Classical Music / Great Composers
Romantic Composer Robert Schumann,
Robert Schumann's life and works revisited on his birthday anniversary. A poetic musician, his works relate to literature - poems, novels and plays; especially his piano music Carnaval and Scenes from Childhood's Kinderscenen are most popular.
Robert Schumann (June 8, 1810, in Zwickau, Saxony - July 29, 1856, in Endenich, Germany) was a German composer of the Romantic period. His parents were not musical but they encouraged his interest in music with Piano lessons from the age of 10.
His family was later beset by tragedy. When Schumann was in his teens, his father died and his sister committed suicide in quick succession, events that were to have a deep impact on the young musician. Initially music was to take a back seat in his life. For his main subject he studied law at Leipzig while simultaneously continuing his music studies. One of his music teachers was Friedrich Wieck whose daughter Clara (eventually becoming his wife) showed a great talent at the piano while she was only 9 years old.
A tragedy hit Schumann when a mishap damaged one of his hands spoiling his chances as a pianist. After the accident, Schumann concentrated more on composing. However, he kept his association with the Wiecks. When Clara was of the right age, he sought to marry her but her father forbade it.
Following a legal action, Schumann was able to marry her shortly before her 21st birthday.
Clara was extremely talented in her own right as both pianist and composer, and her career became secondary to that of her husband's. There are suggestions that Robert's jealousy was a factor in constraining her career. Despite bringing up and rearing their children, Clara played a significant role in classical music, through her expert advice and encouragement to other composers including Brahms.
Schumann composed worthwhile music, but he suffered from mental illness with periods of self-doubt and depression. Following a suicide attempt he was committed to an asylum where he was to die two years later.
Schumann's Musical Career
Robert Schumann was a composer of the Romantic period, often adopting a free "poetic" style for his works in both structure and logic, yet representing an expressive "stream of consciousness" rather than being bound by Classical views of form. In his brief career, Schumann worked as a piano professor at the Leipzig Conservatory under Mendelssohn, also later as a conductor.
He was in his thirties before he started to compose larger concert works, but he completed four symphonies, a well-known piano concerto, some chamber works, songs and song cycles and a wealth of shorter works for piano. Schumann had a great interest in literature, philosophy and the arts. He was also accomplished in journalistic circles as a music critic; in that capacity he recognised and promoted the talents of Chopin, Brahms and Berlioz.
Key Works of Robert Schumann
Recommended Reading:
Robert and Clara Schumann - A Love Story by Agnes Selby.
Video Credit:
Martha Argerich plays Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor. Youtube, uploaded by SProkofieff. Accessed October 22, 2017. Here's another one played by Martha Argerich, with Riccardo Chailly conducting. Uploaded by classicmusic 541. Accessed April 27, 2019.)
Image Credit:
Robert Schumann 1838. Wiki / Public Domain. Accessed June 4, 2013.
(c) June 2013. Updated April 27, 2019. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
Romantic Composer Robert Schumann,
Master in Piano Music and Voice
Robert Schumann's life and works revisited on his birthday anniversary. A poetic musician, his works relate to literature - poems, novels and plays; especially his piano music Carnaval and Scenes from Childhood's Kinderscenen are most popular.
Robert Schumann (June 8, 1810, in Zwickau, Saxony - July 29, 1856, in Endenich, Germany) was a German composer of the Romantic period. His parents were not musical but they encouraged his interest in music with Piano lessons from the age of 10.
His family was later beset by tragedy. When Schumann was in his teens, his father died and his sister committed suicide in quick succession, events that were to have a deep impact on the young musician. Initially music was to take a back seat in his life. For his main subject he studied law at Leipzig while simultaneously continuing his music studies. One of his music teachers was Friedrich Wieck whose daughter Clara (eventually becoming his wife) showed a great talent at the piano while she was only 9 years old.
A tragedy hit Schumann when a mishap damaged one of his hands spoiling his chances as a pianist. After the accident, Schumann concentrated more on composing. However, he kept his association with the Wiecks. When Clara was of the right age, he sought to marry her but her father forbade it.
Following a legal action, Schumann was able to marry her shortly before her 21st birthday.
Clara was extremely talented in her own right as both pianist and composer, and her career became secondary to that of her husband's. There are suggestions that Robert's jealousy was a factor in constraining her career. Despite bringing up and rearing their children, Clara played a significant role in classical music, through her expert advice and encouragement to other composers including Brahms.
Schumann composed worthwhile music, but he suffered from mental illness with periods of self-doubt and depression. Following a suicide attempt he was committed to an asylum where he was to die two years later.
Schumann's Musical Career
Robert Schumann was a composer of the Romantic period, often adopting a free "poetic" style for his works in both structure and logic, yet representing an expressive "stream of consciousness" rather than being bound by Classical views of form. In his brief career, Schumann worked as a piano professor at the Leipzig Conservatory under Mendelssohn, also later as a conductor.
He was in his thirties before he started to compose larger concert works, but he completed four symphonies, a well-known piano concerto, some chamber works, songs and song cycles and a wealth of shorter works for piano. Schumann had a great interest in literature, philosophy and the arts. He was also accomplished in journalistic circles as a music critic; in that capacity he recognised and promoted the talents of Chopin, Brahms and Berlioz.
Key Works of Robert Schumann
- 4 Symphonies- including No.1 "Spring" and No.3 "Rhenish"
- Piano Concerto- in A minor (like that of Grieg)
- Cello Concerto
- Konzertstuck
- Piano works- lots of these including Carnaval, Papillons, Fantasiestucke, Etude Symphoniques, Kreisleriana, Fantasie in C (dedicated to Liszt, Scenes from Childhood and the Album for the Young
- Songs - many of these exploring his interest in literature and poetry including Dichterliebe Op. 48 (Song Cycle) and Frauenliebe and Leben Op. 42 (Woman's Life and Love)
- Piano Quartet (highly recommended listening: Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47)
- Piano Quintet
- String Quartets, Piano Trios and more chamber music
Recommended Reading:
Robert and Clara Schumann - A Love Story by Agnes Selby.
Video Credit:
Martha Argerich plays Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor. Youtube, uploaded by SProkofieff. Accessed October 22, 2017. Here's another one played by Martha Argerich, with Riccardo Chailly conducting. Uploaded by classicmusic 541. Accessed April 27, 2019.)
Image Credit:
Robert Schumann 1838. Wiki / Public Domain. Accessed June 4, 2013.
(c) June 2013. Updated April 27, 2019. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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