Robert's Vocal Music


Oratorio:   Paradise and the Peri, Op. 50  (1843)

      Schumann's most impressive stage work is a secular oratorio for soloists, choir, and 
orchestra.  The work is based on a German translation by Schumann and his friend Emil Flechsig 
of a tale from Lalla-Rookh by Thomas Moore. The peri, a creature from Persian mythology, is the  
focus of the story, having been expelled from Paradise and trying to regain entrance by giving the 
gift that is most dear to heaven. Eventually the peri is admitted after bringing a tear from the cheek 
of a repentant old sinner who has seen a child praying.


Oratorio:  Szenen aus Goethes Faust  (Scenes from Goethe's Faust)  (1844 - 1853)  

    One of the last works the Schumann completed, it is often seen as the height of his dramatic vocal 
theater composing.  Goethe's dramatic poem Faust was scene as one of the very greatest works in 
German literature, and Goethe himself had claimed that only (the long dead) Mozart could write 
music that suited it.  Schumann had said that not only writing the music for so important a literary 
work was daunting, but knowing he must compete with the memory of Mozart made it even 
more so.  


Opera Genoveva, Op. 81 (1848)  Schumann's only opera, it received bad reviews and only had 
three performances.  It is occasionally staged today.


1840s - Schumanns  -  His chief song-cycles in this period were settings of: 

The Liederkreis of Joseph von Eichendorff, Op. 39  (or just Liederkreis)  (1840)

       (depicting a series of moods relating to or inspired by nature).

The Frauenliebe und -leben of Albert von Chamisso, Op. 42  (1840)

       (relating the tale of a woman's marriage, childbirth and widowhood). 


The Dichterliebe of Heinrich Heine, Op. 48 (1840)

       (depicting a lover rejected, but coming to terms with his painful loss through renunciation 
        and forgiveness).

Myrthen, a collection of songs, including poems by Goethe, Friedrich Rückert, Heine, 
        Lord Byron, Robert Burns and Moore.  (1840)

The Songs Belsatzar, Op. 57 and Die beiden Grenadiere, Op. 49 

         Both to Heine's words, show Schumann at his best as a ballad writer, although the 
        dramatic ballad is less congenial to him than the introspective lyric. 



All of Schumann's lieder:

  • Op. 24Liederkreis (Heine), nine songs (1840)
  • Op. 25Myrthen, twenty-six songs (4 books) (1840)
  • Op. 27, Lieder und Gesänge volume I (5 songs) (1840)
  • Op. 29, 3 Gedichte (1840)
  • Op. 30, 3 Gedichte (1840)
  • Op. 31, 3 Gesänge (1840)
  • Op. 33, 6 Lieder (part songs for men's voices with piano ad lib) (1840)
  • Op. 34, 4 Duets (soprano and tenor with piano) (1840)
  • Op. 35, 12 Gedichte (1840)
  • Op. 36, 6 Gedichte (1840)
  • Op. 37Gedichte aus "Liebesfrühling" (12 songs, of which numbers 2, 4 and 11 are by Clara Schumann) (1840)
  • Op. 39Liederkreis (Eichendorff), twelve songs (1840)
  • Op. 40, 5 Lieder (1840)
  • Op. 42Frauenliebe und -leben (Chamisso), eight songs (1840)
  • Op. 43, 3 Duets (1840)
  • Op. 45, Romanzen & Balladen volume I (3 songs) (1840)
  • Op. 48, Song cycle, Dichterliebe, sixteen songs from Heine's Buch der Lieder (1840)
  • Op. 49, Romanzen & Balladen volume II (3 songs) (1840)
  • Op. 51, Lieder und Gesänge volume II (5 songs) (1842)
  • Op. 53, Romanzen & Balladen volume III (3 songs) (1840)
  • Op. 55, 5 Lieder (partsongs) (1846)
  • Op. 57Belsatzar, ballad (Heine) (1840)
  • Op. 59, 4 Gesänge (partsongs) (1846)
  • Op. 62, 3 Gesänge (partsongs with piano ad lib) (1847)
  • Op. 64, Romanzen & Balladen volume IV (3 songs) (1841–47)
  • Op. 65Ritornelle in canonischen Weisen (7 canonic part songs) (1847)
  • Op. 67, Romanzen & Balladen volume I (5 partsongs) (1849)
  • Op. 69, Romanzen volume I (6 partsongs for women's voices) (1849)
  • Op. 74Spanisches Liederspiel (3 songs, 5 duets, 2 quartets) (1849)
  • Op. 75, Romanzen & Balladen volume II (5 partsongs) (1849)
  • Op. 77, Lieder und Gesänge volume III (5 songs) (1841–50)
  • Op. 78, 4 duets (soprano and tenor) (1849)
  • Op. 79, Liederalbum für die Jugend (29 songs) (1849)
  • Op. 83, 3 Gesänge (1850)
  • Op. 87, Ballad, "Der Handschuh" (Schiller) (1850)
  • Op. 89, 6 Gesänge (1850)
  • Op. 90, 6 Gedichte und Requiem (1850)
  • Op. 91, Romanzen volume II (6 partsongs for women's voices) (1849)
  • Op. 95, 3 Gesänge (1849)
  • Op. 96, Lieder und Gesänge volume IV (1850)
  • Op. 98a, Songs from Wilhelm Meister
  • Op. 101Minnespiel (4 songs, 2 duets, 2 quartets) (1849)
  • Op. 103Mädchenlieder (2 women's voices and piano) (1851)
  • Op. 104, 7 Lieder (1851)
  • Op. 106, Declamation with piano, "Schön Hedwig" (1849)
  • Op. 107, 6 Gesänge (1851–52)
  • Op. 114, 3 Lieder für 3 Frauenstimmen (1853)
  • Op. 117, 4 Husarenlieder (1851)
  • Op. 119, 3 Gedichte (1851)
  • Op. 122, Declamation with piano: "Ballade vom Heideknaben" and "Die Flüchlinge" (1852)
  • Op. 125, 5 heitere Gesänge (1851)
  • Op. 127, 5 Lieder und Gesänge (1850–51)
  • Op. 135, Gedichte der Königin Maria Stuart (1852)
  • Op. 137, Jagdlieder (5 partsongs for men's voices with 4 horns ad lib) [1849]
  • Op. 138, Spanische Liebeslieder (1849)
  • Op. 141, 4 doppelchörige Gesänge (partsongs) (1849)
  • Op. 142, 4 Gesänge (1852)
  • Op. 145, Romanzen & Balladen Vol. III (5 partsongs) (1849–51)
  • Op. 146, Romanzen & Balladen Vol. IV (5 partsongs) (1849)



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