Robert Schumann’s 3rd Piano Sonata Op. 14, known also as “Concerto without Orchestra,” belongs to a relatively small group of the composer’s unpopular and least performed piano works. It rarely appears in recital programs, and when it happens to be performed, it is usually and erroneously listed under both titles. The adverse publication history of this composition, along with the sporadic revisions and substitutions made by the composer and editors, might well be among the key reasons for existing confusions about Op. 14 and its reputation of a bizarre by-product of Schumann’s young years.
This document presents a detailed study of the history of the piece, the circumstances around its publication, and editorial notes based on the analysis of the changes (corrections, deletions) made by the composer himself as well as the changes made by editors later. Specifically, the study intends to analyze the options of the original compositional plan of the piece; to determine whether the changes in its structure and details were intentional or accidental; and consider whether these changes improve the music or disfigure and impair an otherwise successful composition.