A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Novelletten

NOVELLETTEN. The title of a series of eight pieces for pianoforte solo by Schumann (op. 21), written in 1838, and dedicated to Adolph Henselt. There is also another Novellette of great beauty not included in this series, but written in the same year, which Schumann afterwards inserted in his 'Bunte Blätter,' 14 short pieces, op. 99. The name, like so many others of Schumann's, suggests the influence of Jean Paul's writings. 'He had found at last (says Mr. Niecks^[1]) the proper form for his confidential communications,—for the Kreisleriana and Novelletten are a kind of confessions. These pieces read like a romance, to the interest and beauty of which they add the truthfulness of reality.… They are characterised by Schumann as 'larger connected romantic stories.' 'Here we have no painful forcing, no oozing out of thoughts, but a full stream, a rich outwelling, such as is rare even with this master.… They differ from the Kreisleriana in the preponderance of the humorous element, and are of a more hopeful and cheery tone.'

[ J. A. F. M. ]

1. Monthly Musical Record for August 1876.