"Symphonic Etudies" and "Kreisleriana" by R. Schumann in the Representation of Biedermeyer and Romantic Cycling of Piano Miniatures

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to highlight the Biedermeier components of Schumann's creative method in line with the pianistic directions of training of F. Wik, K. Wik-Schuman with the justification of the semantic direction of Schumann's works, which are inseparable from Biedermeier aesthetics, in turn, connected with the aesthetic indicators of romanticism. The methodological basis is the intonation approach of the school of B. Asafyev in Ukraine, comparative and hermeneutic prolongations of intonation in the works of D. Androsova, T. Verkina, O. Kozarenko, I. Kotlyarevskyi, I. Lyashenko, Liu Binjsan, O. Markova, O. Muravska, O. Ryzhova, O. Sokolova, with the use of scientific research methods: art history-analytical, descriptive-historical, cultural-regionalist, hermeneutic. Scientific novelty. For the first time in Ukraine, the Biedermeier side of R. Schuman's compositional thinking is emphasised in connection with his large cyclic works, in which the miniaturism of the components did not remove the romantic scale of thinking, but in the Biedermeier perspective, the avoidance of the author's stylistic egocentrism of expression. Conclusions. The two cycles of R. Schumann taken for analysis constitute a typical output of the composer's piano miniaturism, which stems from the idea of the “Oratorio for piano”, namely from his “Carnival”, in which the contrasts of tempo-genre juxtapositions, so prominent in romantic theatricality, appear here in the positive of Biedermeier imitation of Rococo sonata-suites, united by the kindness of communication in the latter, and here by the artistic disposition of the subject of the action. The piano version gravitates towards the “diamond” sounds of “light” pianism (Schumann repeatedly singled out Biedermeier in Chopin's playing, bypassing F. Liszt's orchestral discoveries), i.e. the Biedermeier component of the stylistic position of the author of “Carnival”, while the mysterious-theatrical contributions testify to an approach to the romantic palette.