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This is my first experience of Papillons Opus 2 by Schumann (who is my favourite composer) ...
but might I suggest that the “fresh” opus number 2 is suggestive of a very early work and likely to jangle ... Beethoven wrote some crummy stuff with his triple opus 2, being still under the influence of his mentors Haydn and Mozart.

So far I’ve completed the playing of the Introduzione and No. 1 ... No great shakes ... typical Schumann going on an octave ramble.


But looking ahead to the Prestissimo of No. 2 (bottom of the page) Schumann, in dramatic fashion, blasts off with a Prestissimo ff. (Hope the neighbours are distant and taking their dog for a walk ...
otherwise there might be the desist warning of rocks on my tin roof) ... better take this passage piano.

I really can't stand this piece... out of all Schumann, it's probably my least favourite piece. (maybe a tie between that and Wanderer...) It's a lot of the same thing over and over, I feel like nothing really happens in there!

(and yes, I've played it - before anyone starts throwing things at me)

I kind of like Papillons but I agree with you on the Wanderer.

I just put it aside. +

Op. 2 is sophisticated. It is just hard to play it well and do it justice. For me, I found Mephisto Waltz to be easier in my hands.

You weren't tempted to try it when this post was started six years ago?

Cheers, mate!

Nope. It's excellent. Perhaps even surprisingly good.

-J

It was actually Rienzi who revived it first, but he can be forgiven for forgetting to check the dates because he's a new member.

It appears that we all think that Schumann’s early work Papillons Opus 2 is a load of codswallops ... but oh my, what was to follow !!

My all time favourite is Kinderscenen opus 15 ...
with 13 glimpses of genius including

Foreign Lands and People
A Strange Story
Game of Tig
The Entreating Child
Happiness
An Important Event
Traumerei
By the Fireside
The Knight of the Hobby Horse
Almost Too Serious
Frightening
Falling Asleep
The Poet Speaks

Any of our number who have missed out on this work
should mend their ways ... and give it a trundle.

PS Don’t let anybody bluff you that “Traumerei” is a piece of cake ... In his “dreaming”, Schumann laces a highly imaginative and complex meshing of statements by the two hands ... must have played this piece a thousand times ... and still need improvement.