Written late in his short life, the concerto is considered one of Schumann's more enigmatic works due to its structure, the length of the
exposition, and the transcendental quality of the opening as well as the intense lyricism of the second movement. Consistent with many of Schumann's other works, the concerto utilizes both fully realized and fragmentary thematic material introduced in the first movement, material which is then quoted and developed throughout. Together with the concerto's relatively short, linked movements, the concerto is thus very unified both in material and in character, although the work's emotional scope is wide. Schumann's use of the same themes in different contexts and moods lends the concerto a strong sense of character development and an extended emotional arc, from its opening measures vacillating between deeply meditative and agitated to the brilliant, affirmative conclusion. The concerto is in three
movements:
I. Nicht zu schnell The first movement begins with a very short orchestral introduction followed by the presentation of the main theme by the soloist, which in turn is followed by a short
tutti that leads into additional melodic material that is both new and related to what has preceded it. In this way, the character of the work is one of improvisation and fantasy, although much of the recapitulation follows the exposition fairly closely. :
II. Langsam In the brief, intensely melodic second movement, the soloist occasionally uses
double stops. It also features a descending fifth, a gesture used throughout the piece as a signal and homage to his wife,
Clara Schumann – this motive was used to the same end in his
first piano sonata. Also, the soloist has a duet with the principal cellist, a very unusual texture; some have suggested this could be interpreted as a conversation between Clara and the composer while a more pragmatic explanation is that Schumann extends the normal harmonic, dynamic, and expressive range of the solo cello by adding the additional accompanying material thus resulting in the impression of a larger, more fully realized solo instrument. :
III. Sehr lebhaft The third movement is a lighter, yet resolute sonata-form movement, and here Schumann utilizes the timpani for the first time in the work, adding to the main theme's march-like character. At the end of the movement, there is an accompanied
cadenza, something unprecedented in Schumann's day; this cadenza leads into the final coda in which Schumann returns to A-major. During the twentieth century and before, some cellists have chosen instead to include their own unaccompanied cadenza (e.g.
Pau Casals,
Emanuel Feuermann, etc.), although there is no indication that Schumann wished for one. : Schumann famously abhorred applause between movements. As a result, there are no breaks between any of the movements in the concerto. As for the concerto's virtuosity, Schumann earlier in his life declared "I cannot write a concerto for the virtuoso; I must think of something else." In the cello concerto, while exploiting the instrument to the fullest, the writing for the soloist generally avoids virtuosic display prominent in many concertos of the time. == Reception ==