Sophie Huang

Schumann’s Aesthetic Ideals in Carnaval, op. 9

Introduction

Schumann’s aesthetic ideals in carnaval, op. 9. Investigate Schumann's aesthetic ideals in Carnaval, op. 9. Analyze motif development, piano writing, and Davidsbündler references, reflecting his Romantic principles.

Abstract

Robert Schumann (1810–1856) was one of the most influential composers and music critics of the German Romantic movement. His music has been extensively studied from historical, biographical, and theoretical perspectives. Not only is Schumann well-known for his compositions, he is also equally recognized for founding the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Journal for Music), in which he advocates for what he believes to be the aesthetic principles of “pure” music. This paper explores the manifestations of these principals in Schumann’s piano cycle Carnaval, op. 9 which he started writing in 1834—the same year that he first published the New Journal. It first examines how these ideals influence the way Schumann develops motifs and uses them to generate musical material and organise larger-scale form. Then, it considers Schumann’s piano writing and how he repurposes stylistic conventions and virtuosic techniques for compositional considerations rather than performative or pianistic ones. Moreover, this paper investigates thematic implications of Schumann’s references to the fictional Davidsbündler (League of David) in Carnaval, with respect to how they reflect Schumann’s belief in the importance of congruency between a composer’s life and music. Such explorations demonstrate an approach to studying Schumann’s music that accounts for musicological considerations in addition to theoretical and performance-related ones. This approach can be applied to analyses of Schumann’s other compositions, as well as the work of many other Romantic composers who were influenced by Schumann’s work.

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