Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Arabeske opus 18 Robert Schumann

Today I started practicing this composition. I ever played it a little but today I recognized the beauty of this song.
There is so much dynamic , so much feeling in it........I'm impressed again by Schumann.

I think it will be my favorite for the next period.

Is there somebody else who has this song highranking on the musicstand nowadays ?

Best regards,
JB

Hi Johan,

I especially love the last couple of minutes of it...

Yes, I get this piece out frequently. It's fun to play. I posted a question about Arabesque on the classical forum, but never got a reply.

The older I get the more I like Robert Schumann. Have you heard his piano quartet, op. 47?

Xcal,

Thanks for your suggestion about the piano quartet. I googled the sheets........intermediate and advanced......I can have a try......first I record the secundo and afterwards I can play with my alter ego.....

You know of course the Waldscenen........
waldscenen schumann

Greetings from the Netherlands,
Johan B

By the way...... I'am 54 years young......
Johan B

I have the Schumann Piano Quartets and Quintet transcribed for piano solo, if anyone wants the scores.


Mel

Love it. Love it. Love it.

It was the first piece I started learning upon coming back to playing last year after a 15 year plus vacation. Eric Himy's Version was my first exposure.

http://www.erichimy.com/cd.htm

I now play it regularly. A nice warm up piece that I don't seem to tire of. And when I need a pick me up, I go to it as well.

I also had the privilege of playing it for him in person last month! What? Lord knows where I got the guts to do so - it was a spur of the moment thing. :rolleyes:

His suggestion was to watch my pedaling to catch the bass notes and to make sure that as I entered theme A again, that I give it some variance.

LaValse...that last section is worth playing everything before it!!!

Concentrate on those melody notes there JB.

LL

Kempff - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IgHf3xu8ElI
Horowitz - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wgcm-6gWAJI
Sofronitsky - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4dT4d_iqa-0
Oleg Boshniakovich - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ9tDr9n9q8

Thank you Johan for Waldscenen.

Regarding the quartet, I wasn't thinking in terms of playing it, but rather listening. But if you can play at that level . I think I need to find a forum for adult beginners who've never seen a piano before

I was following a group on the usenet and a pianist there said Bach's WTC was for beginners. :rolleyes: . It's discouraging.

Mel, please send them to me or publish a link were we can find it. At freescores I only found the piano quartet where Xcal was talking about.....Thanks

Johan B

The Op.47 E flat Quartet is under Jadassohn, the transcriber.

The Quintet is under Kirchner.

Be sure to get Kirchner's transcription of Dichterliebe.

The Op.41 Quartets are under Klauser:

http://www.henseltlibrary.org/scores3.html


Mel

LaValse, thanks for the links. I liked Kempff's version the best, especially his judicious use of pedal in the minor sections and somewhat understated interpretation. I tend to get a bit melodramatic in those minor sections.

Mel,

Thanks a lot for the links........again some sheets to study....

Johan B

Exactly what my teacher says

You are very modest xcal - and I love it - how do you fancy submitting a recoding of the Arabesque to the ABF May recital - 6 days to go... It'd be great to hear it...

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/32/6449.html

Concerning Robert Shumann, I think it's the beginning of his first Piano sonata, it is a beautiful piece. There is a technician demonstrating a restored 1924 Steinway model A, and he plays this piece. Check it out. Go to www.rickjonespiano.com and click on grand pianos,scroll down until you find the model A(near the bottom of page) the piano and piece are both stunning. Enjoy!

Johan, thankyou for reminding us of this great piece of music. And thankyou LaValse for the links, I really like Oleg Boshniakovich's playing.

I used to think Schumann's music was a bit "vertical", but I've grown to like it more and more, it really has nerve and most of all it has got heart.

Even if the Arabesque of course is far too advanced for me, I will look for more of his shorter pieces, to find something to play.

And Xcal, I'd love to hear your version at the recital, (and I'm very sorry that I can't join the recital myself this time)

Ragnhild

Ragnhild, fortunately there are much shorter en mediate pieces of Schumann that are beautifull. Album for the young, Kinderscenes etc.....

Sometimes the pieces of Schumann are very difficult; on the moment, having vacation, sitting and drinking coffee, I'm listening to Kreisleriane op.16 played Klára Würtz.......wow.....I like it, when I could play that music.........

This makes me want to take out "Arabesque" again from the piles of sheet music next to the piano. It really is such a great piece and not too difficult for old people like me.

Confidential to Ragnhild: God Pinse.

LaValse: . LaValse, you're very kind, but I'm afraid it's not modesty, but just the true facts
Ragnhild: OK, I will take a stab at it - not much time left though. I actually played this piece at a women's club meeting in 1957 or 58 - not too long before I quit playing altogether (before retirement that is).