II. Scherzo (Sehr Mäßig)

Robert Schumann was born in 1810 in Zwickau, Germany and died in Bonn, Germany in 1856. At that time, Zwickau was part of the Kingdom of Saxony and Bonn was part of the Kingdom of Prussia.

Robert Schumann suffered from a serious mental health condition at a time when no appropriate treatment was available. After an unsuccessful attempt to end his own life in 1854, Schumann requested that he be institutionalised, out of concern for his wife and children. He died in a sanatorium two years later.

Schumann is remembered as one of the great composers of the Romantic era. His initial aspiration to become a concert pianist was thwarted when two of his fingers were injured, but It was through piano lessons that Schumann met the love of his life, Clara Wieck, the daughter of his piano teacher.

Along with a vast number of songs, chamber music and piano works, Schumann wrote four symphonies. These were published out of order and Symphony No. 3 was written last, in 1850. The Schumann family had just moved to Düsseldorf on the Rhine river, which may be the reason the symphony acquired the nickname “Rhenish”, which means “of the Rhine”.

The second movement, Scherzo (Sehr mäßig), opens with a theme based on a ländler, a type of Austrian folk dance.

Worksheet for Primary classrooms

Step 1. Watch the video to learn about the Bass Clarinet

Step 2. Listen to the TSO recording of Scherzo

Step 3. Answer 10 questions

Step 4. Download a Word Search