Album for the Young, Opus 68 Cover Image

Album for the Young, Opus 68: Piano 2 CDs

$15.95 USD
$15.95 USD
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Album for the Young, Opus 68 Cover Image
Album for the Young, Opus 68: Piano 2 CDs

Album for the Young, Opus 68: Piano 2 CDs

By Robert Schumann / ed. Willard A. Palmer / perf. Kim O'Reilly

Item: 00-16796
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Description
This collection of children's pieces was inspired by Schumann's children and family life. This volume, edited by Willard A. Palmer, is based on Schumann's original manuscript, and subsequent published versions. All editorial suggestions and additions are in light print.

Pianist Kim O'Reilly Newman holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Illinois. She has performed throughout North America and Europe with the Hambro Quartet of Pianos and was an editor and recording pianist for Alfred Music. Kim is a brain tumor survivor and now specializes in performing music for the left hand.

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Wilder Reiter (The Wild Rider)

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Masterwork Edition
Publisher: Alfred Music
ISBN10: 0-7390-0806-4
ISBN13: 978-0-7390-0806-5
UPC: 038081169897
SKU: 00-16796

More about this title

About the Composer: Robert Schumann

Robert Schumann (1810-1856) was a leading voice of the Romantic era, equally accomplished as a composer, pianist, and music critic. His chamber works, songs, and solo piano pieces defined 19th-century musical expression through rich harmonic language and intimate emotional depth. Schumann's Album for the Young stands apart as one of classical music's most enduring pedagogical collections, written to reflect the musical growth and imaginative world of his own children.

Why we love this

This Palmer edition restores Schumann's original intentions by comparing the manuscript against published versions, with editorial suggestions clearly marked in light print so you can distinguish Schumann's voice from later additions. The two-CD recording by Kim O'Reilly Newman brings authentic pianism to music that asks for both technical clarity and poetic sensibility, serving as a study tool and a model for interpretation.

What to expect

A collection that captures the wonder of childhood through music: sometimes whimsical and playful, sometimes introspective and dreamy, always grounded in genuine melody and harmonic sophistication. Each piece unfolds as a small story, inviting performers to discover the emotional landscape beneath simple surfaces.

Who it's for

Students at intermediate to early-advanced levels who are ready to explore Romantic repertoire with artistic substance and stylistic awareness. Teachers seeking a carefully edited score that honors Schumann's original work while offering thoughtful performance guidance through recorded examples.

How to get the most out of it

  • Honor the character marking at the head of each piece; Schumann's titles like 'Träumerei' and 'The Happy Farmer' are blueprints for expressive intent, not afterthoughts
  • Work with the light-print editorial suggestions as options, not mandates; use them to understand the piece's architecture while developing your own interpretive choices
  • Listen to the recorded performances to hear how phrase shapes and pedaling support Schumann's melodic lines, then find your own balance between clarity and resonance
  • Pay attention to dynamic contrasts within short forms; many pieces build emotional depth through subtle shifts rather than dramatic gestures

How to use it

Feature individual pieces in student recitals where their lyrical beauty and modest technical demands allow pianists to focus on musicianship rather than virtuosity. String selections together as an intermission set or educational concert highlighting Romantic-era character pieces and their influence on later pedagogy.

Skills your students will build

  • Phrasing and legato playing across short, song-like forms
  • Interpretation of character and tempo markings in German
  • Pedal control for sustaining harmony without muddiness
  • Schumann's harmonic language and Romantic-era voice leading
  • Memorization through thematic clarity and structural understanding

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