Schumann R. | The Prophet Bird arr. flute and piano
Channel: PlentyMusic
Date: 25/04/2019

This piece comes from #RobertSchumann’s piano collection #Waldscenen Opus 82 and dates from 1849. The title “Vogel als Prophet” translates as “Bird of Prophet” or #TheProphetBird.
#sheetmusic link: https://bit.ly/3gmFhDF 

This is an impressive piece in ABA (Ternary form) and has been arranged for flute and piano. There are a few octave transpositions in the flute part simply needed to keep the melody within the instrument’s range. The tempo indication in German is Langsam, sehr zart which translates as Slowly, very tenderly. The music has a haunting quality and offers challenges for both for the flautist and accompanist making it a very good test piece. The playback in the video score is a little on the tense side and does not explore tempo rubato which at this time was an aspect of performance practice. Poise and control are needed in a performance whilst all the shapes need to be explored and practiced for accuracy and shape. This is a music score offers many challenges to players. The tempo in the realisation is 60 quarter note beats although there is opportunity to slow down at the end of phrases. The trill has been written out in the video score. The sustaining pedal has been indicated in the score but minimal use is suggested. This is a work that challenges the performers to make it their own in the sense that from the first note to the last both the players and the listeners must be captivated. It is a piece where it very easy for the music to be lost on the journey of a performance. It is important for players have a clear understanding of the rhythmic notation and intention - 3 thirty-second notes (demisemiquavers) are to be played in the time of one sixteenth note (or semiquaver). The music editor suggests that at the end of bar 18 the tempo is slowed and again at the end of bar 23 before the return to Tempo I at bar 25. This arrangement keeps as close to Schumann’s score copy as possible. 

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