Chapter 16:
The Early
Romantics
The “Character
Piece” for Piano
Key Terms
Character piece
Étude
Nocturne
The “Character Piece”
for Piano
Profusion of Romantic character pieces
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Short piano pieces – “miniatures”
They convey a distinct mood or character
Simple forms use repetition, contrast, return
Composed at all levels of difficulty
They appeared under many names
• Nocturnes, ballades, scherzos, preludes,
waltzes, études, Scenes from Childhood,
Musical Moments, Songs without Words,
Album Leaves, Pictures at an Exhibition, etc.
Schubert, Moment Musical
No. 2 in A-flat
Open-ended title – any mood possible
• No. 2 creates a Romantic lyricism, nostalgia
Form uses contrast & return
• A B A’ (coda) B’ A’’ coda
• Lyric A theme uses a gentle rocking figure
• Extroverted, emotive B theme uses a steady
moving accompaniment
• A’ with coda feels like the end
• Sudden, anguished fortissimo B’ comes as a
surprise (in F-sharp minor!)
Schumann, Carnaval
His style has warmth & privacy (innigkeit)
• German innig = inward, intimate, heartfelt
He often assembled piano pieces in sets
• Often with interesting musical connections
Carnaval is one of these collections
• Musical portraits at a Mardi Gras ball
• 20 short character pieces portray – Schumann,
girlfriends Estrella & Chiarina, composers
Paganini & Chopin, and commedia dell’arte
figures Pierrot, Harlequin, & Columbine
R. Schumann, “Eusebius” (1)
Schumann’s pen name for his tender,
dreamy self
Rhythmically very free
• Use of quintuplets, triplets, & rubato
• Creates a vague, languorous effect
R. Schumann, “Eusebius” (2)
Form based on repetition, contrast, return
• aa ba b’a’ ba
• b is a more yearning variant of a
• b’a’ is played in octaves with thicker chords &
use of pedal
R. Schumann, “Florestan”
Schumann’s pen name for his impetuous,
mercurial other self
Opening outburst follows Eusebius’s
tentative ending
• Built out of a single, explosive motive
Moves in fits and starts
• Abrupt tempo changes go beyond mere rubato
• Ending gets faster & faster, ends abruptly
Form based on repetition, variation
• a a’ a’’ a’’’
Frédéric Chopin
(1810-1849)
Born near Warsaw, later settled in Paris
Pianist of miraculous ability & exquisite
delicacy (but performed rarely in public)
• Earned rave review from Schumann at age 20
Wrote almost exclusively for the piano
• Preludes, nocturnes, études, ballades,
mazurkas, polonaises, sonatas, concertos
Moved in high society & artistic circles –
Delacroix, Balzac, Liszt, George Sand!
Frail health – died of tuberculosis
Chopin, Nocturne in F-sharp
(1)
“Night pieces” – establish various moods
• From languid serenade to dark, secret lament
F-sharp Nocturne opens with elegant tune
• Singing quality with melodic decorations
• Relaxed rubato & subtle chromaticism
Chopin, Nocturne in F-sharp
(2)
Form uses repetition, contrast, return
• a a’ b c a’’ coda
• The main tune (a a’ b) is interrupted by c
• Fragmentary yet intense return of a’’
Conclusions
Character Pieces
A typical “miniature” genre
Goal – to express a single, distinct mood
They use simple, sectional forms
• Repetition, contrast, return, variation
• Thematic unity achieved through recurring
motives & similarity of mood
They account for the majority of Romantic
solo piano music