Week 1: Voicing, Texture in Schumann's Music
Welcome to Week 1 of the latest Two-Week Intensive!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RJ1WsNPulY
This week, you’ll choose one or two pieces and study the harmonic colours, voices, and texture. This should help you memorize the text and understand its shape.
Preparatory Step: Gather Information
A) Listen to the repertoire list and choose the piece(s) you'd like to focus on for this TWI. (from Kinderszenen 3-4 pieces may work). Recommended pianists: Virsaladze, Argerich, Cortot, Horowitz, Richter, João-Pires, Arrau, Ashkenazy, Lupu, Perahia, Gavrilov, Merzhanov, Uchida, Grimaud, Nikolayeva
B) Research your chosen piece on G. Henle Verlag website. Click on Preface and Comments under the cover picture.
C) Watch any of these videos about Schumann and his music:
Overview of Schumann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbF86ag4Rvk
Claudio Arrau on Schumann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4ty6yJjF8U
Simon Rattle on Schumann and Brahms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXTTlKdy5q4
Mitsuko Uchida on Schumann: https://youtu.be/u1vYu56xY9w?si=Ney0HGSqBkYZI8zs
- Anatomy of Poetry: Voices of Harmony
A. Write the main theme in SATB open score. Each layer/voice should have its own staff (see photo 1).
B. Label chords (symbols, Roman Numerals, etc).
C. Play from your open score and singing in solfege or open syllables, in the following order:
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Alto + Tenor
Tenor + Bass
Alto + Tenor + Bass
Memorize Alto+Tenor+Bass
*If your piece’s melody is in Alto, Tenor, or Bass, work on the other voices. Learn harmony first.
For TWI Forum:
Upload your open score to the chat for comments.
- Anatomy of Poetry: Texture
Study the texture and consider the following as you work.
—Count the total number of notes in each chord and write the total on the score. (see photo 2).
—Identify textures, ie. monophonic, biphonic/duet, polyphonic, homophonic, etc. Label changes in texture, ie. “Subito monophony” (abrupt or instant reduction of voices to a single voice, eg. Romances Op. 28 nr. 2, m. 17.)
—Describe topics, moods, emotions, instruments, or ideas indicated by textures. Descriptive phrases should metaphorize related elements and point to changing states, eg, “The harmony ambiguates as texture thins: it sounds like the experience of losing one’s train of thought.”
—Determine where sustain and/or sostenuto pedal will be necessary and the quantity needed: full-/half-/quarter-sustain, fluttering, no pedal, etc. Record the harmony using a variety of approaches to pedal.
For TWI Forum:
Upload a performance of the harmonic voices
Upload a performance of the different pedal changes (say aloud "change" or "quarter pedal" or "flutter" so it's clear where you're doing these)
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Hello All,
I will be working on Traumerei from Kinderszenen Op 15, I mean, why not? I'm only learning it now, never having played any Schumann until 3 days ago.
I don't have any tools for documenting my analysis, just blank staff sheets. I assume this will be acceptable.
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Randi Perfectly fine on usual staff paper.
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Jarred Dunn After a couple of false starts i think I'm on the right track. I've gotten through only the first line and want to make sure this is correct. I'm open to any input (from anyone!). This is a more intense exercise than I anticipated. A totally new activity for me.
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Randi this is good work. You don't have to follow the same stemming as in the original keyboard-style writing, you can stem per one voice (see photo 1 - all stems fit into their staves, showing they're separate from all others). Next step: write out another phrase and start practicing bass/tenor/alto!
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Jarred Dunn Looks like the link to “photo 2” above is not working. Maybe Dominic Cheli can repost it? Thanks.
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Vidhya Bashyam Dominic Cheli Jarred Dunn are the three images are all the same, or am I missing something?
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Harriet Kaplan Looks like they reposted. Pic 2 looks the same as Pic 1 but with the note count at the bottom.
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Vidhya Bashyam that is right! Note count at the bottom is the only difference.
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“Faschingsschwank aus Wien” - IV. Intermezzo. I’m old and will have to use paper and pencil.
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Here’s mine without a note count. I can add that later. Is this on the right track?
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Harriet Kaplan this is good!
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What a great topic! Thank you for all the information.
I was learning some of the Kreisleriana, but i didn't see it on the list. So, I'm going to try Fantasie, Op. 17 3rd movement (Langsam getragen).
Looking forward to joining this TWI with everyone!
Unfortunately, I have to travel end of the week, not sure if i'll have access to piano to record anything.
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What I love about the tone of the TWI is the focus on expression, gesture, and meaning from the moment we first begin to learn a piece. I wish I had learned to play that way as a child.
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Jarred Dunn Dominic Cheli Thanks for uploading this; I had planned to work on Des Abends. Unfortunately, my mother-in-law had some health complications this past weekend, and she will now be staying with us for a couple of weeks until she recovers. Given this, I’ll have less time than I originally anticipated, so I don’t want to take up a spot if someone else could use it. However, if possible, I’d love to observe whenever I’m able in the hopes of absorbing some of the material.
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Blair Boone-Migura I’m so sorry to hear that! I hope your mother in law feels better soon.
By all means observe the TWI, you are not taking up a spot! Happy to have you participate from afar!
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Thanks so much Dominic!
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Hi Jarred Dunn Thank you for the instructions you have given us. It`s just amazing to see how top professional takle with music. Some music terminologies are something I barely heard of... to be very honest. Not quite sure if I`m adequate enough in my skill and knowledge for this TWI. Good to know that it is OK to follow and study from you all. I love leaning something new:)
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Sachi Yes, I'll be lurking here in the background with you! I am not at the level of playing these pieces, yet - my foray into Schumann has been limited to his opus 68 Album for the Young. But I'm sure I'll learn a lot just by watching and reading everyone else.
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Hi Michelle R
I used to practice many of Schumann’s op.68. I like sweet calmness in them. Yes, it is interesting and fascinating to observe how musicians think. I’m glad to have opportunity to learn from them and hopefully slowly get strengthened my own piano muscles
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Jarred Dunn Thank you for this wonderful intensive. I'll be working on Kinderszenen No. 1. Before I upload my SATB open score, wanted to check with you on the second part of the piece. For the first 8 bars, I had the same question as Andres and split the triplets into Tenor and Alto. But when I got to bars, 9 through 14, I was wondering if the triplets should be considred a single voice (Alto) instead of split between Tenor,and Alto (which would be different from the way I approached the triplets of the first 8 bars.) Hoping to see if I'm on the right track before I clumsily work on putting everything into Musescore.
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Helen Lee You are right!
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Hi TWI friends and Jarred Dunn
I did a little research by using almost
all my resources 
(theory book, Wiki and chords finder) and gave it a try.This is from Kinderszenen: Wichtige Begebenheit. The first 4 bars here, I wasn’t sure if Alt part should be one voice and Tenor part two voices? You probably mean that I should make informed dicision, be aware of which voices come foreward.
Musical texture: homophony in these 4 bars
Mood: this piece gives me feel of almost victorious, pompous...I envision Clara asks to prepare their houshold for important visitor, Liszt is coming over for dinner. Kinderszenen was written before Robert and Clara got married, so this is just my fantacy. I enjoyed reading preface on Henle, thank you for that, too Jarred.
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Sachi Good penmanship and choice of two altos. The tenor and alto are too far apart to be the same voice. Next, write an open score of the B section as well, which will deal with multiple low voices (first portion of this work deals with multiple high voices).
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Jarred Dunn Thank you for this TWI - the first time I have attempted splitting up the voices; also the first time using a notation software (MuseScore) :)
I have taken the first 8 bars of Of Foreign Lands and Peoples. Next step (for me) is to play these voices separately as in the assignment (and record). Before I do that, I think I should write down the fingering as I would use for the piece first?
Thanks again
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Ah, noticed an error- the F#s have become natural. I think because I changed the key signature after entering the notes!
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