The Three Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22 of Clara Schumann, were written in 1853 and first published in 1855.
| Three Romances for Violin and Piano | |
|---|---|
| by Clara Schumann | |
.jpg) Schumann, in 1878, in a painting by Franz von Lenbach | |
| Opus | 22 |
| Composed | 1853 |
| Dedication | Joseph Joachim |
| Published |
|
| Movements | 3 |
Background
Having moved to Düsseldorf in 1853, Clara Schumann, who said that "Women are not born to compose," produced several works, including these three romances.[1] Dedicated to the legendary violinist Joseph Joachim, Schumann and Joachim went on tour with them, even playing them before King George V of Hanover, who was "completely ecstatic" upon hearing them.[2] A critic for the Neue Berliner Musikzeitung praised them, declaring: "All three pieces display an individual character conceived in a truly sincere manner and written in a delicate and fragrant hand."[2] Stephen Pettitt for The Times, wrote, "Lush and poignant, they make one regret that Clara's career as a composer became subordinate to her husband's."[3]
Structure
The romances, scored for violin and piano, are written in three movements:
- Andante molto
- Allegretto
- Leidenschaftlich schnell
The first romance begins with hints of gypsy pathos, before a brief central theme with energetic arpeggios ensues.[4] This is followed by a final section similar to the first, in which Clara Schumann charmingly refers to the main theme from her husband Robert Schumann's first violin sonata.[5] The second romance is more wistful, with many embellishments. It is sometimes considered as representative of all three, beginning with a plaintive appetizer to its energetic, extroverted leaps and arpeggios, followed by a more developed section with the first theme present.[6] The last movement, while very similar to the first but approximately the same length in time as the first two, features long-limbed melodies with rippling, bubbling piano accompaniment.[7]
An average performance is about ten minutes in duration.
