Variations on the name "Abegg"

Opening measures

The Variations on the name "Abegg" in F major is a piece (theme with variations) for piano by Robert Schumann, composed between 1829 and 1830 and published as his Opus 1. The name is believed to refer to Schumann's fictitious friend, Meta Abegg, whose surname Schumann used through a musical cryptogram as the motivic basis for the piece. The name Meta is considered to be an anagram of the word "tema" (Latin). Another suggestion is Pauline von Abegg. Apparently, when he was twenty years old, Schumann met her and dedicated this work to her, as witnessed in Clara Schumann's edition of her husband's piano works.

The first five notes of the theme are A-B-E-G-G (the B in German usage, corresponding to the English B-flat). This use of pitch names as letters was also used by Schumann in other compositions, such as his Carnaval.

It is composed of:

Thema (Animato)

3 Variations

Cantabile

Finale alla Fantasia (Vivace)

External links

Variations on the name "Abegg": Scores at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
Performance of Variations on the name "Abegg" by Paavali Jumppanen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in MP3 format

Solo piano music by Robert Schumann
Single-movement works	Variations on the name "Abegg" in F, Op. 1 Arabeske in C, Op. 18 Blumenstück in D♭, Op. 19 Humoreske in B♭, Op. 20 Geistervariationen in E♭, WoO 24
Suites and collections	Papillons, Op. 2 Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6 Carnaval, Op. 9 Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 Symphonic Studies, Op. 13 Kinderszenen, Op. 15 Kreisleriana, Op. 16 Novelletten, Op. 21 Nachtstücke, Op. 23 Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26 Album for the Young, Op. 68 Waldszenen, Op. 82 Bunte Blätter, Op. 99 Albumblätter, Op. 124 Gesänge der Frühe, Op. 133
Piano sonatas and fantasies	Fantasie in C, Op. 17 Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
List of solo piano compositions by Robert Schumann List of compositions by Robert Schumann

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