# Insight wanted : Schumann



## Morigan (Oct 16, 2006)

Good day everyone! 

Thanks to Canada's National Art Centre, I'm going to see this concert tonight at the special cost of 10 $ (student deal for every single concert):

BACH Concerto pour violon no 2 en mi majeur
SCHOENBERG Verklarte Nacht (La nuit transfigurée)
SCHUMANN Symphonie no 4


I have to admit I'm really not familiar with Schumann. Can anyone tell me a bit about his 4rth symphony? Is it a good one?


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## ChamberNut (Jan 30, 2007)

Morigan,

I love Schumann's 4th Symphony, although it isn't as popular or as famous as his Symphony 1 "Spring" or # 3 "Rhenish".

Wonderful 3rd movement scherzo, one of my favorite symphonic scherzos.

I hope you'll enjoy. I like Schumann and hope to add more of his works to my collection someday.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2007)

The fourth (which I recall reading somewhere was really the first one he wrote) is very fine.

Listen for recurring motifs. Schumann was intrigued by Berlioz' idee fixe and used the technique himself in the fourth.


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## Lisztfreak (Jan 4, 2007)

Just as I posted some minutes ago, I've heard the Verklärte Nacht recently and enjoyed it very much. 

If you have nothing against dark and gloomy moods then you'll like it. But it does get lighter, calmer and lyrical towards the end.


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

ChamberNut said:


> Wonderful 3rd movement scherzo, one of my favorite symphonic scherzos.


Hey! This is not the right place to discuss about _symphonic scherzos_.


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## Morigan (Oct 16, 2006)

Well, it was a great evening!

Of course the Bach concerto I knew already-it was a nice hors-d'oeuvre to begin with.
Verklärte Nacht I had heard only once... it was a hypnotising as ever! It's really a great piece to hear in a concert, with a huge string orchestra.

The Schumann symphony I LOVED! Wow! I have seriously underestimated this composer before. I knew only a few Lieder from him and his wife. It really like the recurring theme. The first movement is pognant. The Romanza is perhaps unsignificant. The scherzo is great! I fully agree with you, Chambernut. Then, of course, I loved the _finale_ in major key. The transition between the 3rd and 4th movements reminded me of the one at the same place in Beethoven's 5th.


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

> It really like the *recurring theme*.


Get used to it. Every motiv is recurrent in Schumann, many times.


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## ChamberNut (Jan 30, 2007)

Happy to hear you enjoyed the evening, and the Schumann Symph # 4


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## Saturnus (Nov 7, 2006)

Did you notice the striking similarity between the beginnings of Schumann's and Beethoven's fourths? They are both beautiful, but this poignancy is only in Schumann (reminded me a bit of Pärt).
I have played this symphony and I agree that it is probably the best work by Schumann (after his oboe romances & string quartets of course  ). The second movement was certainly the best of them and the finale almost as good. The scherzo I even found enjoyable, which is rare, because normally I don't like them.


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## lmd (Nov 3, 2007)

Schoenberg's Verarte Nacht La nuit transfiguree is a real favourite of mine,I play it often. thanks for the comparisons on the symphonies, will reseach the motifs , plus the scherzo


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## Baroness Waldstaetten (Aug 4, 2007)

Morigan said:


> Good day everyone!
> 
> Thanks to Canada's National Art Centre, I'm going to see this concert tonight at the special cost of 10 $ (student deal for every single concert):
> 
> ...


Something else: you should be aware of the fact that the picture in your post is not a portrait of Schubert, but of an Austrian physician by the name of Karl Josef Hartmann.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Franz_Schubert#The_wrong_picture_by_Kupelwieser_again.21


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## opus67 (Jan 30, 2007)

Baroness Waldstaetten said:


> Something else: you should be aware of the fact that the picture in your post is not a portrait of Schubert, but of an Austrian physician by the name of Karl Josef Hartmann.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Franz_Schubert#The_wrong_picture_by_Kupelwieser_again.21


What a way to make _edit:_ a (*re-*)entry! Welcome aboard, Baroness Waldstaetten.


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## Morigan (Oct 16, 2006)

Gasp! I've been had!

Oh whatever, I'm too lazy to change my picture now.


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## Guest (Nov 25, 2007)

Baroness Waldstaetten said:


> Something else: you should be aware of the fact that the picture in your post is not a portrait of Schubert, but of an Austrian physician by the name of Karl Josef Hartmann.


Dear Baroness Waldstaetten

How nice of you to drop by again. I followed with great interest and a huge amount of amusement your last visit in August. Very sadly there is no record of your contributions at that time but I recall the gist of them quite well. I had better not reflect further on any of that, for obvious reasons, except possibly to note that the same "debate" is now taking place elsewhere (where the main advocate spends most of his time talking to himself, judging from the virtual nil response from others).

As is well known, Baroness, you are, or rather were, good friends of Wolfgang and Constanze Mozart, and came to their assistance on several occasions at awkward moments in their lives together. However, these days I'm not entirely clear where you most of your social time (ie which music board) although I have a pretty shrewd idea.

I see that you have given advice to one of the members here about his picture. I've been meaning to tell him for ages but I didn't have the nerve, as I'm generally in enough trouble as it is. He seems to have taken the news quite well, which is very good. Morigan is very nice chap, and at least he laughed at some of my earlier attempts at humour, but not all did, as you may have observed.

Anyway, nice to chat with you, and I hope it isn't too long before we hear from you again, possibly with further gems of wisdom putting us straight on matters where we err.

Until then, my best wishes and sincere regards.

Mango


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## Gustav (Aug 29, 2005)

i find the 1,2,4th symphonies of Schumann absoutely marvelous. The "Rhenish" may appeal to you quickly, but it might not stay in your memory for too long after repeated listening.


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## Morigan (Oct 16, 2006)

lol the original post is from last April. It's kind of embarassing to see it now hahaha.

I know all of Schumann's symphonies now and I love 'em!


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