CONCERTO IN A MINOR, FOR PIANOFORTE AND ORCHESTRA, OP. 54
I. Allegro II. Adagio III. Allegro non troppo
After Schumann heard for the first time Mendelssohn play his own Concerto in G minor, he wrote that he would never dream of composing a concerto in three movements, each one complete in itself. It is said that he began to write a pianoforte concerto when he was only seventeen and ignorant of musical form; that in 1836 he sketched a concerto in F major when he was living at Heidelberg. In January, 1839, he wrote from Vienna to Clara Wieck, his betrothed: “My concerto is a compromise between a symphony, a concerto, and a huge sonata. I see I cannot write a concerto for the virtuosos: I must plan something else.” The key was not mentioned.
The first movement of the Concerto in A minor was written at Leipsic in the summer of 1841—it was begun in May. It was then called “Phantasie” in A minor, and was not intended for the movement of a concerto. It was played for the first time by Clara Schumann, on August 13, 1841, at a private rehearsal in the Gewandhaus, Leipsic. This rehearsal was for the changes made in Schumann’s First symphony. Schumann wished in 1843 or 1844 to publish the work as an allegro affettuoso, also as Concert Allegro, for pianoforte with orchestral accompaniment, “Op. 48,” but he could not find a publisher. The intermezzo and finale were composed at Dresden, May-July, 1845. Clara wrote in her diary on July 31, 1845: “Robert has finished his concerto and given it to the copyists.”
The whole concerto was played for the first time by Clara Schumann at her concert, December 4, 1845, in the Hall of the Hôtel de Saxe, Dresden, from manuscript. The second performance was at Leipsic, January 1, 1846, when Clara Schumann was the pianist and Mendelssohn conducted. Verhulst attended a rehearsal, and said that the performance was rather poor; the passage in the finale with the puzzling rhythms “did not go at all.”
I. Allegro affettuoso, A minor, 4-4. After a short pianoforte prelude, the first period of the first theme is announced by wind instruments. The antithesis, which is almost an exact repetition of the thesis, is for the pianoforte. The second theme is practically a new version of the first and may be considered as a new development of it. The free fantasia begins andante espressivo, A flat major, 6-4. The recapitulation section is almost a repetition of the first. There is an elaborate cadenza for the pianoforte before the coda, which is an allegro molto, A minor, 2-4.
II. Intermezzo: andante grazioso, F major, 2-4. The movement is in simple romanza form. Dialogue between solo instrument and orchestra; then more emotional phrases for violoncellos, violins, etc. (accompanied by pianoforte arpeggios). At the close there are hints at the first theme of the first movement, which lead directly to the finale.
III. Allegro vivace, A major, 3-4. The movement is in sonata form. The pianoforte gives out the chief theme. After a modulation to E major, the second theme is for the pianoforte. This theme is distinguished by constantly syncopated rhythm. A contrasting theme is developed in florid fashion by the pianoforte. The free fantasia begins with a short orchestral fugato on the first theme. The third part begins irregularly in D major, with the first theme as an orchestral tutti. There is a long coda.
In each of his four symphonies Schumann used two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns (two horns sufficed for the Second symphony), two trumpets, three trombones, kettledrums, and strings. For the piano concerto, he used the same orchestration, with two horns, and omitting the trombones.—EDITOR.
ALEXANDER NICOLAIEVITCH
SCRIABIN
(Born at Moscow on Christmas Day, 1871; died there on April 14, 1915)