Auf Schnell! Auf Schnell! - Schumann's Sonata in gm, Fantasy

A whirlwind tour would not begin to describe this piece. While virtuosic, and still remaining close to the center of the keyboard, Schumann crafts perhaps his most lasting contribution to the sonata genre with great precision, and a passionate five-note theme that could denote some sort of... manly attraction to... a woman? Named Clara? The other three movements are no less demanding, although the second movement provides a break from the flurry of notes surrounding it. The third movement scherzo is very similar to the first in terms of chord voicing, but is perhaps a little more dance-like than the first movement. The fourth movement moves by very quickly as well, but calms down after the initial theme has been presented.

It would be apt to describe the fantasy as a flurry of notes as well, with a simple melody laid atop a very active texture. However, the melodies here seem quite a bit more somber, despite the texture employed, bordering at times even upon melancholy. It is also worth noting just how long this fantasy is. The first movement alone well surpasses the ten minute mark - interesting for something so loosely structured as a fantasy. However, Schumann's mastery of characterization makes the time spent worthwhile, maintaining interest through character shift. The second movement is far more triumphant in character than the first - block chord accompaniment push the bright melody forward from the outset, which is followed by a section of more subdued imitative patterns between the bass and soprano voices. The third movement calms down even more, as Schumann nearly writes a lullaby to finish the piece.