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Romantic · character piece

Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 11, Sicilienne

Robert Schumann · Level 4, estimated · With Maestro

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The short answer

Two Sicilian pieces become one. Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 11, Sicilienne is a character piece by Robert Schumann from the Romantic era. PlayPiano puts it at Level 4, an estimate.

On this page
  • character piece
  • Romantic
  • dancing

Also known as Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 11: Sicilienne; Album pour la jeunesse - 11.Sicilienne.

History

In the autograph, Schumann notated the two sections of his Sicilienne as two separate pieces under the heading “Zwei Sicilianische.” The familiar single-piece form came later.

Sources

What to listen for

  1. A pickup-led song in a lilting pulse

    The first repeated song begins with a pickup in 6/8. Hear the lead-in as part of the phrase before its tied closing sound.

  2. A higher song has different endings

    The higher repeated group has separate continuing and final endings. Listen for the second ending slowing into its held chord before the earlier song returns.

  3. Running figures change the meter

    The contrast changes to 2/4 and introduces running figures in related groups. Hear the new pulse and texture rather than carrying the earlier grouping through unchanged.

  4. The lilting song returns without earlier repeats

    The source writes out the 6/8 return without the opening repeats. Hear the familiar melody and held transition while keeping the source return distinct from an extra repeat command.

How to practise it

Feel the two groups of the lilting pulse through sustained notes.

  1. Play the first two gestures while counting two larger pulses.
  2. Practise the first two chord positions with clear durations before combining.

How hard is it

Level 4, estimated

The lilting dance pulse needs careful subdivision, connected melody and understated accompaniment.

About this piece

Interpretive sketch of Robert Schumann, an illustration and not a verified likeness
An illustration, not a portrait
Collection
Small scenes, big imagination
Licence
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
Source
mutopiaproject.org
Credit
“Album pour la jeunesse - 11.Sicilienne” by R. Schumann (1810 to 1856). Mutopia edition maintained by Philippe Hézaine. Source: https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=783. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/. Changes to the supplied file: none; any later conversion or edit must be disclosed separately.

More by Robert Schumann

  1. Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 1, MélodieLevel 2, estimatedOpen to everyone
  2. Träumerei, Kinderszenen Op. 15 No. 7Level 6, estimatedWith Maestro
  3. Toccata in C major, Op. 7Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro

With Maestro

Play it, slow it down, hear where you land

Feel the two groups of the lilting pulse through sustained notes.

Practise it in PlayPiano