| dc.description.abstract | This study explores pedagogical aspects of Clara Wieck Schumann’s piano works through a discussion of selected character pieces. Although Clara composed over sixty piano pieces, only a few are standards of the repertoire, and many of her shorter works remain seldom studied and rarely performed. The five pieces chosen for this study serve as a starting point to her music and provide pianists with fresh literature from the Romantic era. In addition to their musical qualities, the following pieces were selected based on their approximate level and accessibility to pianists: “Toccatina” (Op. 6, No. 1), “Larghetto” (Op. 15, No. 1), “Un poco agitato” (Op. 15, No. 2), “Scherzo” (Op. 15, No. 4), and Romanze in A Minor (without Opus). These pieces range from level nine to early advanced and are some of Clara’s most succinct works. The analysis of each piece includes historical information, pedagogical observations, practice strategies, and performance considerations. Some common challenges of these pieces include widely-spaced chords, arpeggios between the hands, polyrhythms, legato pedaling, and sophisticated phrasing. Suggestions for these and other technical and musical issues are included in the practice strategies for each piece and are intended to aid pianists and teachers learning these works for the first time. Though often overlooked, these pieces embody some of the finest qualities of Romantic style and reflect the compositional growth throughout Clara’s life. | en_US |
