How I listen to music: Ep.1 Fanny Davies, Tempo Rubato & Chord Spreads

I have recently come across this beautiful recording and wanted to share my thoughts about it.

Fanny Davies recorded Robert Schumann‘s DavidsbÃ¼ndler dances Op.6 in 1930, when she was in her late 60s. She was a student of Clara Schumann‘s. Her playing in my mind is of the utmost in refinement, sentiment and musicianship. I have no doubt that her interpretation is perhaps the closest we will ever get to hearing Clara Schumann’s own playing.

As this interpretation contains so much intricate detail and nuance I have decided to keep the focus on two recurring topics illustrated in the first dance (there are 18 dances altogether):

1. Tempo Rubato (see below)
2. Chord spreads

I just found this widget that allows me to include written annotations as music is played in real time. Such a wonderful tool!

I hope you enjoy the music, the playing and the commentary, and find it somewhat educational too. I would strongly recommend this recording to anyone.

Album: Fanny Davies Plays Schumann
Label: Pearl [9291]

Helpful tips on how to use the software

Click on the play button to start. You can pause the music at any point by clicking the button again. If you move your cursor away from the button, a time count appears. You can go backwards and forwards by clicking anywhere on the circle, or by clicking, holding and dragging the mouse to a specific point.

That’s all there is to it!

DavidsbÃ¼ndlertÃ¤nze Op.6 – Lebhaft

1:35

Listen to the use of Tempo Rubato. The upbeat to bar 2 is rushed into so that the chords in bar 3 could be held back.

0:00
Notice the melody note A in bar 7, and the melody note G in bar 9 are both delayed by a fraction in order to make them stand out, and be heard more clearly. This is especially noticeable in the repeat (bars 6-13). This expressive tool also falls under the broad umbrella term of tempo rubato.

0:07
In bars 14 & 15 the music appears to rush to intensify the dramatic effect and to balance out the rit. in the following bars 16 & 17. This is representative of the time, and is a feature used in early recordings quite often.

0:21
Notice how the harmonic interval in bar 30 is spread out. Chord and interval spreads very in speed according to the musical context.

0:39
At bar 43 a different type of spread occurs. The LH harmonic interval of A#-E is played first followed by the RH A#-G.

0:56
In bar 47 the RH interval C#-B is spread out in yet another way. The note C# anticipates the harmonic interval A-E in the LH, and the note B comes after, which makes for a broad expressive spread. These various types of spreads must always be performed with an utmost awareness to the musical meaning at hand. Thus will emphasise the spontaneity of the playing.

1:00
Yet another type of Tempo Rubato. In bar 61 pay attention to the tenuto on the melody D note and how it affects the character of the music and, consequently, the emotion.

1:14

Glossary of terms

Tempo Rubato: The art of borrowed/stolen time aimed at arousing emotion and affecting the soul
rit. / ritardando: Gradually slowing in tempo
Upbeat: An unaccented beat or beats that occur before the first beat of a measure. Also called anacrusis, pickup
Tenuto: to linger / to be held for the full time value; sustained
Harmonic interval: the distance between two notes of a chord
RH: shorthand for right hand
LH: shorthand for left hand

Helpful tips on how to use the software

Glossary of terms

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