I wanted to sit down and discuss Tchaikovksy's thoughts on Schumann's Symphonies, which can be found on Tchaikovsky Research. Schumann was one of Tchaikovsky's favorite composers, especially for the piano. In the symphonies, it seems to be that while Tchaikovsky was generally disappointed by Schumann's orchestration, he considered Schumann's melodic and harmonic writing to be truly inspired.
Symphony No.1:
"The very fact that Schumann made his first attempt at a symphony so late indicates that this master did not have a particular inclination for the orchestra."
"Schumann was not endowed with the art of expressing his rich thoughts in beautiful sounds: his instrumentation is always thick and massive, but devoid of brilliancy and transparency."
"The whole first movement of this symphony is characterized by the way in which new and original Romantic ideas are cast into traditionally established forms—it is thus like a link between the classical school that was brought to perfection by Beethoven and the new direction in which Schumann set off, together with Chopin and Berlioz."
"In the Andante a beautiful elegiac melody is accompanied by delightful variations and produces an indescribably enchanting effect."
"...the first trio is particularly remarkable, with its charming chordal exchanges between the strings and winds, as well as the concluding coda with its tempestuous syncopated rhythm and original harmony."
"The Finale, which is so sweeping, brilliant, formally accomplished, and rich in beautiful modulations and varied rhythmic and harmonic turns, serves as a magnificent conclusion to this elegant work."
Symphony No.2:
"Together with the Third, the Second Symphony represents the crowing achievement of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre and belongs to the most brilliant middle period of his career as a composer."
"The depth of the musical ideas in this symphony, its formal beauty and the broadness and plasticity of its conception are truly amazing."
"In the Andante the touching cantabile melody with its extraordinarily beautiful design and—quite unusually for Schumann—strikingly effective instrumentation (violin trills in the highest register accompanying the clarinet's singing), produces an indelible impression."
Symphony No.3:
"Indeed, Schumann's finest creations, the most impassioned effusions of his mighty creative genius are considerably impaired by this incomprehensible discrepancy between magnificent content on the one hand, and the clumsiness of his orchestral and vocal technique."
"It was in particular orchestration that didn't come naturally to Schumann. He wasn't able to draw forth from the orchestra those contrasting effects of light and shade, those alternations between individual groups of instruments and orchestral tutti which, when carefully mixed, make for a successfully instrumented work."
"As an example of this I can point to the first movement of the aforesaid symphony in which the inspired and sweeping pathos, the sublime melodic and harmonic beauty of the music will always remain incomprehensible for the audience, simply because of the colourless and all too thick texture of the orchestration which is capable of irritating the auditory nerves of even the most musically sensitive listener."
"After that there comes a fourth, episodic movement which goes beyond the limits of the standard symphonic form and in which Schumann, according to popular tradition, was seeking to convey the sublime impression which seeing the Cologne Cathedral had produced on him."
"Never has anything more powerful or more profound been created by human artistic endeavour." (It is unclear whether Tchaikovsky meant the Cathedral, the Symphony, or perhaps both.)
"Although whole centuries went by in the construction of the Cologne Cathedral and many generations did their bit of work for the realization of this grandiose architectonic conception, one brief page from the score of this great musician, inspired by the stately beauty of the cathedral, will constitute for future generations as resplendent a monument to the depth of the human spirit as the cathedral itself." (This is ridiculously high praise).
"The magical effect of this splendid music is further strengthened by the characteristic charm of the key of E-flat major, which matches perfectly the sombre and solemn mood that Schumann sought to express, as well as by the massive instrumentation which this time is most definitely appropriate.
"Here more than anywhere else we find that striking affinity which exists between the two arts of music and architecture in spite of the different aesthetic substance and forms in which they both express themselves."
"The audience, as was to be expected, received this movement of the symphony rather coolly, but they cannot really be blamed for this. Even a professional musician would not be able to cope with such profound creations of musical genius if he were hearing them for the very first time."
Symphony No.4
"This symphony, which in terms of its underlying ideas is by far not as powerful, profound, and staggering as the Second and especially the Third, nevertheless considerably surpasses these with regard to the mastery of the musical facture, the charm and roundedness of its form, as well as the quality of its instrumentation, although even in this symphony the latter does not nearly match the richness and beauty of the musical content."
"This work contains in abundant quantity all the characteristic features of Schumann's oeuvre: an extraordinary wealth of melodic invention, original and lush harmonic combinations, an uncommon mastery in the elaboration of themes, freshness, depth of feeling, as well as that, if you like, negative virtue whereby his music is never weighed down by that ballast, that trivial 'milling of the wind' which even such major creative talents as Schubert are not free from."
"The three last movements are particularly good, as is the way in which they are linked together by extraordinarily delightful transitions and are played immediately one after the other without any pauses."
"The Andante consists of a charming minor-key melody which is presented with remarkable simplicity and is followed directly by a Scherzo full of cheerful rhythmic agitation."
"The Finale is superlative: it is packed with exuberant inspiration, power, and richness in the development of its manly and energetic principal theme."
What do you guys think?
Symphony No.1:
"The very fact that Schumann made his first attempt at a symphony so late indicates that this master did not have a particular inclination for the orchestra."
"Schumann was not endowed with the art of expressing his rich thoughts in beautiful sounds: his instrumentation is always thick and massive, but devoid of brilliancy and transparency."
"The whole first movement of this symphony is characterized by the way in which new and original Romantic ideas are cast into traditionally established forms—it is thus like a link between the classical school that was brought to perfection by Beethoven and the new direction in which Schumann set off, together with Chopin and Berlioz."
"In the Andante a beautiful elegiac melody is accompanied by delightful variations and produces an indescribably enchanting effect."
"...the first trio is particularly remarkable, with its charming chordal exchanges between the strings and winds, as well as the concluding coda with its tempestuous syncopated rhythm and original harmony."
"The Finale, which is so sweeping, brilliant, formally accomplished, and rich in beautiful modulations and varied rhythmic and harmonic turns, serves as a magnificent conclusion to this elegant work."
Symphony No.2:
"Together with the Third, the Second Symphony represents the crowing achievement of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre and belongs to the most brilliant middle period of his career as a composer."
"The depth of the musical ideas in this symphony, its formal beauty and the broadness and plasticity of its conception are truly amazing."
"In the Andante the touching cantabile melody with its extraordinarily beautiful design and—quite unusually for Schumann—strikingly effective instrumentation (violin trills in the highest register accompanying the clarinet's singing), produces an indelible impression."
Symphony No.3:
"Indeed, Schumann's finest creations, the most impassioned effusions of his mighty creative genius are considerably impaired by this incomprehensible discrepancy between magnificent content on the one hand, and the clumsiness of his orchestral and vocal technique."
"It was in particular orchestration that didn't come naturally to Schumann. He wasn't able to draw forth from the orchestra those contrasting effects of light and shade, those alternations between individual groups of instruments and orchestral tutti which, when carefully mixed, make for a successfully instrumented work."
"As an example of this I can point to the first movement of the aforesaid symphony in which the inspired and sweeping pathos, the sublime melodic and harmonic beauty of the music will always remain incomprehensible for the audience, simply because of the colourless and all too thick texture of the orchestration which is capable of irritating the auditory nerves of even the most musically sensitive listener."
"After that there comes a fourth, episodic movement which goes beyond the limits of the standard symphonic form and in which Schumann, according to popular tradition, was seeking to convey the sublime impression which seeing the Cologne Cathedral had produced on him."
"Never has anything more powerful or more profound been created by human artistic endeavour." (It is unclear whether Tchaikovsky meant the Cathedral, the Symphony, or perhaps both.)
"Although whole centuries went by in the construction of the Cologne Cathedral and many generations did their bit of work for the realization of this grandiose architectonic conception, one brief page from the score of this great musician, inspired by the stately beauty of the cathedral, will constitute for future generations as resplendent a monument to the depth of the human spirit as the cathedral itself." (This is ridiculously high praise).
"The magical effect of this splendid music is further strengthened by the characteristic charm of the key of E-flat major, which matches perfectly the sombre and solemn mood that Schumann sought to express, as well as by the massive instrumentation which this time is most definitely appropriate.
"Here more than anywhere else we find that striking affinity which exists between the two arts of music and architecture in spite of the different aesthetic substance and forms in which they both express themselves."
"The audience, as was to be expected, received this movement of the symphony rather coolly, but they cannot really be blamed for this. Even a professional musician would not be able to cope with such profound creations of musical genius if he were hearing them for the very first time."
Symphony No.4
"This symphony, which in terms of its underlying ideas is by far not as powerful, profound, and staggering as the Second and especially the Third, nevertheless considerably surpasses these with regard to the mastery of the musical facture, the charm and roundedness of its form, as well as the quality of its instrumentation, although even in this symphony the latter does not nearly match the richness and beauty of the musical content."
"This work contains in abundant quantity all the characteristic features of Schumann's oeuvre: an extraordinary wealth of melodic invention, original and lush harmonic combinations, an uncommon mastery in the elaboration of themes, freshness, depth of feeling, as well as that, if you like, negative virtue whereby his music is never weighed down by that ballast, that trivial 'milling of the wind' which even such major creative talents as Schubert are not free from."
"The three last movements are particularly good, as is the way in which they are linked together by extraordinarily delightful transitions and are played immediately one after the other without any pauses."
"The Andante consists of a charming minor-key melody which is presented with remarkable simplicity and is followed directly by a Scherzo full of cheerful rhythmic agitation."
"The Finale is superlative: it is packed with exuberant inspiration, power, and richness in the development of its manly and energetic principal theme."
What do you guys think?
