Robert Schumann

Robert Schumann was a German composer and music critic of the Romantic period. He is known for his piano music, his songs, and his symphonies, and for his influence on the composers of his generation.

Early Life and Education

Schumann was born in Zwickau in Saxony in 1810, the son of a bookseller. He was introduced to the literature and the music from an early age.

He studied the law at Leipzig and at Heidelberg but devoted himself to the music. He studied the piano with Friedrich Wieck and hoped to become a virtuoso.

A hand injury ended his hopes of a career as a pianist. He turned to the composition and to the music criticism.

The Piano Music and the Criticism

Schumann composed a series of the works for the piano in the 1830s. The Carnival, the Kreisleriana, and the Symphonic Etudes are among the most important.

The works are often built around a literary idea or a character. The pieces of the Carnaval depict the figures of the carnival and the friends of the composer.

He founded the journal Neue Zeitschrift für Musik in 1834 and wrote the criticism under several pseudonyms. He championed the work of the young composers, including Chopin and Brahms.

His writing was influential in the formation of the taste of the period. He campaigned against the mediocrity and the commercialism of the musical life.

The Songs and the Symphonies

Schumann composed a large number of the songs in 1840, the year of the song. The cycles include the Dichterliebe and the Frauenliebe und -leben.

The songs set the poetry of Heine and other writers. The piano accompaniment is closely integrated with the voice.

He composed four symphonies, of which the Spring and the Rhenish are the most famous. The works combine the lyrical and the structural gifts.

He composed the concertos for the piano and the cello and the chamber music. The works are the central part of the Romantic repertoire.

The Later Years and the Legacy

Schumann married the pianist Clara Wieck in 1840 after a long legal struggle with her father. The marriage was a partnership of the musicians and Clara promoted his work.

He suffered from the mental illness in his later years. He attempted suicide in 1854 and was confined to an asylum at Endenich.

He died in 1856 at Endenich. He was buried in Bonn, where his grave is visited by the admirers of his music.

He is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic period. His work influenced Brahms, who was his friend and the protégé of Clara.

The Piano Music

Schumann composed the Carnaval and the Kreisleriana and the Symphonic Etudes. The works are the masterpieces of the piano music of the Romantic period.

The works are often built around a literary idea or a character. The pieces of the Carnaval depict the figures of the carnival.

He used the pseudonyms of Florestan and Eusebius for the two sides of his nature. The characters appear in his music and his writing.

The Songs and the Symphonies

Schumann composed the song cycles the Dichterliebe and the Frauenliebe und -leben. The works set the poetry of Heine and other writers.

He composed four symphonies, of which the Spring and the Rhenish are the most famous. The works combine the lyrical and the structural gifts.

He composed the concertos for the piano and the cello and the chamber music. The works are the central part of the Romantic repertoire.

The Honours and the Memory

Schumann is buried in Bonn, where his grave is visited by the admirers. The Schumann House in Zwickau is devoted to his life and work.

The city of Düsseldorf and the city of Leipzig commemorate his work. The conservatories and the competitions are named in his honour.

He is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic period. His work influenced Brahms, who was his friend and the protégé of Clara.

The Marriage and the Partnership

Schumann married the pianist Clara Wieck in 1840 after a long legal struggle with her father. The marriage was a partnership of the musicians and the couple had eight children.

Clara was a celebrated pianist and she promoted his work throughout her life. She was the foremost interpreter of his piano music.

The relationship was central to both of their careers. The repertoire and the performance of the period were shaped by their work.

The Mental Illness and the End

Schumann suffered from the mental illness in his later years. He attempted suicide in 1854 and was confined to an asylum at Endenich.

He died in 1856 at Endenich. He was buried in Bonn, where his grave is visited by the admirers of his music.

His work influenced Brahms, who was his friend and the protégé of Clara. The tradition of the Romantic music continued through their work.

See also

• Romantic music
• Piano music
• Lied
• Music criticism