Caprices en Forme de Valses

Clara Schumann composed the Caprices en Forme de Valses, Op. 2 in 1831, when she was twelve years old. The set consists of nine short pieces in triple metre, using the waltz not as a simple dance form but as a sequence of contrasted Romantic character pieces. This Felix Editions publication presents the work in a clear, practical score for pianists interested in Clara Schumann’s early piano writing and the wider Romantic repertoire beyond the familiar canon.

About this edition

This edition is prepared for use at the piano: newly engraved, cleanly laid out, and intended as a readable alternative to scans or undifferentiated reprints. It forms part of Felix Editions’ broader presentation of Clara Schumann’s early piano works, with attention to the historical position of the music and its practical value for performers.

The score gives pianists, teachers, students, and repertoire collectors a usable way into a work that is attractive both as a complete cycle and as a source of individual short pieces for study or programming.

The music

The Caprices en Forme de Valses are rooted in the Viennese waltz tradition, but Clara treats the genre with considerable variety. Some pieces are light and playful; others are more lyrical, shaded, or inward-looking. The result is less a conventional dance suite than a compact sequence of Romantic miniatures.

The writing already shows features that recur in Clara Schumann’s early music: flowing melodic lines, delicate chromatic inflections, pianistic colour, and a balance between elegance and expressive character. The pieces are useful for pianists who want repertoire that is concise, idiomatic, and historically interesting without requiring a large-scale concert work.

Who is it for?

This edition is suitable for pianists exploring early Romantic piano music, teachers looking for repertoire with musical substance beyond the standard teaching canon, and students who want to develop style, voicing, rubato, and characterisation in shorter pieces.

It will also be of interest to collectors and repertoire researchers who want Clara Schumann’s early work in a practical modern format rather than as a historical curiosity or a difficult-to-use scan.

Available formats

Available as a PDF download and as a printed edition.