Folk Song, Op. 68 No. 9
Folk Song (Volksliedchen), No. 9 of Schumann's Album for the Young, Op. 68, is a Beginner piece in 4/4, Octotune grade 4 of 8. A plaintive tune in D minor frames a quicker, brighter middle section in D major.
At a glance
| Composer | Robert Schumann (1810–1856) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Beginner: grade 4 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: 1 flat (B♭) |
| Time | 4/4 |
| Tempo | 60 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 24 measures, about 1:22 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | D4 to D6 |
| Left hand | G3 to D♭5 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Folk Song (Album for the Young), Op. 68 No. 9 | 4 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
Volksliedchen, "Little Folk Song", is No. 9 of Schumann's Album for the Young, Op. 68 (1848). It is a piece of two moods: a plaintive song in D minor (one flat, B flat), a cheerful middle section in D major, and the song again.
How it is built. The opening tune moves in quarter and half notes, simply, over a left hand of eighth notes. In the middle section the key turns to D major, with F sharps and B naturals written in, and the music grows livelier: short, quick notes and chords in both hands. Then the sad tune returns, as it began.
The tricky parts
- Two characters. Keep the opening legato and singing, and the middle light and bright. The change is the point of the piece.
- Accidentals. C sharp in the minor sections; F sharp and B natural in the major one. Mark the section change in pencil.
- Quick notes in the middle. Sixteenths and a few shorter notes. Practice them slowly before joining them to the rest.
- Chords. Both hands sometimes play two or three notes at once. Read them from the bottom up.
Practice plan
- The tune alone with the Melody level, to hear the shape of the whole piece.
- The middle section on its own, hands separately in Wait for me, then with Loop this measure.
- Both hands, all through, at 50% speed; then Play along.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 11, which teaches B flat, F sharp and chords. The C sharps go a step beyond it.
Questions
Is Schumann's Folk Song hard?
It is a Beginner piece, Octotune grade 4 of 8. The opening is slow and simple; the middle section is quicker, in D major, with short notes and chords.
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