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Romantic · character piece

Schnitterliedchen, Op. 68 No. 18

Robert Schumann · Level 4, estimated · With Maestro

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The short answer

Schnitterliedchen, Op. 68 No. 18 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 pour la jeunesse - 18.Chant des moissonneurs.

History

“Schnitterliedchen” (“Reapers’ Song”) is No. 18 of Schumann’s Album for the Young, Op. 68. The book grew from a piano album he made for his daughter Marie’s seventh birthday in September 1848; these pieces belong to a deliberate collection for young learners, distinct from the earlier Kinderszenen cycle.

Sources

What to listen for

  1. A moving song above a held strand

    A moving upper song sits above sustained inner support. Listen for the melody to remain connected while the inner sound carries through it.

  2. The moving contour changes layers

    The answering repeat transfers the moving contour into the inner upper strand beneath longer top notes. Follow the motion in its new layer.

  3. A stronger shared contour

    A louder running contour appears across both staves. Hear its shared direction as a contrast with the earlier melody and held support.

  4. Short chords and a chromatic rise close

    Detached chords lead into a chromatic upper rise and sparse closing sounds. Follow that rise before allowing the shorter final replies to settle.

How to practise it

Let the flowing melody move above steady tied support.

  1. Practise the first melody gesture without the grace, then add it lightly.
  2. Practise the first tied support alone while counting the compound pulse.

How hard is it

Level 4, estimated

The song's rhythmic character requires clear articulation and consistent melody/accompaniment balance.

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 - 18.Chant des moissonneurs” by R. Schumann (1810 to 1856). Mutopia edition maintained by Philippe Hézaine. Source: https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=663. 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

Let the flowing melody move above steady tied support.

Practise it in PlayPiano