Do Robert Schumann's works deviate substantially from the 18th-century classical tradition, or are they merely an extension of the tradition? This is the overarching question that University of Notre Dame professor and departmental chair of music Peter H. Smith explored in his lecture in Slosberg Music Center on Friday afternoon. While Smith's scholarship is mostly focused on Johannes Brahms, his lecture focused on Schumann and his place within the classical tradition, asking the question: can Schumann be considered a classical musician?

The lecture was part of the Music Colloquium Series-a program funded by the University's Martin Weiner Fund. Every year, there are about six colloquia held in either musicology or composition and theory. This lecture, one of the musicology colloquia, was titled "Schumann's Continuous Expositions and the Classical Tradition," and was the fourth out of six colloquia scheduled for this spring.

In an email interview with the Justice, Prof. Allan Keiler (MUS) wrote that the speakers for the musicology colloquia are selected from a committee of three faculty of musicology: himself, Profs. Eric Chafe (MUS) and Seth Coluzzi (MUS) and musicology graduate students. According to Keiler, the students on the committee are chosen by the three faculty members. "We try to choose students from a variety of individual areas in musicology so as to have the whole field, or as much as possible, represented among the students," Keiler wrote. 

In terms of selecting speakers, Keiler explained that the committee likes to invite both speakers who are "established and published scholars" and speakers who are "younger [and] who may just be getting started in their publication career." According to Keiler, the committee also strives to represent many "areas and points of view within musicological research" in choosing speakers. 

In this case, Keiler himself recommended Smith to speak. He noted that he has known Smith for many years and admires his writing. On bringing Smith to Brandeis for the colloquium, he wrote that: "There was enthusiasm because [Smith's] work was known to some of the committee, and particular enthusiasm from one of the students who had studied with [him] at Notre Dame." 

Keiler noted that the committee works under limited funding. "Our budget is somewhat limited so it is easier for us to invite scholars fairly near to us so that we do not incur huge traveling expenses. But clearly there is enough money to make exceptions," he said, noting that in this case, the committee brought Smith from Indiana.
The majority of the attendees at Friday's lecture were associated with the Music department-both the one and two-year masters programs in Musicology require attendance at the musicology colloquia. 

The large presence from the Music department was understandable-the lecture was very technical-as Smith looked closely at the scores of two of Schumann's sonatas, examining in detail their changes in key signature, dynamics, structural components and themes. The group looked at and followed along with Schumann's scores. 

Smith moved into a conversation with other scholars as he argued for a place for Schumann within the classical movement. Schumann has been criticized for his divergence from the traditional classical score. As Smith notes, scholars have suggested that the composer's music is "forcing something onto a sonata that it can't bear," or that Schumann simply did not "understand sonata form." Smith, however, suggested that these criticisms represent a very limited conception of 18th-century practice. 

Schumann deviates from the classical tradition only in his "creative appropriation" of 18th century classicalism, Smith described. He argued that rather than fitting perfectly into the realm of classical music, "Schumann perpetuates breadth of the classical practice." 

Smith noted that we are still allowed to find Schumann's music "aesthetically dissatisfying," but it is important to see how it can fit within the realm of classicalism all the same. The lecture was very thought provoking-the fact that the Music department is able to bring in professors from other universities adds to the diversity and knowledge base of the University's Music department and thus to music students' education.