Robert Schumann

Born in 1810, Robert Schumann was a German composer of the early Romantic Era. He was born around the same time as Chopin and Mendelssohn. Works by Schumann that should be studied by any serious pianist include the Fantasie in C, Carnaval, Kinderszenen, Kreisleriana, the Symphonic Studies, piano concerto, and his piano sonatas. His Forest Scenes Op, 82, and his three piano trios also deserve more attention.

From what I studied, there does not seem to be much variance from the editions of Schumann’s sheet music. I personally recommend Henle Verlag and Vienna Urtext the most. The Barenreiter and ABRSM are fine. Be careful with the fingering suggestions from Barenreiter if they are offered. I had bad experiences with their fingerings, and mostly ignored them. I do not recommend buying the Dover Edition as it features strange edits from Clara Schumann.

Best Editions Schumann

Fantasie in C Op. 17

This work was written in 1836 and was dedicated to Franz Liszt. Liszt suggested that the work was too difficult to perform in public, particularly because of the coda in the second movement. Robert’s wife, Clara Schumann, began performing the piece thirty years after it was written.

The piece is in three movements.

Henle Verlag Urtext

Edited in 2007 by  Ernst Herttrich.

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Edition Peters

Edited by Hans Kohler in 1978. Contains 48 pages.

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Carnaval Op. 9

Carnaval was written in 1834-35. They are 21 short pieces that convey masked revelers at Carnival. Schumann and his wife believed that the work was too difficult to perform in public. Apparently, Chopin did not like the work. Liszt would perform segments of it in his concerts.

Henle Verlag Urtext

Edited in 2004 by  Ernst Herttrich and Hans-Martin Theopold.

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Edition Peters

Edited in 1976 by Hans Kohler.

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Alfred Masterwork Edition

Edited by Maurice Hinson in 2011.

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Kreisleriena Op. 16

Henle Verlag Urtext

Edited by  Ernst Herttrich in 2009.

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Symphonic Etudes Op. 13

Henle Verlag Urtext

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Edition Peters

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Alfred Masterwork Edition

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Waldscenen (Forest Scenes) Op. 82

Composed in 1848-1849. Contains 9 different scenes.

Henle Verlag Urtext

Edited by  Ernst Herttrich in 2007.

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ABRSM Signature Series

Edited by Howard Ferguson in 1990.

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Barenreiter Urtext

Edited by Holger Stuwe in 2011.

The fingering suggestions in this edition are quite terrible. It seems they were done by someone who is not a pianist.

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Papillons Op 2

Composed in 1831. It is a series of short piano pieces and an early work of Schumann.

Henle Urtext

Edited by  Ernst Herttrich.

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ABRSM Signature Series

Edited by Howard Ferguson.

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Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childrenhood) Op. 15

Composed in 1838, it is a set of 13 pieces for piano. Schumann originally intended to title this work as “Easy Pieces.”

Henle Verlag Urtext

Edited by  Ernst Herttrich.

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ABRSM Signature Series

Edited by Howard Ferguson in 1981.

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Barenreiter Urtext

Edited by Holger Stuwe.

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Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 (Piano Reduction)

Henle Verlag Urtext

Edited in 2010

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Alfred Masterwork Edition

Edited by  Thomas Labe in 2003.

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Phantasiestücke (Fantasy Pieces), Op. 88 Piano Trio

International Music Company

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3 Piano Trios

Henle Verlag Urtext

Includes the Op. 88 fantasy trio.

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Dover Edition

Edited by Clara Schumann. Includes all of the chamber music written by Robert Schumann.

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Piano Quartet Op. 47

International Music Company

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Henle Verlag Urtext

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Piano Quintet Op. 44

International Music Company

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Henle Verlag Urtext

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Edition Peters

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