Schumann Manfred Overture Imslp |verified|

Schumann felt a profound kinship with the character. He wrote in his diary, "I have never devoted myself to a composition with such love and strength as to Manfred." This personal investment is audible from the very first measure.

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Lord Byron’s Manfred was a cultural phenomenon in the 19th century. The titular character is a tortured outcast, living in the Alps, tormented by a mysterious guilt—hinted to be an incestuous love for his sister, Astarte. Manfred summons spirits, defies the Christian God, and seeks oblivion. It was a role tailor-made for the Romantic imagination. Schumann felt a profound kinship with the character

The tempo shift launches into a tempestuous first subject in C minor. This is Florestan in his most agitated state. The strings drive the music forward with frantic energy. It is music of striving and failing—a depiction of Manfred’s futile attempts to escape his own mind. Whether you are a conductor preparing a program