Schumann Symphony No. 3 Program Notes

Schumann Symphony No. 3 – Schumann didn’t write this symphony as his “Symphony No. 3” – it was the fourth symphony he composed, and the actual third was reworked and published as his fourth. However, its first movement draws an interesting parallel with Beethoven’s third symphony (the Eroica, or “Heroic”): it’s in a fast ¾, and in E-flat major, and its first melody is a vigorous E-flat major triad: is it possible Schumann is making a heroic, autobiographical statement? Schumann composed the symphony shortly after arriving with his family in Düsseldorf as the city’s Music Director. Düsseldorf is small city on the Rhine River, roughly halfway between Frankfurt and Amsterdam, with beautiful old buildings from the 13 th century, an art institute, and at that time, a respectable town orchestra. (It still has a symphony orchestra and opera house.) The second theme of the first movement is in a lyrical, minor key, first introduced by the oboe, while Schumann toys with the idea of B-flat major or its relative minor, G-minor. He uses a fair amount of chromaticism: to the players, that means there are a lot of sharp or flat signs, and to the listeners, it feels like the home key shifts frequently while Schumann develops these themes over the movement’s ten minutes (approximately). Although this symphony was given its “Rhenish” moniker by Schumann biographer and Düsseldorf concertmaster Wasielewski, the second movement, a Scherzo, has a wonderful theme that could stand in for a worker’s song. (Not exactly “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” but it has similarities.) Being Schumann, he works through the themes with an impressive degree of intricacy, somewhat inspired, perhaps, by his friend Felix Mendelssohn in the lightness of its style. The third movement – an Andante which he calls “Nicht schnell” (or “not fast”), is the most chamber-music-like of the movements, with the smallest instrumentation: two of the horns, both trumpets, and timpanist, having played the first movements, are silent for the third. It’s reminiscent of a romantic era miniature – it could easily be piano four-hands arrangement played in a drawing room. Its fragmentary melody manages to carry its pathos sweetly. The fourth and fifth movements can be considered a two-part Finale. It has a slow, E-flat minor chorale like an organ prelude, and the trombones play for the first time in the symphony – they evoke the gravitas of Mozart’s Requiem (or Magic Flute). Counterpoint like this always has Bach in mind, but here, its harmonic adventures are reminiscent of Beethoven’s late quartets. This E-flat minor movement (or prelude) ends with a somber, funereal diminuendo, with a timpani roll. The Lebhaft, whether played immediately, or after time to comfortably turn pages, is a sunny, breezy, and humorous adventure, with off-beat syncopations. Near the end, the contrapuntal motif from earlier returns, but much more simply, before a vigorous “Schneller” (faster) moment leaves no doubt that this movement has caroused to its joyous conclusion! Born: 8 June 1810, Zwickau, Kingdom of Saxony Died: 29 July 1856 (aged 46), Bonn, Rhine Province, Prussia Spouse Clara Schumann ​(m. 1840)