Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70

In 1849, Schumann turned to a new genre: works for piano and an accompanying instrument. He showered the different wind instruments systematically with Fantasies, Romances, etc. – and always also provided an alternative part for strings. Thus Schumann also wrote an alternative part for his Adagio and Allegro op. 70 for Horn and Piano, namely for the violin. Clara played the new work together with the horn player E. Julius Schlitterlau, writing afterwards in her diary: “The piece is splendid, fresh and passionate, just as I like it!” And even Schumann admitted enthusiastically that he “had had fun with it” – which is true of many musicians even today.