MuCT 519 Project Proposal

Title:
The Harmonic Languages of Florestan and Eusebius in Schumann’s Phantasiestücke, op. 12

Proposal:
Robert Schumann’s dual nature is well documented in studies of his literary and musical works. Florestan, the extrovert, is flamboyant and ebullient; Eusebius, the introvert, is controlled and introspective. These two personalities transcended every aspect of Schumann’s life, both professionally and personally. As a writer, Florestan and Eusebius became his pseudonyms; as a composer, Florestan and Eusebius offered two unique harmonic aesthetics for his musical works.

Phantasiestücke, a collection of eight works for solo pianoforte, utilizes the dichotomy of Florestan and Eusebius. Each personality has its own tonic pitch – F for Florestan and E for Eusebius – as well as their own tonal compasses based on strength/weakness and independence/dependence. “In der nacht,” the fifth song of the collection, exhibits harmonic traits that characterize both personalities.

Although these two personalities provide an explanation for the musical material of “In der nacht,” they do not supply an analytical rationalization for its harmonic language. This article will attempt to solve the analytical riddle of “In der nacht” by using contemporary systems set forth by Charles J. Smith, Richard Cohn, and Daniel Harrison. If one theory will encompass the entire work, or multiple theories will add up to a complete analytical explanation, is yet to be seen.

Resources:

Cohn, Richard. “Maximally Smooth Cycles, Hexatonic Systems, and the Analysis of Late-Romantic Triadic Progressions” In Music Analysis 15, no. 1 (1996): 9-40. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org

Harrison, Daniel. Harmonic Function in Chromatic Music: A Renewed Dualist Theory and an Account of Its Precedents. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1994.

Kaminsky, Peter. “Principles of Formal Structure in Schumann’s Early Piano Cycles” In Music Theory Spectrum 11, no. 2 (1989): 207-225. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org

Krebs, Harald. Fantasy Pieces: Metrical Dissonance in the Music of Robert Schumann. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1999.

Lewis, Christopher. “Into the Foothills: New Directions in Nineteenth-Century Analysis” In Music Theory Spectrum 11, no. 1 (1989): 15-23. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org

Sams, Eric. “Why Florestan and Eusebius?” In The Musical Times 108 (Feb 1967): 131, 133-4. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org

Smith, Charles J. “The Functional Extravagance of Chromatic Chords” In Music Theory Spectrum 8 (Spring 1986): 94-139. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org