Adagio and Allegro for Horn and Piano

Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70, is a chamber music piece in A-flat major for piano and horn (optionally cello, double bass, viola or violin) by Robert Schumann. It was written in February 1849. Schumann planned alternative editions before it was printed in which the horn or cello or violin could be replaced. The title was initially intended to be "Romance and Allegro". Schumann then decided on "Adagio and Allegro".^[1]

Shortly after this work was completed, Clara Schumann commented that it was "just the sort of piece that I like, brilliant, fresh and passionate."^[2]

Recordings

CD recordings on period instruments include:

With horn:

• Luc Bergé, Jan Michiels. Beethoven, Schubert, Reinecke, Schumann. O du schöner Hörnerklang. Label: Fuga Libera, 2007-2008.
• Thomas Hauschild, Tobias Koch. Mendelssohn, Gade, Schumann, Weber, Marschner, Tromlitz, Backofen, Clara Schumann, Kummer, Bach-Moscheles, B. Romberg, Becker. Musikalische Morgenunterhaltung. Label: Raumklang, 2011. Allegro only.
• Alec Frank-Gemmill, Alasdair Beatson. Beethoven, Schumann, Franz Strauss, Rossini, Saint-Saëns, Glazunov, Dukas, Vinter. A Noble and Melancholy Instrument: Music for Horn and Piano. Label: BIS Records, 2016.
• Steinar Granmo Nilsen, Kristin Fossheim. Dukas, Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Chabrier, Czerny, Franz Strauss, Schumann, Richard Strauss. The Horn in Romanticism. Label: 2L, 2019.
• Renee Allen, Zvi Meniker. Salonmusik für Waldhorn. Label: Arcantus.

With cello:

• France Springuel, Jan Vermeulen. Schumann. Works for Cello and Piano. Label: Etcetera Records, 2011.
• Alexander Rudin, Aapo Häkkinen. Schumann. Fantasies and Fairy Tales. Label: Naxos, 2017.