Magical and Mysterious Resonances: Structural Principles in E. T. A. Hoffmann's Kreisler Works and Robert Schumann's Kreisleriana

<p>Robert Schumann's <em>Kreisleriana</em>, Op. 16 (1838), borrows its title from E. T. A. Hoffmann's set of essays concerning his literary alter ego, Johannes Kreisler. The character of Kreisler is most prominently featured in two of Hoffmann's works: the <em>Kreisleriana</em> essays (1814-1815) and his final novel, <em>The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr</em> (1820-1822). This thesis explores the influence of E. T. A. Hoffmann on Schumann's <em>Kreisleriana</em>, focusing on how structural principles derived from Hoffmann's Kreisler works--duality, creating and blurring boundaries, fragmentation and irresolution, and circularity--are at work in Schumann's composition. While others have treated the relationship between Schumann's <em>Kreisleriana</em> and the prose literature programmatically, drawing connections between specific passages in the music and the stories, this thesis discusses how the nature of the influence may be better understood through structural principles such as these.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Redman, Alison Elizabeth

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jack Sheinbaum, Ph.D.
• Petra Meyer-Frazier
• Jonathan Leathwood
• Gregory Robbins

• Hoffmann
• Influence
• Kreisleriana
• Literature
• Piano
• Schumann
• German Literature
• Music

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1330

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-2330