Carnaval, Op. 9 (1834–1835)

        Carnaval consists of 21 short character pieces representing masked revelers at Carnival, 
a festival before Lent.  Schumann gives musical expression to himself, his friends and colleagues 
(Clara Schumann, Ernestine von Fricken, Frédéric Chopin, and Niccolò Paganini), and characters 
from improvised Italian comedy commedia dell'arte (Pierrot, Harlequin,Pantalone, and Columbina).  


                                                       Video: commedia dell'art characters

Schumann also builds melodies of the notes in ASCH, the town Ernestine von Fricken lived.  In 
English, the German notes A-S-C-H are A-Eb-C-B.  (Online Piano)

                                                         (Musical notes in various languages)


                  Arthur Rubenstein, piano  (5:30)

                          1.  Préambule (A♭ major; Quasi maestoso – Più moto – Animato – Presto)

                           2.  Pierrot (E♭ major; Moderato)  -  A depiction of Pierrot from the commedia dell'arte

                           3.  Arlequin (B♭ major; Vivo) -  A depiction of Harlequin, also from the commedia dell'arte

                            4.  Valse noble (B♭ major; Un poco maestoso)


                  Claudio Arrau, piano  (2:40)

                           11.  Chiarina (C minor; Passionato) - A depiction of Clara Schumann.

                           12.  Chopin (A♭ major; Agitato) - An evocation of his colleague Frédéric Chopin.