Schumann Sonata in F minor Op. 14

...my blackboard was down for two hours and I thought the Humoresque was on the listening list. Once I was able to check I found that the Sonata was the correct item... hope you enjoy my notes on the Humoresque regardless.

Sonata in F minor Op. 14
I. Allegro- This movement to me is summed up in several stylistic traits. These traits consist of...
1) Descending melodies (scalar of chromatic)
2) Swirling accompaniments
3) Heavily dotted rhythms
4) Syncopated chordal texture
The melodies are all singable for the most part though the accompaniment can become thick and rambunctious.
II. Scherzo- This movement seems more traditional in style. Schumann was condensing the descending lines with the dotted rhythms from the first movement, but this time with less syncopation in a 3/4 time. Schumann still at times shows an apparent dislike of the downbeat, seeing as how he favors ties over the bar line. The movement later takes on a dolce sound with typical dance style accompaniment. He often displays the melody in octaves, this meaning that this movement is obviously more melodically based than the first.
III. Quasi variazioni: Andantino de Clara Wieck- This is a set of variations based on the interval of a fifth (downward scale, broken interval). Schumann visits a great many accompanimental pattern while inverting his 5-note pattern and displacing rhythms. These variations seem just as much based on emotional content as compositional skill. Schumann uses his tools to create an ever-swelling and decreasing emotional roar.
IV. Prestissimo possible- If I could sum up this movement in one word I would say "triplets". This movement consists of an unending and aggitated figuration with swells and fades, all the time supporting its simple and mostly stepwise melody. The difficulty of this movement I would think is the preservation of the fragile melody amongst the storm of accompaniment which occurs all around it.