First Loss, Op. 68 No. 16
First Loss (Erster Verlust), No. 16 of Schumann's Album for the Young, Op. 68 (1848), is a short, sad piece in E minor and 2/4, Octotune grade 5 of 8. Its tune starts on a pick-up and passes between the hands.
At a glance
| Composer | Robert Schumann (1810–1856) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate: grade 5 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: 1 sharp (F♯) |
| Time | 2/4 |
| Tempo | 74 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 48 measures, about 1:19 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | G3 to G5 |
| Left hand | E2 to A4 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| First Loss (Album for the Young), Op. 68 No. 16 | 5 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
Erster Verlust, "First Loss", is No. 16 of Schumann's Album for the Young, Op. 68 (1848): a child's first grief, told in about a minute and a half. It is in E minor (one sharp) and 2/4.
How it is built. The tune starts on a pick-up, a high G, then falls, F sharp E D sharp E, to a held B. Under it, a second voice answers in longer notes. Later the tune turns up in the left hand, under the right hand's line, so it passes between the hands.
The tricky parts
- D sharp. E minor's leading note is written in each time, and there are many.
- Tune in either hand. When the melody moves to the left hand, it must sing there too. Mark where it goes.
- Dotted quarter notes. Count "1 2 and" through each one; the eighth after it is the pick-up to the next phrase.
- Wide left hand. The bass leaps more than an octave in places.
Practice plan
- The tune alone with the Melody level, following it through both hands.
- Each hand alone at the Full level in Wait for me.
- Both hands at 50% speed, with Loop this measure where the tune changes hands; then Play along.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 10, which teaches F sharp. The D sharps and other accidentals go a step beyond it.
Questions
Is Schumann's First Loss hard?
It is an early-intermediate piece, Octotune grade 5 of 8. It is short, but the tune passes between the hands, and the D sharps and other accidentals of E minor need care.
Credits and license
- Music: Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
- Typeset by Philippe Hézaine for the Mutopia Project
- License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece