How did Schumann Fool Henry?
Or, the perils of liking Music Theory.

I was going to write about Rebecca Clarke's Piano Trio, the third piece on this weekend's Scottsdale and Prescott James D'Leon and Friends concerts. The Trio is new to me, and I have enjoyed listening to it many times in preparation for this article. However, on Thursday James gave a lecture where I heard what he will share with you about this piece, at the concert. I have nothing to add to that, so I am hoping you will come to the concert both to hear the music and hear James' insights.

Instead, I'll chat about Robert Schumann's Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 47 - specifically the fun second movement, "Scherzo - Molto vivace". The Italian word scherzo means "joke" or "jest", and originally was applied to music of a light-hearted nature. By Schumann's time, Scherzo indicated a middle movement of a large scale piece that is in a quick 3/4 time.

A Scherzo typically had three sections: the A section (the first section of the piece); the B section (called the Trio); and a return to the beginning material (the A section again). In this ABA form, the listener expects the B section to be delineated clearly with music very different from the A section's.

Schumann plays with this form, and I was fooled multiple times when casually listening to the work. I'm going to walk you through what I heard, and how I was surprised.

Figure A (above) is the piano part of the first A section (the beginning of the piece). It's fun, fast, and all stacatto (short) notes. The regular 8-bar phrases lead the section to a natural conclusion, which Schumann extends by adding an extra 4 measures that I will call the "ending figure" (figure B). This is an redundant Perfect Authentic Cadence that pauses the expected timing and emphasizes the ending of this section. (Remember the Beethoven example of two emails ago?) When listening, I feel that lengthened and more conclusive ending.

At this point, my ear is expecting a new section, and indeed the B section (figure C) begins with very contrasting music that is calmer: legato (smooth) and at a slower rhythm.

I expect the B section to stay contrasting to the A section. But, at three cadences (ending points), Schumann throws in the A Section's Ending Figure (figure B). When listening, I was surprised and delighted that something from the A section made an appearance here. I could feel Schumann playing with my expected 8-bar phrase lengths, but figure B nicely emphasized each cadence's conclusion.

Then the A section returns pretty unadulterated - exactly what I expected - and it closes with the same ending figure. At this point, I imagine the piece could be near the end, since we've completed the standard ABA form.

The C section then enters with the music of figure D. This is another very contrasting section: there are only chords, played at an even slower rhythm. Yet, because I was expecting an ending, I first imagine that this is a coda - an extra piece of music that composers add to the end of piece. Here, the music doesn't sound grounded, metrically nor harmonically - which is something that I imagined could lead to a final closing cadence. Then... it cadenced in a different key! I'm surprised, but my listening brain says, maybe this is not a coda and it is a new section. 

And suddenly, in the middle of the C section, something that sounds like the A section being developed (musically manipulated) begins as Figure E (!!!).

My casual listening is now a little less casual, because I'm confused. For a moment, I'm wondering - why are we developing the A section? Are we in the C section or not? Is this a completely different form? Before I have time to figure it out, the original C section material returns a couple of times, and this initially confusing section comes to a close. (Whew!)

The A section makes it final return. I'm feeling secure again, and the expected closure arrives: the piece ends quite cleverly with a very satisfying, short quote from the B section. 

To any listener, this is joyful to hear: the energy moves the listener forward, there is beautiful contrast, and familiar material shows up in new settings. I am further delighted in how Schumann played tricks on my expectations. The piece is ABACA (not ABA), and the second Trio (the C section) cleverly borrows and (sort of) develops material from the A section.

Take a listen to the Scherzo in the video below. You can just listen for its joyful playfulness, or you can attempt to follow the form. If you're aiming for the latter, here's one trick to following the form:

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