Schumann: Symphony No. 4 | Ivor Bolton and the Dresden Festival Orchestra
Schumann: Symphony No. 4 | Ivor Bolton and the Dresden Festival Orchestra
舒曼：第四號交響曲 | 伊沃·博爾頓與德累斯頓節日管弦樂團
5,549 views Mar 29, 2026 KULTURPALAST #schumann #symphony #DW
Clara Schumann loved it, but it was initially a flop with the public: Robert Schumann originally wrote his Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120, as a birthday present for his wife. This original version was also performed by Ivor Bolton and the Dresden Festival Orchestra at the concert on April 28, 2017. The occasion was the reopening of Dresden’s Kulturpalast.
(00:00) I. Andante con moto
(09:12) II. Romanza: Andante
(13:05) III. Scherzo: Presto
(18:44) IV. Largo – Finale: Allegro vivace
Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) worked on two symphonies in 1841. First, his so-called "Spring Symphony," and immediately afterwards, his second symphony, which was later listed in his catalog of works as his fourth symphony. Composed in D Minor op. 120, the newlywed Schumann composed the symphony for his wife Clara Schumann’s birthday, but then thoroughly revised it ten years later and only then published it as Symphony No. 4.
Which version is better was a point of contention even during Schumann's lifetime. Robert Schumann premiered the first version in December 1841 under the title "Symphonic Fantasy for Large Orchestra," but the audience was not exactly enthusiastic – the work was a flop.
Schumann divided the symphony into individual movements according to the classical principle of a symphony. However, they were supposed to follow each other immediately, without pauses. In addition, certain motifs were used repeatedly over multiple movements. This made the work seem like a "symphony in one movement". This was new and unfamiliar to the audience.
Clara Schumann (1819 - 1896) was also a well-known pianist and composer in her day. She liked her husband's birthday present. "This is another work crafted from the depths of the soul," she wrote. The composer and longtime friend of the family, Johannes Brahms, also liked the lighter and more upbeat original version. Other composers, such as Gustav Mahler, later returned to the score to "correct" it to their liking.
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