Schumann – Piano Quartet in E-flat major

^{Robert Schumann (1810-1856)}

^{Piano Quartet in E-flat major, op. 47 (1842)}

^{Schumann’s Piano Quartet dates from the “chamber music year” of 1842, which also saw the completion of the three string quartets and the Piano Quintet. If the latter is, perhaps, the more brilliant of the two works for keyboard and strings, there’s at least no faulting the sweeping lyricism, deep reservoirs of emotion, and spectacular technique to be found on nearly every page of the Quartet.}

^{Its first movement opens with a noble, chorale-like theme in the strings punctuated by tolling octaves in the piano. This flows directly into the main body of the movement, a brisk Allegro marked by a snappy opening figure that transforms into a rather lyrical tune played by cello and violin over a chugging piano accompaniment. Its second theme falls into two parts: a rising scale, followed by a descending arpeggio. It’s often heard in canonic textures or in the vicinity of a choral-like cantus firmus.}

^{The brisk second movement channels Schumann’s friend Mendelssohn’s “elfin” style, here, though, a bit darker and dourer. It’s sprightly and whimsical, all the same, filled with impetuous energy that’s only interrupted by the two trio sections that pop up in the middle.}

^{In the third movement, Schumann’s considerable gifts as a tunesmith are fully on display. The cello opens with a gorgeous, expansive melody that’s passed to each member of the quartet and heard with slightly varied accompaniments in each iteration. In the middle comes a striking, devotional passage that seems to recall late Beethoven, but does little to dispel the music’s sense of yearning.}

^{The brilliant finale offers two contrasting ideas: a lively, extroverted fugato and a more ambiguous, songful tune. Neither really wins out – the blazing coda pays homage to both – but perhaps that’s the point. Musical complexity and contradiction are but a reflection of the same human characteristics, a fact of which Schumann was well aware.}

^{© Jonathan Blumhofer}

^{Reproduction Rights: This program note may be reproduced free of charge in concert programs with a credit to the author.}