Schumann's "Kreisleriana"--An Outline

Here, I give the tempo indications in German, the beginning key center of the pieces, and the beginning time signature of the pieces.

1. Aüsserst bewegt (D minor), 4/4

An agitated triplet section in the RH (A section) with a contrasting B section, softer than the first section, in B-flat major.  When the A section returns, it is the same as before--agitated.

2. Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch (Bb major), 3/4

Quasi poetic, quite nocturnal, and like a Lied.

   A. Intermezzo I--Sehr lebhaft (F major)--2/4

   Almost in the style of Papillons (from Carnaval, op. 9);

   a moto perpetuo piece with foci on syncopations of eighth

   notes.

   B. Return to Sehr innig (Bb major)--3/4

   Back to the nocturne-like them again.

   C. Intermezzo II--Etwas bewegter (G minor)--3/4

   Running, flowing 16th notes in arpeggi, punctuated by

   inner-note melodies, over a bass line in legato octaves in

   dotted rhythms and long notes. Main theme looks like a

   circle of 5ths.

   D. Langsamer--Adagio (Bb major)--3/4

   Starts of as a transitional episode to the return of

   almost the whole nocturne theme, and ends with a brief

   coda.

  

3. Sehr aufgeregt (G minor)--2/4

This is a precursor to the Schnell und spielend (or "Fast and

Playful") scherzo of the no. 8 piece in Kriesleriana. Sprightly, humorous triplets dominate the r.h., against slower-going notes in the L.H.

   A. Etwas langsamer

   Breaks off slightly slower into 16th notes, both rising     

   and falling scalar melodies are present.

  

   B. Erstes tempo

   As before--a return to the Sehr aufgeregt in the original

   G minor key.

   C. Noch schneller

   This is the coda of the piece, more agitated, and with

   more triplets. The final measures have notes crossing

    paths over each other in eighth notes.

4. Sehr langsam (Bb Major)--4/4

Nocturne-like, almost Eusebius-style, almost in the style of a Bach prelude.

   Bewegter (G minor)

  Change to G minor, with 3-part texture (upper part has

  slower melody; inner part has 16th notes; bass line has

   quarter notes)

   Erstes tempo (Bb major)

   Reprise of the A theme; ends in a mediant (D major)

5. Sehr lebhaft (G minor) 3/8

A fast movement/scherzo form, focusing on rests and dotted rhythms. Later in the piece, it goes into a waltz/mazurka bent, with a developing climax on hemiolas. Then, there is a reprise of the waltz/mazurka theme (B part) and goes back to the A section to finish.

6. Sehr langsam (Bb major)--12/8

Almost pastoral-like as in the beginning, and then, later on, it turns into a style imitating a C.P.E. Bach free fantasia.

   Etwas bewegter

   Now, the key still goes in B-flat major and goes into a

   siciliana-like form--like a dance.

   Erstes tempo (slower)

   Back to the A form, as a coda.

7. Sehr rasch (C minor)--2/4

Very agitated and quite frightening moto perpetuo in the A section; B section is only slightly calmer with its still

agitated 3-part texture. Return of A section has the same

violent agitation, but ending in G minor.

The C section is almost in a style of a fast Bach prelude, or a little fugato.

   Noch schneller

   As before in the B section, and it returns eventually to

   the opening measures of the piece---frightening as before,

   and suddenly, everything drops into....

   Etwas langsamer

   ...a calmer mood, that ends the seventh piece for good.

8. Schnell und Spielend (G minor)--6/8

The final piece in the Kreisleriana seems like a 'scherzo in 3'. In the B section, the left hand octaves go into 2/4 against the r.h. in 6/8 doing call and response leaps.

   A. Mit aller Kraft (D minor)--6/8

   A stronger Florestan-like scherzo almost characteristic of     the music of Wagner.

   B. Return (G minor)

   Back to C minor, and then to G minor, with the same

   scherzo theme, and with time, it fades out at the end to

   almost nothing.