Carnival, Op. 9 (Carnaval)

“That,” roared Franz Liszt on hearing Schumann’s Carnaval for the first time, “shows a mind back of it! It is one of the greatest works I know!” Whether or not the listener shares Liszt’s enthusiasm for this lovely music to so complete a degree, the fact is that Carnaval remains the most popular of all Schumann’s extended works for the piano. Its enchanting lyricism, its grace, its delicious humor, its fantasy, the little autobiographical touches — these things make Carnaval ever a fresh delight.

The full title of the work here so sensitively performed by Gyorgy Sandor is: Carnaval: Scènes mignonnes composées pour le pianoforte sur quatre notes (Little scenes composed for the piano on four notes). Back of this title lies a story. When Schumann began thinking of Carnaval he fancied himself in love with a young woman named Ernestine von Fricken. Ernestine’s birthplace was Asch; the four letters that form the name of this town also occur in the composer’s name. In German musical notation As is A-flat, Es (or S) is E-flat, H is B natural. The four letters, then, form a musical figure. Carnaval is “a loose set of variations on these letters,” so “loose,” in fact, that the letters do not make their bow until the fifth measure of the second “scene” while there are other “scenes” in which they do not appear at all.

Carnaval is divided into twenty-one little sections, each one bearing a title. Some recall figures of Italian comedy, others are descriptive of friends, still others are moodpieces. It was begun in 1834 and finished in 1835. It should be noted that as there is no pause between Valse allemande and Paganini, these two “scenes” are banded together on this record.

It is said that when Schumann was merely a boy his gift was amazing for improvisations at the piano in which he pictured in music the personalities of his friends. This gift remained with the mature Schumann, as Carnaval makes abundantly clear. Estrella (No. 13), for example, is a portrait of Ernestine; and Chiarina (No. 11) is a delightful portrayal of Clara Wieck who was to become the composer’s wife. There are self-portraits in Eusebius (No. 5) and Florestan (No. 6), the former representing Schumann in his most poetic mood, the latter the composer at his most vigorous. In No. 12 Schumann out-Chopins Chopin; while Paganini (No. 17) is a remarkably effective and sharp duplication of the great composer-violinist’s style.

The figures of Italian comedy are depicted in Pierrot (No. 2), Arlequin (No. 3), Pantalon et Colombine (No. 15). Especially memorable is the Pierrot in which we seem actually to see the poor fellow’s pompous walk, his fall as he stumbles over his own feet, and then to hear his foolish laugh.

Carnaval comes to a truly rousing close with a march in which the forward-looking composer, the staunch champion of all that was best in new art, challenges and battles the forces of Reaction.

– Notes by MORRIS HASTINGS

Track Listing

1. Préambule
2. Pierrot
3. Arlequin
4. Valse noble
5. Eusebius
6. Florestan
7. Coquette
8. Réplique
9. Papillons
10. Lettres dansantes
11. Chiarina
12. Chopin
13. Estrella
14. Reconnaissance
15. Pantalon et Colombine
16. Valse allemande
17. Paganini
18. Aveu
19. Promenade
20. Pause
21. Marche des “Davidsbündler” contre les Philistins

Album Information

• Artist: Schumann / Gyorgy Sandor
• Catalog Number: P 14146
• Catalog Numbers: P 14146
• Label: Columbia Special Products — A Service of Columbia Records
• Liner Notes: Notes by MORRIS HASTINGS
• Source: P-14146
• Copyright: © 1977 CBS Inc.
• Manufacturer: CBS Records / CBS Inc., 51 W. 52 Street, New York, N.Y.
• Distributor: Distributed by SR, New York, NY 10021
• Country: Printed in U.S.A.
• Stereo Note: Electronically re-recorded to simulate stereo.
• Composer: Robert Schumann