I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro non troppo
After Schumann heard for the first time Mendelssohn play his own
Concerto in G minor, he wrote that he would never dream of composing a
concerto in three movements, each one complete in itself. It is said
that he began to write a pianoforte concerto when he was only seventeen
and ignorant of musical form; that in 1836 he sketched a concerto in F
major when he was living at Heidelberg. In January, 1839, he wrote from
Vienna to Clara Wieck, his betrothed: “My concerto is a compromise
between a symphony, a concerto, and a huge sonata. I see I cannot write
a concerto for the virtuosos: I must plan something else.” The key was
not mentioned.
The first movement of the Concerto in A minor was written at Leipsic in
the summer of 1841—it was begun in May. It was then called “_Phantasie_”
in A minor, and was not intended for the movement of a concerto. It was
played for the first time by Clara Schumann, on August 13, 1841, at a
private rehearsal in the Gewandhaus, Leipsic. This rehearsal was for the
changes made in Schumann’s First symphony. Schumann wished in 1843 or
1844 to publish the work as an _allegro affettuoso_, also as _Concert
Allegro_, for pianoforte with orchestral accompaniment, “Op. 48,” but he
could not find a publisher. The _intermezzo_ and _finale_ were composed
at Dresden, May-July, 1845. Clara wrote in her diary on July 31, 1845:
“Robert has finished his concerto and given it to the copyists.”
The whole concerto was played for the first time by Clara Schumann at
her concert, December 4, 1845, in the Hall of the Hôtel de Saxe,
Dresden, from manuscript. The second performance was at Leipsic, January
1, 1846, when Clara Schumann was the pianist and Mendelssohn conducted.
Verhulst attended a rehearsal, and said that the performance was rather
poor; the passage in the _finale_ with the puzzling rhythms “did not go
at all.”
I. _Allegro affettuoso_, A minor, 4-4. After a short pianoforte prelude,
the first period of the first theme is announced by wind instruments.
The antithesis, which is almost an exact repetition of the thesis, is
for the pianoforte. The second theme is practically a new version of the
first and may be considered as a new development of it. The free
fantasia begins _andante espressivo_, A flat major, 6-4. The
recapitulation section is almost a repetition of the first. There is an
elaborate _cadenza_ for the pianoforte before the _coda_, which is an
_allegro molto_, A minor, 2-4.
II. _Intermezzo_: _andante grazioso_, F major, 2-4. The movement is in
simple _romanza_ form. Dialogue between solo instrument and orchestra;
then more emotional phrases for violoncellos, violins, etc. (accompanied
by pianoforte _arpeggios_). At the close there are hints at the first
theme of the first movement, which lead directly to the _finale_.
III. _Allegro vivace_, A major, 3-4. The movement is in sonata form. The
pianoforte gives out the chief theme. After a modulation to E major, the
second theme is for the pianoforte. This theme is distinguished by
constantly syncopated rhythm. A contrasting theme is developed in florid
fashion by the pianoforte. The free fantasia begins with a short
orchestral _fugato_ on the first theme. The third part begins
irregularly in D major, with the first theme as an orchestral _tutti_.
There is a long _coda_.
In each of his four symphonies Schumann used two flutes, two oboes,
two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns (two horns sufficed for the
Second symphony), two trumpets, three trombones, kettledrums, and
strings. For the piano concerto, he used the same orchestration, with
two horns, and omitting the trombones.—EDITOR.
ALEXANDER NICOLAIEVITCH
SCRIABIN
(Born at Moscow on Christmas Day, 1871; died there on April 14, 1915)
“THE POEM OF ECSTASY” (LE POÈME DE L’EXTASE), OP. 54
A singular and at times interesting composition. Victor Hugo has said
that agony when at its height is mute. Some, on hearing Scriabin’s
score, have wished, no doubt, that this were true of ecstasy. Is the
music really ecstatic? There are anthropological sociologists who find
extreme voluptuousness in physical pain. Mantegazza has a chapter on
this subject, a chapter that is not for the _jeune fille_. We are told
that Scriabin in this music wished to express the ecstasy of untrammeled
action, the joy in creative activity. Let the poem he wrote, and the
title, be put aside; there are fine and original passages in the
composition, and there is certainly untrammeled action. The themes
themselves are not important, not expressive, not significant enough to
warrant the extravagant development and the polyphonic complexity. There
is also irritating repetition.
* * *
“_Le Poème de l’Extase_” was performed for the first time by the Russian
Symphony Society of New York in New York, December 10, 1908. Modeste
Altschuler conducted. We were indebted to Mr. Altschuler in 1910 for the
following information about _The Poem of Ecstasy_:
“While I was in Switzerland during the summer of 1907 at Scriabin’s
villa, he was all taken up with the work, and I watched its progress
with keen interest. The composer of the _Poème de l’Extase_ has sought
to express therein something of the emotional (and therefore musically
communicable) side of his philosophy of life. Scriabin is neither a
pantheist nor a theosophist, yet his creed includes ideas somewhat
related to each of these schools of thought. There are three divisions
in his poem: 1. His soul in the orgy of love; 2. The realization of a
fantastical dream; 3. The glory of his own art.”
Mr. Modeste Altschuler has interesting letters written by Scriabin
covering the period of his sojourn in the United States and Mr.
Altschuler’s journey to Russia in 1907, the aim of which was to secure a
subsidy from the Russian government for the Russian Symphony Orchestra
in New York. Scriabin was very anxious to assist Mr. Altschuler in his
mission. The letters plainly indicate his anxiety. Those letters will
appear in Mr. Altschuler’s _Memoirs_, which a Russian historian was
taking down in November, 1930, when Mr. Altschuler was conductor of the
Hollywood Symphony Orchestra.
Scriabin wrote from Paris in the spring of 1907 that he had finished The
Poem of Ecstasy. The revised instrumentation now in use was made that
summer (1907) by the composer and Modeste Altschuler together, in
Switzerland, where they spent two weeks together.
It has been said that the subject of _Le Poème de l’Extase_ begins where
that of _Le divin Poème_ leaves off. The three divisions of the latter
symphony, movements joined together without a pause, are “Luttes,”
“Voluptés,” “Jeu divin” (creative force consciously exercised).
_Le Poème de l’Extase_ was completed in January, 1908, in Switzerland,
the month of the Fifth sonata, which, it is said, was written in three
or four days. It is scored for these instruments: piccolo, three flutes,
three oboes, English horn, three clarinets, bass clarinet, three
bassoons, double bassoon, eight horns, five trumpets, three trombones,
bass tuba, kettledrums, bass drum, cymbals, triangle, tam-tam, bells,
deep chime in C, celesta, two harps, organ, and the usual strings.
Scriabin wrote a poem in Russian for this orchestral composition. The
poem was published at Geneva, Switzerland, 1906. Mr. Altschuler kindly
lent his copy of it. A literal translation into English was made by Mrs.
Lydia L. Pimenov-Noble of Boston expressly for the Boston Symphony
Programme Book of October 22, 1910. The poem is very long, too long for
reprinting. There are verses that recur like a refrain, especially the
first lines:
_The Spirit,
Winged by the thirst for life,
Takes flight
On the heights of negation.
There in the rays of his dream
Arises a magic world
Of marvelous images and feelings.
The Spirit playing,
The Spirit longing,
The Spirit with fancy creating all,
Surrenders himself to the bliss of love._
The poem ends with a rhapsodic invocation of the poet to the world he
has created:
_“O pure aspirations,
I create thee,
A complex entity.
A feeling of bliss
Embracing all of you.
I am a moment illuminating eternity.
I am affirmation,
I am ecstasy.”
By a general conflagration
The universe is embraced.
The Spirit is at the height of being.
And he feels
The tide unending
Of the divine power,
Of free will.
He is all-daring,
What menaced—
Now is excitement,
What terrified
Is now delight;
And the bites of panthers and hyenas have become
But a new caress,
A new pang,
And the sting of the serpent
But a burning kiss.
And the universe resounded
With a joyful cry,
“I am.”_
JEAN JULIUS CHRISTIAN
SIBELIUS
(Born at Tavastehus, Finland, December 8, 1865)
Some, judging the music of Sibelius or rhapsodizing over it, have laid
great stress on the fact that Finland is a wild and desolate country.
They therefore argue that the music of Sibelius must be bleak and grim.
They are also convinced that Sibelius himself must be a stern-visaged
man, something of a Berserk, savage and unapproachable, to write as he
does. But travelers assure us that in Finland there are smiling
landscapes, and we know from personal acquaintance that Mr. Sibelius,
like Baptista Minola in the comedy, is “an affable and courteous
gentleman.” We doubt if climatic conditions, the constitutional
qualities or the passive mood of a man necessarily affect his music.
Beethoven was in doleful dumps when he wrote one of his most cheerful
symphonies. We have heard music by contemporaneous Italian composers
that is more barbaric, gloomier than the great majority of that by
Scandinavian or Russian musicians.