Symphony No. 1 (Schumann) Symphony No. 1 (Schumann) The Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 38, also known as the Spring Symphony, is the first symphonic work composed by Robert Schumann. Although he had made some "symphonic attempts" in the autumn of 1840 soon after he married Clara Wieck, he did not compose his first symphony until early 1841. Until then, Schumann was largely known for his works for the piano and for voice. Clara encouraged him to write symphonic music, noting in her diary, "it would be best if he composed for orchestra; his imagination cannot find sufficient scope on the piano...
Blumenstück (Schumann) Wieck, who was implacably opposed to the marriage. "Blumenstück" features a falling four-note motif that Schumann had previously used to refer to Clara Wieck in "Carnaval", Op. 9. Rather than in his manuscript book, Schumann sketched "Blumenstück" in his Brautbuch; it was offered, along with the song cycle "Myrthen", Op. 25, of 1840, as a bridal gift. In a letter to Clara on 24 January 1839, Schumann wrote that he had recently completed a number of small piano pieces, with the titles: The "Blumenstück" is in the form of a double theme and variations, and the "Arabeske" is in rondo