In 1839, Schumann wrote to the love of his life, Clara Wieck, “I have been sitting at the piano all week, composing and writing, laughing and crying all at once. You will find this state of affairs nicely evoked in my opus 20, the Grand Humoreske, which is about to be engraved.” This short passage shows just how special this work was for Schumann.
The title Humoreske can be interpreted in a couple of ways. Humor has always played a significant role in Schumann’s creativity, mostly drawing our attention to pompous characters portrayed as grotesque and self-absorbed. In some instances in this piece, humor manifests itself through the incessant repetition of the same motif. Ironically, the composer refers to this piece as “not very merry, and perhaps the most melancholy” of his works.
Another interpretation of the title involves some subtleties of the German vernacular. Schumann lamented, “The French do not understand the word Humoreske. It is truly deplorable that no good, suitable words exist in French for the two characteristics and concepts that are most deeply rooted in the German mentality: das Gemütliche (Schwärmerische) and Humor – of which the latter is a felicitous combination of gemütlich and witzig.” Daria Rabotkina
Classical Music | Piano Music
Robert Schumann
Humoreske, Op. 20 Play
Recorded on 08/30/2016, uploaded on 08/30/2016
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
In 1839, Schumann wrote to the love of his life, Clara Wieck, “I have been sitting at the piano all week, composing and writing, laughing and crying all at once. You will find this state of affairs nicely evoked in my opus 20, the Grand Humoreske, which is about to be engraved.” This short passage shows just how special this work was for Schumann.
The title Humoreske can be interpreted in a couple of ways. Humor has always played a significant role in Schumann’s creativity, mostly drawing our attention to pompous characters portrayed as grotesque and self-absorbed. In some instances in this piece, humor manifests itself through the incessant repetition of the same motif. Ironically, the composer refers to this piece as “not very merry, and perhaps the most melancholy” of his works.
Another interpretation of the title involves some subtleties of the German vernacular. Schumann lamented, “The French do not understand the word Humoreske. It is truly deplorable that no good, suitable words exist in French for the two characteristics and concepts that are most deeply rooted in the German mentality: das Gemütliche (Schwärmerische) and Humor – of which the latter is a felicitous combination of gemütlich and witzig.” Daria Rabotkina
More music by Robert Schumann
Maerchenbilder for viola and piano - I mov, op.113
Intermezzo
Carnaval, Op. 9
Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70
Wehmuth, from Liederkreis, Op. 39
Novellette no. 6 in A Major: Sehr lebhaft mit vielem Humor, from Novelletten, Op. 21
Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt, from Lieder und Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister
Presto Passionato in g minor, Op. 22a
Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26 (Carnival of Vienna)
Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano in A minor, Op. 105
Performances by same musician(s)
Fantasy-Suite after Bizet’s Carmen
The Fountain of the Acqua Paola, from Roman Sketches, Op. 7
Excursions, Op. 20
Liebesfreud
The Neighbour's Dance, from The Three-Cornered Hat
Nocturne in c minor, Op. 48, No. 1
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