Symphony No. 4 in D Minor,
Op. 120
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

THE STORY

     “I know in advance that this will be another work that is emerging from the depths of his soul,” wrote Robert Schumann’s wife, Clara, in 1841. It had only been a few months since the premiere of Schumann’s First Symphony, but a second was already on its way. Schumann was blissfully happy, inspired, and productive at that time in his life, having just recently married the woman he loved after a long legal battle with her father.
     The new symphony that emerged was free-wheeling, as if composed on a blank canvas without regard for the typical symphonic structure. In that sense, it is the most Romantic of Schumann’s symphonies, with more importance placed on emotional expression than formal structure. The audience at the premiere found the symphony a bit puzzling. Schumann’s publisher declined to publish it, fearing it would interfere with sales of the Symphony No. 1, and the work was put away for the next 10 years.
     In 1851, Schumann revisited the symphony and this time, in addition to thickening the orchestration, he adhered to more of the conventional practices—for example, he allowed for breathing room between movements (the original version was almost like a symphony in one movement or a symphonic fantasy) and added repeats where they would have typically been expected. By that time, Schumann was growing concerned about his mental health and was terrified of being sent to an asylum; it is possible that he followed more of the norms of symphonic structure in an attempt to prove his sanity.
     Even after the revisions, the symphony is unique, especially in its integration of the four movements. Melodic ideas often carry over from on movement to the next—in particular, the “Clara Theme,” taken from a work for solo piano that Clara wrote in 1833, which recurs throughout the symphony.
     The revised work premiered in 1853 and was published as Schumann’s Symphony No. 4. It was a resounding success—one of the last triumphs of his career before he descended into madness and was, as he had feared, institutionalized in 1854. In its new form, it became his most frequently performed symphony—although the original version also has its champions, including Brahms, who published it after Schumann’s death against Clara’s strong objections.

LISTEN FOR

• In the first movement, the almost obsessive development of the “Clara Theme”—where a contrasting second theme would have been expected, Schumann instead continues to play with that one melodic idea

• The duet for oboe and cello that begins and ends the second movement, and a tender violin solo in the middle section

• In the third movement, a return of the melody from the violin solo, now played by the entire violin section

• The return of the “Clara Theme” as a celebratory statement in the horns in the finale, and the open-ended feeling as the work concludes without resolution of the tension that has been built

INSTRUMENTATION

Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, strings