The centennial of the birth of the poet will take place in 1849. The second part of Faust is Goethe's swan song, like a posthumous link between romanticism and mysticism. Robert Schumann knows that he has the skills to set this transfiguration into music. Not very gifted for the opera, he begins an oratorio in July 1844.
In the autumn of the same year Schumann suffers from a severe depression with auditory hallucinations that will reappear in the last years of his short life. He reworks his Szenen aus Goethes Faust in 1847 and 1848.
His scene of the final act was thus played in the celebrations of the centennial but the composer is not satisfied. For his oratorio to be better understood, he gradually adds until 1853 some scenes from the first play and modifies the opening in August of that year. The oratorio is completed but Schumann falls soon afterward in his final madness.
From 1844 to 1853 Schumann worked on a single draft gradually increased in various paper formats. This musical autograph contains the complete oratorio with many revisions including two different versions of the opening and of the chorus mysticus.
This 122 page document shows the culmination of the creative process of Robert Schumann, one of the most genuine composers of the romantic passion. It was sold for £ 710K including premium by Sotheby's on November 30, 2011, lot 173. I discussed it in this column before the sale.
It is estimated € 500K for sale on June 20 at Paris Hôtel Drouot by OVA Aristophil operated by Ader-Nordmann, lot 1231.
SOLD for € 650K including premium
SCHUMANN Robert
— Ader Nordmann (@AderNordmann) June 1, 2018
Musical manuscript "Skizzen zu Faust" 1844-1853
Estimate 500 000 / 600 000 euros #Schumann #classicalmusic #partition #Aristophil @deccaclassics @OperaDijon @OrchestCElysees @Glesur @BBCR3MusicBot @EMIMusicGlobal @umusicbrasil @operadeparis pic.twitter.com/GjrnBs1547
Vente #aristophil à @Drouot. Superbe manuscrit musical « Skizzen zu Faust » de Robert #Schumann adjugé 650 000€. pic.twitter.com/nh40kJsPdE
— Ader Nordmann (@AderNordmann) June 20, 2018