Schumann: Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 | Tiffany Poon, piano

Robert Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18. is a piano piece that’s both light and delicate. On June 17, 2023, Tiffany Poon—a pianist from New York—played this gem at the Dresden Music Festival at the Palais im Großen Garten. Schumann (1810-1856) composed the Arabeske while living in Vienna from 1838 to 1839. He considered it to be closely related to Blumenstück Op. 19, which was composed around the same time. The two pieces are very similar in terms of their composition, and even more so stylistically. On several occasions, Schumann referred to them disparagingly, describing them as “weak and for women.” But their reception proved him wrong. Even today, the Arabeske is often played as an encore. Incidentally, Schumann took the title of the piece, ‘Arabeske’ (Arabesque) from the visual arts. The term refers to a sweeping, circular ornament. Schumann was the first composer to use the word ’Arabeske’ as a musical term. Structurally, the Arabeske resembles a rondo. The