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Top 10 Facts about Robert Schumann

Robert Schumann (1810鈥�1856) was a German romantic composer and influential music critic. Although Schumann was no child prodigy, he went on to become one of the most important composers of the 19th century and is recognized as such 200 years after his birth.

He was a German Romantic composer renowned particularly for his piano music, lieder (songs), and orchestral music. Many of his best-known piano pieces were written for his wife, the pianist Clara Schumann.

A quirky, problematic genius, he wrote some of the greatest music of the Romantic era, and also some of the weakest. Severely affected by what was most likely bipolar disorder, he achieved almost superhuman productivity during his manic periods.

His life ended early and miserably with a descent into insanity brought on by syphilis. He did his best work when younger, in small forms: piano pieces and songs.

He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist

 

1.  Robert Schumann was incredibly Smart

Schumann, who was the youngest of five children, was born in Zwickau, Saxony. His father was a bookseller, which also implies that he was exposed to an array of literature. He was immersed in literature at a young age.

He was completely enamoured by the books in his father鈥檚 store such that he considered a career as a writer or novelist.

When he was seven Schumann began studying general music and piano and immediately displayed great skill and aptitude.

Great literary giants such as Bernard Shaw praised Schumer for his writing ability claiming that he was just as good a composer as he was a writer.

2.   He quit Law school to Study Music

Schumann鈥檚 father passed away in 1826 when he was just sixteen years old, which left his mother in charge of the family affairs. As it turns out, Schumann鈥檚 mother did not want him to pursue a career in music because one in law would be much more prestigious.

To honour his mother鈥檚 wishes and to ensure that he got his inheritance, he left for law school in Leipzig.  Schumann did not attend lectures often as he was more interested in studying music, hanging out with beautiful women and drinking.

He complied for a short period, but eventually, Schumann quit law school and devoted his life to studying music full time.

He started out as a pianist under the tutelage of German musician Friedrich Wieck. However, he ended up a composer when a permanent hand injury kept him from playing the piano.

3. Injury put an End to his concert Pianist Dreams

A pivotal moment for Schumann occurred in 1830 when he heard violinist, violist, guitarist and composer Niccolo Paganini perform in Frankfurt. He wrote to his mother 鈥楳y whole life has been a struggle between Poetry and Prose, or call it Music and Law鈥�.

With her permission, he immersed himself in his piano studies with Wieck.

Schumann only turned to composing after he hurt his finger using a homemade device intended to prop up his fingers while practising. Schumann was so eager to succeed that he thought the crude instrument would get him there faster.

Instead, he ended up permanently injuring two fingers on his right hand, immediately ending his ambition as a pianist.

4. Schumann was a Poet as well as a Composer

He held an exalted opinion of both. Actually, until he was about 20, he was leaning towards becoming a writer. He continued to write all his life, primarily as a music critic in the 1830s and ’40s, but also writing occasional (and unpublished) poetry, plays, and short stories.

One of the novelties of Schumann’s music criticism was that some of it was written as if it were a short story. He developed a recurring cast of characters in the style of writers he admired 鈥� like Jean Paul Friedrich Richter and E.T.A. Hoffmann.

Those same writers inspired several of his musical compositions, as he transferred to sound their literary style. The result was some of Schumann’s most imaginative music, but it took a long time to find an appreciative audience. One of the most fascinating works of this type is Kreisleriana Op. 16 from 1838.

5.  Robert Schumann Suffered Mental Health Issues

Robert Schumann (1810鈥�1856), one of the most influential romantic composers, had a lifelong mental disorder, first manifesting in 1833 as a severe melancholic depressive episode, which recurred several times alternating with phases of 鈥榚xaltation鈥� and increasingly also delusional ideas of being poisoned or threatened with metallic items.

After a suicide attempt, Schumann was admitted to a mental asylum in Endenich near Bonn and diagnosed with 鈥榩sychotic melancholia鈥�. He died in Endenich without having recovered from his mental illness.

Hypothetical diagnoses of Schumann’s ailments vary from progressive paralysis to hypertensive encephalopathy, with the most compelling evidence being for either schizophrenia (鈥榙ementia praecox鈥�; 鈥榩eriodic catatonia鈥�) or bipolar disorder and bipolar II disorder.

6. Robert Schumann Originated a New Genre of Music

 

Sources credit Schumann with creating the genre of Chamber Music when he introduced his piece the 鈥淧iano Quintet鈥� in 1842.

The 鈥淧iano Quintet鈥� is the first known musical work of its kind to use a string quartet with piano.

Schumann dedicated the song to his wife Clara, and it was first performed by Felix Mendelssohn on piano.

7.   The Schumann – Clara Love Story

In 1834, Schumann fell in love with the 16-year-old adopted daughter of a rich noble known as Ernestine Von Fricken. The two were set to get married but Schumann broke off the engagement after he fell head over heels for 16 years old Clara Wieck.

Robert and Clara met in 1830 when Schumann was still under the impression that he would pursue a career as a pianist.Both Clara and Schumann were, therefore, students of Friedrich Wiek (who was also Clara鈥檚 dad).

Although Wiek strongly opposed their relationship, the two lovers continued their tryst and in 1840, when she attained legal age, the two got married.

They remained together and had 8 children. His wife Clara served as a source of inspiration and criticism throughout his life and she even performed piano pieces that he had written as he could not do them himself.

After 1840, when he got married, Schumann was so happy and in love that he could not stop composing new songs. The year became famous known as Schumann鈥檚 Year of Song which was characterized by 140 lieder including the celebrated cycle Dichterliebe (A poet鈥檚 love).  Some other large-scale works include a piano concerto for his wife, Genoveva, and many more works.

8. He was Dismissive of Contemporary Composers

In spring of 1834 Schumann published the first edition of Die Neue Zeitschrift f眉r Musik (New Journal for Music).

In his writings, Schumann campaigned to revive interest in the composers of the past such as Mozart, Beethoven and Weber and praised some modern composers such as Chopin and Berlioz.

Schumann published his most critical writing in this journal and he was particularly fond of criticizing contemporary composers including the followers of Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner. According to Schumann, these contemporary composers often tried too hard to feature flashy technical displays.

However, he was highly critical of the new popular direction music was taking and blasted its proponents as philistines

9. Schumann鈥檚 Wife was an Accomplished Pianist

Schumann was originally engaged to another woman when he met the love of his life, Clara Wieck, in 1835. They eventually married in 1840 after a lengthy legal dispute about their engagement.

Clara became popular as Schumann鈥檚 wife, but she was one of the most famous female composers and a talented musician in her own right. She was an accomplished pianist, and she also composed and taught music.

In fact, it has been said that Clara shaped many of Schumann鈥檚 most popular works, and she had her own musical career as a concert pianist that spanned 61 years.

10.  Schumann was Extremely Shy and Quiet

Much to the dismay of his close friends, Schumann was incredibly shy and would prefer to listen rather than talk. He loved to spend time in quiet and serene environments and he was known to take walks in the countryside where he could enjoy the sounds of nature.

Although he was shy in public, his music was extremely open as it often revealed what mood Schumann was in. For instance, whenever he would undergo depression, there was great sadness in his music, but when he was well, his romantic composing side would return and nurse him back to a path of health.

Schuman and his wife Clara managed to have a large family and it is reported widely that he loved his role as a father to his 8 kids. He was very involved in their upbringing, helping to feed, clean and play with them. This was truly remarkable because fathers at that time were generally disinterested in domestic duties and responsibilities.

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He was best known for his romanticized music style where he poured out his heart and soul into his works. Schumann鈥檚 complex style of creating music has often been called 鈥渂ipolar鈥� by musical theorists and psychologists alike.

Musical historians still reference his work today as an example of some of the best works of all time.