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)
-
Hi Jarred,
I'm thrilled to participate in this two-week intensive. I have picked the Aria movement of the Sonata in F sharp minor, Op 11 to work on. My very first proper sonata from the romantic period.
I have tried to work out the open score for the first 13 bars so far, but I went back and forth on how the voices should be split. I would like to check if I made the right choices, and whether it is fine to split up chords and octaves this way?
Thank you very much in advance!
-
Natalie Peh yes you have split the voices correctly. The first chord is only a 5th: A-E, there's no C-sharp. It was smart of you manage the chords this way.
-
-
Hi Jarred Dunn
Im doing Herberge from waldszenen. Please let me know if im on the right track. i had trouble with identifying chords in bar 2 and 4. Thanks!
-
Nina you are on the right track. Chords in m2: I 64 (E-flat major, second inversion),, viio7 of vi (diminished 7th of c minor), vi (c minor). Chords in m. 4: V of V (with a B-flat as a non-chord tone in the soprano), V7 (B-flat major root position), I (E-flat major root position).
-
-
Here's my first stab at using MuseScore AND writing out SATB for the 1st 12 measures of "Der Dichter Spricht" (#13 of Kinderszenen). Am I close at all?
PS: This was so much fun. I want to learn how to actually do this properly!
-
First attempt playing "Child falling asleep". Completely in love with this piece...
-
Juan Carlos Olite Very beautiful!
-
Vidhya Bashyam Thank you, Vidhya
! -
Juan Carlos Olite thank you, you're already a step ahead by adding the melody. Have a look at week 2 poetry, timing, and phrasing. You worked this through quickly. Do make sure the chords all align and are voiced poetically at m. 19-24, this transition passage could be more delicate. Long diminuendo in last phrase: make this hypnotic in one long line. Great work!
-
Jarred Dunn Thank you very much, Jarred! I'll try to follow your remarks in a new video.
-
-
I’ve done some videos but I’m having technology trouble today. Is there an easy way to get them on here? YouTube is not cooperating.
-
Schumann wrote three
romances (op.28) was composed for Clara in 1839 and later published in 1840. It is a piano composition in a single binary form. While he composing this piece, Schumann and Clara finally won over Clara’s father Wieck and get married. This piece is a certainty a beautiful legato duet playing between both hands and includes the “sensibility “ of romanticism.
this is level 9 in Royal conservatory of music of Canada. The difficulty is 4 or 5 stars out of 5.
I was not convinced enough to write down the chords progressions but simply add the key signature and add pedal.
I hope Mr Dunn can help me out.
I will post some videos later.
Thank you.Gloria
-
Hi Jarred and everyone,
This is my first time splitting a piece into 4 parts. Took me a long time to figure out and taking the first step to write down the notes for the first 8 measures. I have chosen Am Camin (At the Fireside) in the Kinderszenen.
-
Kimy good start - all voices separated clearly. Looking forward to hearing your video of playing/singing the different harmonic voices. Add dynamics to your transcription to clarify which level of sound each voice should be.
-
-
-
Hi all,
Thank you for this interesting challenge. Here is my analysis of bars34-37 of the last movement of Op17.
Recordings coming soon.
For some reason the second page has not loaded so will try again!
-
-
I use Dover edited series III by edited by Clara Schumann. This is with Analysis but I am quite sure I am correct. I learned the theory long time ago. At least I tried it. hopefully will get the review from Mr. Dunn( I am sorry to hear your mother-in-law is ill. Hope she will recover soon.
Gloria -
A T B voices
-
Angela Fogg don't see them!
-
-
Hi Jarred and everyone,
i posted few pictures of Romance ll op 28 but I have not received any feed back yet.
sorry for my writing notes are not spacey and I do not how to use muse-scores( is it free to use?)Currently I am studying 2nd week assignment but it would be nice to hear from Jarred
-
Gloria I saw your open score, was waiting for your videos of playing and singing the harmonic voices of the romance! Your open score is detailed (pedal, dynamics, melodic voices highlighted) - let’s hear it played/sung!
-
-
I will make it today. Thank you very much for quick feedback.
-
I just sent 4 videos played/sung. I don’t see them yet. Hope it went successfully
-
I do not see my 4 videos yet. How long do I have to wait to see them? Dominic, would you confirm that I sent them successfully or try again?
-
Gloria Hi! I don;t see the videos either.
Could you try uploading them to YouTube, and making them “unlisted” and then sharing the YouTube links? That can sometimes be the most secure way of sharing videos!
Here is a link on that that I made!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G1rURBIr14&feature=youtu.be
-
