinstruments.ďż˝2
Schumannâwouldâalsoâuseâhisâliteraryâpenâtoâcham-pionâBach.âInâhisâZeitschrift fĂźr Musik,âheârepeatedlyâcalledâforâaâcompleteâeditionâofâBachâsâworkâtoâbeâpub-lished,âandâheâdiscussedâwithâMendelssohnâtheâprinci-plesâuponâwhichâtoâcompileâsuchâanâedition.
Asâlateâasâ18ďż˝2,âSchumannâwroteâtoâhisâpublisherâtoâaskâforâscoresâofâtheâworksâofâBaroqueâcomposersâsoâthatâheâmightâincreaseâhisâknowledgeâofâthem.âAndâinâ18ďż˝2-ďż˝3,âamidstâgrowingâsignsâofâ theânervousâcondi-tionâthatâwouldâleadâtoâtheâconclusionâofâhisâlifeâinâaâmentalâinstitutionâthreeâyearsâlater,âoneâofâRobertâsâlastâcreativeâaccomplishmentsâwasâaâprojectâwhichâheâcalledââBachianaââwritingâpianoâaccom-panimentsâforâsixâofâBachâsâsoloâviolinâsona-tas,âsixâcelloâsonatas,âfollowedâbyâSchumannâsâownâsevenâfughettasâforâpiano,âOp.â12ďż˝.ďż˝3âHeâalsoâwroteâanâaccompanimentâforâBachâsâmas-terpieceâforâviolinâknownâasâtheââChaconne.â
The Last MovementWeâ haveâ seenâ howâ Bachâ accompaniedâ theâ
Schumanns,â andâ especiallyâ Robert,â throughoutâ theirâcreativeâlives.âBachâsâindividualâmusicalâcompositions,âandâ theâ creativeâ compositionalâ principlesâ thatâ layâbehindâthemâtheâdrivingâfactorsâinâtheâgenerativeâpro-cessâ thatâ producedâ theseâ individualâ artisticâ master-piecesâwereâtheâconstantââbrookââofâinspirationâfromâwhichâRobertâandâClaraâdrank.
Andâinâourâday,âthoughâtheâgreatâClassicalâcomposersâsinceâBachâhaveâ longâbeenârestingâ inâ theirâgraves,â theâquestionâbeforeâus,âasâitâwasâforâRobertâandâClara,âis:âWillâweâgoâbackâ toâ thatâ fountainâofâ creativity?âWillâ youngâpeopleâinâourâdayâdrawâcreativeâinspirationâfromâBach,âandâhisâspiritualâdescendents,âsoâthatâweâmay,âagain,âex-perienceâtheâsupremeâjoyâofâhearing,âforâtheâfirstâtime,ânewâmusicalâmasterpiecesâthatâhaveâtheâpowerâtoâmoveâourâsouls,âasânothingâelseâinâhumanâcreationâdoes?
ďż˝1.â Dr.âGerdâNauhausâfoundâthemâinâSchumannâsâsketchesâforâtheâora-torioâDer Rose Polgerfahrt.ďż˝2.â FromâMatthiasâWendt,ââBachâundâHändelâinâderâRezeptionâRobertâSchumanns,ââfromâaâsynopsisâofââTagâderâmitteldeutschenâBarockmusikâ2001âinâZwickauââ(DĂźsseldorf:âDieâRobert-Schumann-Forschungsstelleâe.V,â 2001)â at:â http://www.schumann-ga.de/freie-texte/8ďż˝-bach-â und-haendel-in-der-rezeption-robert-schumanns.html.â Englishâ translationâat:âwww.schillerinstitut.dk/drupal/schumannďż˝3.â Wasielewski,âop.âcit.,âpp.â180-181.âSchumannâsâBachâcelloâaccom-panimentsâwereânotâyetâpublishedâatâtheâtimeâhisâbookâwasâwritten.
EpilogueSchumannâ andâ Mendelssohnâ wereâ speakingâ to-
getherâaboutâaârecentlyâinventedâtelescope.âSchumannâreported:ââWhenâIâtoldâhimâaboutâtheâgreatâtelescope,âandâaboutâaâremarkâIâreadâsomewhereâthatâtoâtheâinhab-itantsâofâdistantâplanets,âweâwouldâappear,âwhenâviewedâthroughâtheâtelescope,âsomewhatâlikeâmitesâonâaâpieceâofâcheeseâ[heâsaid,]ââYes,âbutâThe Well-Tempered Cla-vierâwouldâstillâinspireâthemâwithârespect.âââ��
MaybeâifâtheâspacecraftâKepler,âwhichâisâsearchingâforâplanetsâlikeâourâEarth,âdiscoversâlifeâoutâthereâinâtheâgreatâuniverse,âKeplerâwillâfindâ thatâ theyâareâplayingâBach!
Werner Hartmann, Lotta-Stina Thronell-Hartmann, Katherine Kanter, and Karsten Werner helped with translations for this article.
��.â Daverio,âop.âcit.,âp.â32ďż˝.
Creative Commons/Jens K. Mueller
The Schumann House museum in Zwickau. Inset: The town of Zwickau celebrates the 200th birthday of its favorite son, Robert Schumann.