Home > Schumann, Robert > Kinderszenen > "Traumerai" F-Dur > Dreams of Traumerei (Dreaming)
Rosenblatt, Alexander : Dreams of Traumerei (Dreaming)
Work Overview
Instrumentation:Piano Solo
Genre:Various works
Total Playing Time:3 min 00 sec
Original/Related Work: Schumann, Robert 《"Traumerai"》
Commentary (1)
Author : Kato, Reiko
Last Updated: May 8, 2022
[Open]
Author : Kato, Reiko
A jazz arrangement of "Träumerei," the seventh piece from Schumann's most well-known piano collection, Kinderszenen Op. 15. It is dedicated to Pavel Messner, Rosenblatt's piano teacher and a great pianist.
While the tempo of Schumann's original "Träumerei" is Moderato, and Rosenblatt himself performed this work at that tempo upon its completion, the published score indicates Lento. This is likely intended to further emphasize the leisurely character of "Träumerei."
I deliberated somewhat over the Japanese translation of this work's title. The title on the score he gave me before publication was "Dreams of Toraumerei," but the published score (digital media) from Schott Music indicates "Dreaming." According to Rosenblatt, "Schott Music changed the title." While this might be for sales purposes, it is unbearable as it seems to distort art and even human sentiment. For the English title in this essay, to accurately reflect the composer Rosenblatt's artistic intention, I have adopted the title "Dreams of Toraumerei" from the score entrusted by the composer himself. Regarding the Japanese title, the German "Träumerei" means "reverie" or "dream," so a direct translation combined with the English "Dreams of" would result in "Dreams of Dreams," which is redundant. However, Rosenblatt is fond of English wordplay, similar to a pun. Therefore, I ultimately judged "トロイメライの夢" (Toraimerai no Yume, "Dreams of Träumerei") to be the appropriate Japanese translation.
The key of this work is F major, the same as the original "Träumerei," and it unfolds brightly and leisurely. The opening melody begins with a leaping interval of C to F, just like the opening of "Akatombo" (Red Dragonfly), which Rosenblatt also featured in "Japanese Fantasy." These two notes evoke an irresistible sense of nostalgia not only for Japanese people but for people worldwide. Throughout the piece, major seventh chords are emphasized, creating a jazzy atmosphere.
It is a compact miniature with a performance time of 3 minutes, and its difficulty is moderate. It is expected to be increasingly performed as an encore piece in concerts. (The author's friend promptly performed it at a wedding.)
While gathering materials on Schumann, I noticed that Schumann's middle name is "Alexander," the same as Rosenblatt's first name. Given Rosenblatt's appreciation for sympathy with past composers, he must have felt a spiritual connection to Schumann. If this work were merely "Dreaming" (夢), detached from the original "Träumerei," its profound depth would be overlooked. I believe that the previous title, "Dreams of Toraumerei," which embodies Rosenblatt's sentiment as a response to Schumann, highlights the true value of this work.