Program Notes

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major, Op. 97 “Rhenish” (1851)

Scored for pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani and strings

“On Monday, September 2, 1850, on arrival in Düsseldorf, which contrary to our expectations is pleasantly situated, we were received by the concert directorship. Wednesday evening was a great surprise for us. We were dining downstairs in the hotel when all at once the Don Giovanni Overture was intoned in an adjacent room. We had no idea what was going on; it was, however, a serenade, played for Robert by the local orchestra. Robert was most pleasantly surprised. They played everything quite well, and I think Robert will be able to get something going with the orchestra.”

When Robert Schumann arrived in the Rhineland with his wife Clara to take up his post as municipal music director, he probably never expected that he could actually be happy there. But, as the above quotation from Clara's diary suggests, they were in for many pleasant surprises. Not only was Düsseldorf “pleasantly situated,” it was also surrounded by a beautiful mountain range. Robert now had a stable position, a steady income, a peaceful atmosphere in which to compose and responsibility for the musical life of the city, and it was in many ways the ideal existence. After suffering so much pain, anguish and hardship in the years leading up to this, the Schumanns had finally entered into a much-deserved period of contentment. And it was in the midst of this contentment that Schumann undertook the composition of his third symphony, which came to be known as the Rhenish , in tribute to the local cultural life he now embraced.

The symphony shows a remarkable conciseness and economy of means that are not always present in Schumann's work. A boat trip down the Rhine is said to have been the inspiration for the composition, and the symphony was completed in just over a month, during a burst of creative energy. According to Clara, “I am always astonished at Robert's creative power – always new of melody, harmony and form as well.”

The first performance was given on February 6, 1851 as part of his subscription concerts with his new orchestra. Its sunny nature proved to be very agreeable with audiences and critics alike and has been in the concert repertoire ever since.

A vibrant optimism pervades the first movement. The lively rhythms and youthful exuberance of the first theme confidently proclaim Schumann's newfound happiness. The waltz-like second theme is quieter, with perhaps a hint of melancholy. But even this slight allusion to less convivial times is short-lived, swept up in the glow so obvious in the opening bars. The development section displays a more dramatic touch, but always returns to its principal feeling of infectious joy, which, as the final bars reveal, was invariably its goal.

The second movement is a scherzo, displaying the form's characteristic playfulness and rhythmic profusion, but almost nothing of its traditional agitation. It is a light-hearted Ländler, a German folk dance, which flows leisurely and effortlessly to a quiet, contented ending. It would not surprise anyone to learn that Schumann originally titled this movement Morning on the Rhine .

The next movement is a gracious interlude dominated by noble, ever-present winds. A pleasant mood of peaceful solitude pervades and persists, uninterrupted throughout. The movement is made up of three distinct themes, which become intertwined at the end.

Three trombones, which have had nothing to do until now, introduce the austere strains of the fourth movement. The elevation of Archbishop von Geissel to Cardinal in a ceremony held in Cologne Cathedral is said to be the inspiration for this music. Originally titled In the Style of an Accompaniment to a Solemn Ceremony , the title was withdrawn by the composer before its publication, though it did appear in the program for the premier. Here the inspiration is Bach, in music of profound dignity and majestic courage.

Melodic invention flows like water in the finale. The original sunny disposition of the symphony returns in triumph as the strings lead the way, but it isn't long before they are briefly superseded by the winds and a brilliant brass fanfare. Abundant delight is at the movement's core and it never fails to achieve its purpose. Schumann quickens the pace in the coda and our expectations for a happy ending are not disappointed.