Overture
Part 1: Du kanntest mich, o kleiner Engel – Ach neige, du Schmerzenreiche – Wie anders, Gretchen, war dir’s
Part 2: Die ihr dies Haupt umschwebt im luft’gen Kreise – Ich heiße der Mangel – Herbei, herein, ihr schlotternden Lemuren
Part 3: Waldung, sie schwankt heran – Ewiger Wonnebrand, glühendes Liebesband – Wie Felsen-Abgrund mir zu Fueßen – Gerettet ist das edle Glied – Hier ist die Aussicht frei – Dir, der Unberuehrbaren – Alles Vergaengliche ist nur ein Gleichnis
Appendix 4: Zweite Bearbeitung des Schlusschors
Robert Schumann was a German composer, pianist, and influential music critic of the Romantic era, born on June 8, 1810, in Zwickau, Saxony, Germany. He passed away on July 29, 1856, in Endenich, near Bonn, Prussia, Germany. Schumann is renowned particularly for his piano music, songs (lieder), and orchestral music. Many of his best-known piano pieces were written for his wife, the pianist Clara Schumann.
Schumann’s early years were marked by his father’s influence, who was a bookseller and publisher. He began his musical education at the age of six, studying the piano. In 1827, he came under the musical influence of Austrian composer Franz Schubert and the literary influence of German poet Jean Paul Richter. In the same year, he composed some songs.
Despite initially studying law at the University of Leipzig, Schumann’s passion for music prevailed. He studied the piano seriously with Friedrich Wieck, Clara’s father, and eventually married Clara despite Wieck’s opposition2. Schumann’s early works were mainly piano pieces, including the large-scale “Carnaval” (1834–1835). He co-founded the “Neue Zeitschrift für Musik” (New Musical Journal) in 1834 and edited it for ten years, contributing significantly to music criticism.
His compositions include the “Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54,” “Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Major,” and song cycles such as “Frauenliebe und -leben” and “Dichterliebe.” Schumann turned to orchestral music in 1841, chamber music and choral works in the following years, and his wife Clara premiered many of his works, including the Piano Concerto.
Schumann’s life was troubled by mental health issues, which led to his attempted suicide in 1854 and subsequent confinement in a sanatorium, where he died two years later. His legacy remains significant, as he was one of the most important Romantic composers and a highly regarded music critic, whose deeply personal music reflects the nature of Romanticism.
Robert Schumann's Scenes from Goethe's Faust WoO 3, is a large-scale cantata for soloists, two choirs, and orchestra, inspired by the second part of Goethe's…
Robert Schumann’s Scenes from Goethe’s Faust WoO 3, is a large-scale cantata for soloists, two choirs, and orchestra, inspired by the second part of Goethe’s epic poem Faust.
The work depicts key dramatic episodes, from the first love scene between Gretchen and Faust to the redemptive ascent of Faust’s soul to heaven, with Mephistopheles’ trickery ultimately overcome. It is considered a significant, though sometimes overlooked, masterpiece of Romantic choral music.
The cantata draws directly from the second part of Goethe’s Faust, a work that profoundly influenced Romantic composers.
Schumann created a sweeping panorama of scenes, including the tender Gretchen/Faust encounter, the solemn presence of the Mater Dolorosa, and the celestial redemption of Faust’s soul.
The work showcases some of Schumann’s finest and most moving choral writing, characterized by his quintessential Romantic concern with literary and extra-musical expression.
The piece opens with an overture and includes various scenes depicting Faust’s experiences, culminating in his transfiguration and the triumph of celestial forces.
Although sometimes overlooked in the past, its importance has been recognized, and it has enjoyed a resurgence in performance and appreciation since the 1970s.
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