Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 3, "Rhenish". Analysis by Gerard Schwarz (part 3)
About this video
Gerard Schwarz explains the gentle third movement of Schumann's 'Rhenish' Symphony. A lyrical song for clarinets and bassoons flows forward over little viola notes, answered by rising four-note figures in the violins and a chorale for bassoons and violas. Schumann builds the whole movement economically from these three ideas.
You'll be able to
- explain how accompaniment can keep a slow melody flowing.
- identify the three main ideas of the movement and who plays them.
- explain what 'economical' means in composition.
Key words
- Lyrical
- Song-like and smoothly singing.
- Accompaniment
- The supporting part that goes with the main melody.
- Chorale
- A hymn-like melody in full chords.
- Economical
- Making a lot out of only a few ideas.
Transcript
- The third movement is a gorgeous, slow movement. It's a song. It's lyrical. It's beautiful. It's so typical of Schumann's ability to write an absolutely gorgeous melody. It's played by the clarinets and bassoons. It's accompanied by the violas. And even though the music is slow, it keeps it flowing, not dissimilar from the Brook movement of the Beethoven 6th.
So you have, you don't even notice that the violas are playing these little notes. But it gives a feeling of forward motion, even though it's a very beautiful, soft song that the clarinets and bassoons sing. (graceful orchestral music) When this beautiful theme comes to an end, there's this passage of rising four notes in the violins, which is kind of a response to that.
(graceful orchestral music) And eventually, Schumann combines that four-note passage with the melody of the clarinets. (graceful orchestral music) There is a second theme group, which is, again, like a little chorale. This time the chorale is played by bassoons and violas.
We still have that undulating passage. This time the cellos do it. First the solo cello, and later the whole cello section. (lush orchestral music) We repeat the same material of those four ascending notes in the violin. And we bring the clarinet theme back in again.
And the chorale theme comes back in. I mean, it's very economical, in the sense that there are basically three ideas. But the way he develops those ideas is absolutely genius and glorious. (languid orchestral music)
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