Chopin and Schumann
Rhythm and Phrasing
Thomas Mastroianni
Frederick Chopin (1810-1849)
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1810 Born near Warsaw
1830 Vienna then Paris
Kalkbrenner
Composer and piano
teacher, few public
performances
Robert Schumann (1810 –1856)
• Music and Literature
August – publisher & novelist
Jean Paul “Music is the moonlight in
the gloomy night of life”
ETA Hoffmann
• Friedrick Wieck
• 1830 – Paganini (hand injury)
• 1844 Counterpoint
Schumann
Abegg
Variations
Accent
placement
reveals phrasing
Papillons
#4
Phrase arch
reveals
phrase rhythm
3
4
1
sf
2
Papillons # 7
Weak to Strong
Measures
Sonata # 2
Opening bars determine phrasing
Thematic Placement Reveals Bar
Structure (Supplies a Focal Point)
Accents and cadential chords give
balast to phrase
Phrase rhythm based on flow of 8th
notes, harmonic arrival and
crescendos into 3 and 1
Harmonic closure, cadenzas and
crescendos place phrase weight at
the end of phrases.
Rest to begin,
harmonic tension to end
= forward
Chopin…. Nocturne op 27/2
motion
2
4
1
3
Accents and unexpected harmony
create weight
Chopin Nocturne, Opus 15 #2
Density of texture, Crescendos
Harmonic sequence (to IV, to I)
Tension and repose in melody