Analysis of a Love-Letter from the Perspective of Sonata Theory: R. Schumann, Op.11/I
Refikcan Taşar, Ferhat ÇaylıThe first movement of Robert Schumann’s Piano Sonata, Op. 11, has been evaluated in various aspects by many researchers and analysts. However, it seems that there are many different interpretations regarding its formal structure. The purpose of this study is to present a detailed formal analysis, based on the ‘Sonata Theory’ of James Hepokoski and William Darcy (2006). Besides the form analysis, the harmonic and thematic features of the movement were also discussed in detail. Furthermore, Schumann’s motivation for composing this sonata, and the historical context of the work are also taken into consideration. The composer dedicated this piano sonata to his future wife, Clara Wieck, and mailed it to her under a pseudonym. For this reason, it is possible to consider this Sonata as a ‘love-letter’. Therefore, the thematic and motivic intertextual references of the Sonata are also taken into consideration through the analysis. The findings of this study suggest that the movement in question was structured under the standard sonata framework typically seen in minor mode sonatas. However, closer scrutiny reveals that the Sonata contains some astonishing and delightful anomalies. In this paper, the radical aspects of the first movement of the Sonata are examined in detail.
Sonat Teorisi Yaklaşımıyla Bir Aşk Mektubunun Analizi: R. Schumann, Op.11/I
Refikcan Taşar, Ferhat ÇaylıRobert Schumann’ın Op. 11, Birinci Piyano Sonatı’nın Birinci Bölüm’ü, birçok araştırmacı ve analist tarafından çeşitli yönleriyle değerlendirilmişse de eserin form yapısı hakkında, literatürde pek çok farklı görüş bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, James Hepokoski ve Warren Darcy (2006) tarafından ortaya koyulmuş olan ve literatürde ‘Sonat Teorisi’ adıyla anılmakta olan form yaklaşımı üzerinden söz konusu eserin form yapısına dair yeni bir çözümleme önerisi sunmaktır. Bu çözümleme sırasında, eserin armonik ve tematik özellikleri de detaylıca ele alınmış, ayrıca eserin daha iyi anlaşılabilmesine olanak sağlamak amacıyla eserin yazılış amacı ve eserle ilgili tarihsel detaylar da göz önünde bulundurulmuştur. Zira Schumann, bu piyano sonatını takma bir isimle imzalayarak sevgilisi Clara Wieck’e ithaf etmiş ve eserin notasını doğrudan ona göndermiştir. Dolayısıyla Schumann’ın söz konusu piyano sonatını deyim yerindeyse bir aşk mektubu olarak değerlendirmek mümkündür. Gerçekleştirilen analizde, eserin bu özelliğinden kaynaklanan ve eserde metinlerarasılık yönünden bağlantılar kuran motifik ve tematik göndermeler de göz önünde bulundurulmuştur. Eser, ana çatısı itibariyle, minör moddaki sonatlarda sıkça karşılaşılan standart şablona uygun olarak kurgulanmışsa da formun iç yapısında, standartların dışında kalan ilgi çekici uygulamalar bulunmaktadır. Söz konusu uygulamalar, makalede detaylı olarak ele alınmıştır.
Robert Schumann (1810‒1856) dedicated his Piano Sonata no. 1, Op.11, which he completed in 1835, to his future wife Clara Wieck who was also a composer and pianist (Daverio, 1997, p.144). In the years when this sonata was composed, Clara’s father, Frederick Wieck, was involved in the couple’s relationship and prevented them from correspondence. Therefore, Schumann wrote this sonata almost as a letter in order to communicate with Clara (Emberley, 2013, p.2‒3). Schumann mailed his piano sonata to his beloved Clara whom he has not seen for about eighteen months (Jensen, 2012, p.118). Instead of writing his name as the composer, he used the names “Florestan and Eusebius” in the dedication to keep his identity hidden from Clara’s father (Emberley, 2013, p.13). Therefore, in addition to its success as a musical work, the sonata in question also had a special meaning in the lives of these two composers who later married.Robert Schumann wrote his Piano Sonata no. 1 in f-sharp minor, op. 11, which can be considered as a “love letter”, in four movements. This study attempts to analyze the formal structure of the first movement of this piano sonata. The analytical discussion is based on the methods, concepts, and principles of the Sonata Theory developed by James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy (2006). Besides the formal analysis, the harmonic and thematic features of the movement are also discussed in detail. Furthermore, Schumann’s motivation for composing this sonata, and the historical context of the work are also taken into consideration. In addition, intertextuality of the thematic materials is also taken into consideration through the analysis because of the extra-musical aspect of the sonata. The reason these emblematic materials are important for the analysis is based on the following words of the composer: “Certainly much in my music embodies, and indeed can only be understood against the background of the battles that Clara cost me. She was practically the sole motivation for [...] the Sonata (op.11)” (Daverio, 1997, 131).The purpose of this study is to present a detailed analytical interpretation for the first movement of Robert Schumann’s Piano Sonata no. 1, op. 11. The findings of this study suggest that the movement in question was structured in accordance with the standardsonata framework typically seen in minor mode sonatas. However, closer scrutiny reveals that the Sonata contains some astonishing and delightful anomalies, which are summarized below:
• The Introduction has a distinct character for its period, both because it is constructed in ternary form and ends on the tonic.
• The thematic materials of the Introduction were also used in the Development section. The thematic material in question constitutes an intertextual link in the work as it refers to an old lied entitled An Anna-II, which also composed by Schumann.
• The P-zone started on the dominant with a two-measure preparatory module (P0) instead of starting directly with the primary theme.
• In the TR zone which modulates form F-sharp minor to A major, P material was mostly used both in the beginning and ending, but a new thematic material in a distantly related key (E-flat minor) was introduced in the middle to break the monotony created by the repetitive use of P material,
• The EEC point has been postponed twice in the S zone.
• Instead of creating an interruption, the Development ends with an authentic cadence in F-sharp major (the tonic major) which creates a strong sense of completion.
• In the Recapitulation, some modules from both the P and TR zones have been removed to reach the ESC point as soon as possible.
• The ESC point, which is generally expected to be in a parallel position with EEC, has been moved to an earlier location since the postponement procedures in the Exposition were not carried out in the Recapitulation. Therefore, a thematic module which was in the S-zone at the Exposition, is moved to the C-zone at the Recapitulation due to the ESC point being moved to an earlier position.
• “Clara motif” has been used in all the interior zones of the Exposition and Recapitulation (P, TR, S, C), as well as in Developmental space. This motif, which is another element that reinforces the intertextuality in the work, is a quote from Clara’s Scène Fantastique Op. 5, No.4.
• The “Clara motif”, which was first introduced between the end of the Introduction section and the beginning of the Primary Theme, was presented as a final thematic target for all the main formal sections. Both the Exposition, the Development and the Recapitulation – hence the entire movement – ends by reaching to the motif of Clara.
