Harmonic, Tonal, and Formal Asynchrony in Robert Schumann\u27s \u3ci\u3eFrauenliebe und Leben\u3c/i\u3e

This thesis explores the asynchrony among form, harmony, and tonality in Robert Schumann’s Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42. Using several theoretical lenses, this study identifies and analyzes a selection of songs from this work that distort tonal, harmonic, and formal relationships and how the text setting may inform these distortions. This is shown through detailed analyses of several songs from the cycle that highlight areas of asynchrony. The first section of this document explores the background of Frauenliebe und Leben and draws upon other musical examples in order to establish working definitions of asynchronous elements. The following sections are divided by song, each section containing an analysis detailing which aspects of the composition contain asynchronous elements, as well as how those elements affect or are affected by one another within the context of tonality, harmony, form, and text. The final section presents an overview of asynchrony within the work based on the detailed analyses provided for each song and suggests opportunities for further exploration of asynchrony. Advisor: Stanley V. Kleppinge