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Romantic · character piece

Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 13, Mai, cher Mai, ...

Robert Schumann · Level 4, estimated · With Maestro

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The short answer

May returns, and the title changes. Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 13, Mai, cher Mai, ... 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
  • joyful

Also known as Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 13: Mai, cher Mai, ...; Album pour la jeunesse - 13.Mai, cher Mai, ....

History

The May piece originally read “Mai, schöner Mai, bald bist du da!” in the autograph and early engraver’s copy. The published wording became “Mai, lieber Mai, bald bist du wieder da!”

Sources

What to listen for

  1. A pickup develops into graceful replies

    The first repeated section turns a small pickup into rising responses and short recurring calls. Hear how the small beginning grows toward a broader descending close.

  2. A changed chordal entry

    The second repeat begins with different chords and small appoggiatura gestures. Compare the changed attack and colour with the opening.

  3. Opening-related calls reappear

    The earlier kind of gesture returns within the second repeat, along with small recurring calls. Hear their relationship before the closing continuation expands.

  4. Exchanges lead toward a slower close

    Lower-register exchanges and a rising response lead to the slowing ending. Keep the larger direction audible through the smaller voice changes.

How to practise it

Keep the paired sixteenth gestures clear while longer inner notes sustain.

  1. Practise each opening pair slowly, then connect them at an even speed.
  2. Play the longer inner note alone, then add the moving line without cutting it short.

How hard is it

Level 4, estimated

Longer singing phrases need sustained direction and accompaniment balance rather than uniform note-by-note emphasis.

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 - 13.Mai, cher Mai, ...” by R. Schumann (1810 to 1856). Mutopia edition maintained by Philippe Hézaine. Source: https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=662. 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

Keep the paired sixteenth gestures clear while longer inner notes sustain.

Practise it in PlayPiano