Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44, Op. 44
by Robert Schumann
Composed in 1842 during Schumann's remarkable 'chamber music year,' the Piano Quintet in E-flat effectively created the genre of the Romantic piano quintet. Brahms, Dvořák, and Fauré all wrote their own quintets following Schumann's model. The slow movement's funeral-march-like opening, the exhilarating scherzo, and the final double fugue showcase Schumann's mastery of combining symphonic breadth with intimate chamber discourse.
Editions
G. Henle Verlag
Linda Correll Roesner, 1993
Urtext edition based on autograph and early sources; the preferred scholarly text for performance.
Breitkopf & Härtel
Clara Schumann, 1880
Part of the complete Robert Schumann edition edited by Clara Schumann; historically significant.
C. F. Peters
Wilhelm Altmann, 1910
Practical performance edition widely used in conservatories and professional ensembles.