The Piano Concerto in A minor, a famous Romantic concerto by Robert Schumann, was completed in 1845. The era of Romantic music is defined as the period of European classical music that runs roughly from the early 1800s to the first decade of the 20th century, as well as music written according to the norms and styles of that period. ... The term concerto (plural is concerti or concertos) usually refers to a musical work in which one solo instrument is contrasted with an orchestra. ... Robert Schumann (June 8, 1810 – July 29, 1856) was a German composer and pianist. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Schumann had begun several piano concerti before this one. In 1828, he had begun one in E flat major; from 1829-31 he worked on one in F major, and in 1839, he wrote one movement of a concerto in D minor. None of these works were completed. A piano concerto is a concerto for solo piano and orchestra. ...

In 1841, Schumann wrote his Phantasie for piano and orchestra, which would eventually become the first movement of his concerto. In 1845 he added the intermezzo and finale to make the completed work. It turned out to be the only piano concerto Schumann wrote.

The piece, as marked in the score, is in three movements:

1. Allegro affettuoso
2. Intermezzo: Andantino grazioso
3. Allegro vivace

There is no break between these last two movements.

Schumann preferred that the movements be listed in concert programs as only two movements:

1. Allegro affettuoso
2. Andantino and Rondo

The three movement listing is the more common form used.

The work was premiered in Leipzig on 1 January 1846 with Clara Schumann, Robert's wife, playing the solo part. Ferdinand Hiller, the work's dedicatee, conducted. [] (Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk) is the largest city in the Federal State (Bundesland) of Saxony in Germany. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Clara Schumann Clara Josephine Wieck Schumann (September 13, 1819 – May 20, 1896), wife of composer Robert Schumann, was one of the leading pianists of the Romantic era as well as a composer. ... Ferdinand Hiller (October 24, 1811 - May 12, 1885), was a German composer of the romantic era. ...

The work may have been used as a model by Edvard Grieg in composing his own Piano Concerto. Edvard Grieg Edvard Hagerup Grieg (June 15, 1843 – September 4, 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist who composed in the romantic period. ... The Piano Concerto in A minor by Edvard Grieg was the only concerto Grieg completed. ...

Following this concerto, Schumann wrote two other pieces for piano and orchestra, the Introduction and Allegro Appassionato in G major (Op. 92), and the Introduction and Allegro Concertante in D minor (Op. 134). He also wrote two other concerti for other instruments, the Cello Concerto (1850) and the Violin Concerto (1853). The Cello Concerto in A minor by Robert Schumann was completed in 1850, shortly after Schumann became the music director of Düsseldorf. ... Absolutely astonishing work ...

Further reading

• Donald Francis Tovey, Essays in Musical Analysis: Concertos (London, 1936)

• Alfred Nieman, "The Concertos", in Robert Schumann: The Man and his Music, edited by Alan Walker (London, 1972)

• Michael Steinberg, "The Concertos", (Oxford, 1998)

Wikisource has original works written by or about: Donald Francis Tovey Sir Donald Francis Tovey (July 17, 1875 – July 10, 1940) was a British musical analyst, musicologist, writer on music, composer and pianist. ... Donald Francis Toveys Essays in Musical Analysis are a series of analytical essays on classical music. ...

External link

• BBC Radio 3's Discovering Music (includes a .ram file discussing the concerto)