Abstract
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) is best known as a German composer and music critic. Although he was not highly regarded as a piano pedagogue during his lifetime, his Album for the Young, op. 68 (1848) is widely seen as one of the most important works in piano pedagogy, owing to the fact that the character pieces composed for the Album are both musically inviting and technically challenging. In creating the Album, Schumann displayed his pedagogical philosophy, which purports that children should not be limited to pure mechanical finger exercises. Instead, they should be invited to integrate those exercises with musical content that invokes their imaginations and relates expressively to their daily life.
This doctoral essay aims to analyze the musical and technical content of the first 18 pieces of the Album and derive finger exercises directly from the music. These supplementary exercises will be based on the primary articulations used to execute said musical elements, as the execution of correct articulations involving finger, wrist and arm motions are essential to a successful performance outcome. As a result of consulting this essay, students will gain access to keys for tackling the Album’s more complicated pieces with confidence and musicality, aiding them on their holistic musical journey.