Julius Caesar Overture, Op. 128

Composer: SCHUMANN, Robert
  • Based on the Shakespeare play, Schumann’s Julius Caesar Overture was written in 1851, during a particularly fruitful and creative period for the composer. Unfortunately, the overture’s premiere in 1852 was not well received by the public.1
  • Schumann had intended Julius Caesar to become one of several concert overtures based on literary tragedies and was known to be inspired by literature when writing music.2 In fact, around the same time as he finished Julius Caesar, Schumann also wrote concert works based on Goethe’s Hermann and Dorothea and Friedrich Schiller’s The Bride of Messina.3

Sources

  1. Joachim Draheim, “Julius Caesar Overture, Op. 128 (1851)” in accompanying booklet, Schumann: Arrangements for Piano Duet, Vol. 4 performed by the Eckerle Piano Duo, Naxos 2880, 2017, compact disc.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Max Harrison, Essay in accompanying booklet, Brahms: Symphony No. 2 / Schumann: Julius Caesar Overture performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Neeme Järvi, CHAN 8649, 1988, compact disc.

Cut IDs

42173