Papillons

Structure#

The composition’s twelve movements are: :: Introduction. Moderato (D major) # Waltz (D major) # Waltz – Prestissimo (E major) # Waltz – Pomposo (F minor) # Waltz – Allegretto vivace (A major) # Polonaise – Allegretto cantabile (B major) # Waltz – Allegro molto (D minor) # Waltz – Semplice (F minor) # Waltz – Allegro con brio (C minor) # Waltz – Prestissimo (B minor) # Waltz – Vivo (C major) # Polonaise – Allegro con spirito (D major) # Finale (D major)

Related works#

Schumann quoted some themes from Papillons in his later work, Carnaval, Op. 9, but none of them appear in section no. 9 of that work titled “Papillons”. The main waltz theme from the first movement in Papillons was quoted in the section “Florestan”, with an explicit acknowledgement written in the score, and again in the final section, “Marche des Davidsbündler contre les Philistins”, but without acknowledgement. The “Großvatertanz” also appears in the final section, with the inscription “Thème du XVIIème siècle”. Jörg Widmann quotes the first eight bars of the finale at the beginning of his third string quartet ‘The Hunt’: : \relative c \set Staff.midiInstrument = #“piano” \mark “Finale, No. 12” \tempo 4 = 163 \key d \major \time 3/4 \partial 4 a4 d4. d8 d4 d e fis fis e e e2 e4 fis4. g8 a4 a4 g fis fis e e e2 :“Großvatertanz” (Grandfather’s Dance)

Ballet#

Schumann’s score (arranged Tcherepnin) was used for a ballet by Fokine. It had costumes by Léon Bakst.

External links#

• Papillons Op. 2: Schumann’s autograph manuscript in the Bibliothèque nationale de France
• , performed by Alexander Ullman