Schumann Sonata no. 2 Op. 22

This piece is very passionate. Characteristic of Schumann's style, the mood is always changing and the texture and color vary considerably throughout.
The first movement is full of this driving descending melodic figure which is placed in various textures: as a single melody, in octaves and chords, with rolling sixteenth notes, and as a duet with the bass. My favorite part of this movement begins in measure 24. Schumann hints at the driving melodic idea, however, the texture overwhelms the line. The choked melody is like a human trying to speak, and yet they cannot because they are consumed by the chaos, their emotions. From this chaos, order is restored in measure 48, in the style of a grand march. The second theme begins with a simple syncopated gesture in the relative major of the home key (g minor) which is quickly clouded by outburst of uncontrollable feelings (m. 71). In the development, Schumann includes a bass and soprano conversation. The last two pages of this movement are full of textural effects. Alot of notes, with but one purpose-to suggests passion,anger, and pure emotion. Similar to Beethoven's Appassionata sonata, Schumann is using running sixteenth notes to create a harmonic effect which instills this powerful feeling of chaos and raw intensity (mm.268-294).
The second movement, Andantino reminds me of Chopin's 4th prelude: the left hand moves chromatically through nonfunctional harmony. The mood is bizarre and foreign; the melody is timid, shy, and scared. The music wanders both harmonically and melodically. This suggests surprise and unexpected turns as though someone is lost in a distant land searching for a familar face. This is reminiscent of the Empfindersamar style. The textural style starting at measure 22 suggests some kind of bizarre undulations. Although the hands initially do this figuration in unisions, the correlation between the hands slowly disintegrates. Measure 27 has strange intervals (m6,aug4, m3, aug4, m3). These and other dissonant intervals dominate throughout (especially in mm. 36-37). M. 57 is surprising in that it begins to resemble something 'normal' so to speak. The harmony actually spells a real D7 chord. The ascending hope (possibly the lost person sees a familiar face)is soon gone. The deceptive cadence suggests perhaps the familiarity was an illusion. But then the melody raises a half-step. Perhaps there is still a chance of hope (m. 58)! Wait! The person finds a friend or loved one.

The scherzo movement is full of fluctuating down beats: syncopation is awkwardly followed by non syncopation. This, along with many style changes, creates a since of unbalance and instability which accounts for the humorous character.

The last movement (second version) is easy to listen to. Even though the melody is stuck in the middle of complex textures, the simplicity of the melody keeps itself apparent (scale degrees 1,2,3,4,5,1,6,1,5). The movement is a hybrid rondo/ sonata form. The second theme in E flat major is exceptionally beautiful. The melody is simple. The descending five notes is unmistakably a reference to Clara. I love the transition between the second theme and the return of the theme fragments (m. 93). The quickened excitement in m. 60 presents a natural flow into the passionate section. One could argue the transition is ingenious in that it captures the ever changing moods of a human. The peaceful countenance becomes excited,then agitated, and finally impassioned. The most humorous and surprising event occurs in measure 296
when the cadence is evaded by a dominant functioning harmony. The last two pages are a wash of sound, intended to create pure excitement without substance. The piece ends with fragments of the g minor theme.