Symphony No.1 in B-flat major "Spring" - Robert Schumann

Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli. I - The Beginning of Spring. Andante un poco maestoso - Più vivace - Allegro molto vivace - Tempo I - Animato: 0:00 II - Evening. Larghetto - (attacca): 11:25 III - Merry Playmates. Scherzo. Molto vivace - Trio I. Molto più vivace - Tempo I - Trio II - Coda. Quasi presto - Meno presto: 18:30 IV - Spring in Full Bloom. Allegro animato e grazioso - Poco adagio - Andante - Poco a poco acelerando: 24:45 Schumann's Symphony No.1 was composed between January 23 and February 20 of 1841, being premiered on March 31 of that year, performed by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Felix Mendelssohn. Until then, Schumann was largely known for his works for the piano and for voice, but his wife Clara encouraged him to write for orchestra. The subtitle was inspired by the composer's love of nature and also from Adolf Böttger's poem "Frühlingsgedicht". Böttger’s poem is quite dark, cursing a cloudy unhappiness, but ends with a hidden hope, “O wende, wende Deinen Lauf ­/ Im Tale blüht der Frühling auf!” (O turn, turn your course / Spring is blooming in the valley!). Given the optimistic tone of Schumann’s symphony, perhaps it was these final lines the composer took to heart. Each of the four movements were preceded by a subtitle, but they were deleted before publication, still being perfect epigrammatic invitations to this music. The first movement is structured in sonata form. It opens with a slow, passionate introduction with a dramatic fanfare from horns and trumpets, summoning spring’s awakening. An exhilarating crescendo sweeps us into the allegro. A bright and lively main theme is presented, derived from the opening fanfare motive. A more lyrical and gentle second theme is introduced by the wood. After the reexposure, follows an extensive development section on the main theme, rising in a romantic climax of great brilliance. The reappearance of the opening fanfare leads us to the recapitulation of the themes. A contemplative theme briefly appears on strings, before leading us to a triumphal coda. The second movement takes the form of an arch, almost like an orchestral lied. It begins with a deeply lyrical main theme on strings, which unfolds expressively. Schumann’s gift for melody and rich romantic harmonies comes strongly to the fore here. This movement evokes the spirit of Romantic song, a genre with which Schumann was deeply familiar, as he had just finished his "wonder year" of song composition. After a climax in the middle part, the theme is recapitulated. A chromatic solo from the trombones anticipates the main theme of the scherzo, before a transition leads us to the next movement. The third movement is a scherzo-rondo (A-B-A'-C-A''-Coda). It opens with a robust and lively main theme, syncopated in its rhythms. The first trio consists of a call-and-response antiphonal dance, derived from the opening fanfare motive. The scherzo is repeated, before the second trio kicks even more vigorously, built on simple scales and displaced accents. After a new repetition of the scherzo, we are led to the coda. The ending is particularly original: the scherzo seems to return, but quickly loses energy — a silence, then fragmentary memories of Trio I bring the music to a soft, teasingly inconclusive ending. The fourth movement is written in sonata form. After a brief but portentous introduction, a light and cheerful main theme is presented, taken from the final movement of Schumann's "Kreisleriana" Op.16. A playful second theme of Mendelssohnian air is also introduced, but will be rarely present in the movement. After the reexposure, the main theme is transformed in a more dramatic and intense development section. A cadenza for horns and flutes then takes place, which seems to echo the finale of Schubert’s then little-known "Great" C major Symphony, whose manuscript Schumann had discovered in Vienna in 1838. After the recapitulation of the themes, a brilliant coda ends the work. Picture: "A second view of the garden of Norfelt Manor on the island of Møn, Denmark." (1809) by the Danish painter Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: http://tinyurl.com/45azdeyr and http://tinyurl.com/58hr99w9 To check the score: https://tinyurl.com/yrltf669