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)
“THE POEM OF ECSTASY” (LE POÈME DE L’EXTASE), OP. 54
A singular and at times interesting composition. Victor Hugo has said that agony when at its height is mute. Some, on hearing Scriabin’s score, have wished, no doubt, that this were true of ecstasy. Is the music really ecstatic? There are anthropological sociologists who find extreme voluptuousness in physical pain. Mantegazza has a chapter on this subject, a chapter that is not for the jeune fille. We are told that Scriabin in this music wished to express the ecstasy of untrammeled action, the joy in creative activity. Let the poem he wrote, and the title, be put aside; there are fine and original passages in the composition, and there is certainly untrammeled action. The themes themselves are not important, not expressive, not significant enough to warrant the extravagant development and the polyphonic complexity. There is also irritating repetition.
