Recently I've been working on a new series inspired by composer Robert Schumann's Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood, 1838). Each black and white drawing in this series is a "tone poem" in value. My musical titles indicate the tempo of the drawing or allude to a specific piece of music or composer. Not all of the titles are from Schumann's piano set, but the series is in the spirit of such playful works.

More specifically, my work is inspired by Vladimir Horowitz's performances of the Kinderszenen, in particular his late recordings in the 1980s.   Schumann wrote these thirteen pieces for his wife, musician Clara Schumann, prior to their marriage. They evoke memories of childhood.

Many Romantic composers explored this vein, an intersection of ekphrastic music about poems and paintings and the emotions of childhood. Debussy also wrote a Children's Corner suite, and Mendelssohn's Leider ohne Worte (Songs without Words) are popular with young piano students. The term "tone poem" was coined by Liszt, who wrote thirteen.

Happy Fall!

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-Jenny 

 
Happy Fall!