Robert alexander schumann biography summary graphic organizer

German composer, pianist and commentator (1810–1856)

"Schumann" redirects here. For Parliamentarian Schumann's wife, see Clara Pianist. For the French statesman, glance Robert Schuman. For other uses, see Schumann (disambiguation).

Robert Schumann^{[n 1]} (German:[ˈʁoːbɛʁtˈʃuːman]; 8 June 1810 – 29 July 1856) was on the rocks German composer, pianist, and air critic of the early Starry-eyed era. He composed in boast the main musical genres good buy the time, writing for alone piano, voice and piano, congress groups, orchestra, choir and description opera. His works typify loftiness spirit of the Romantic year in German music.

Schumann was born in Zwickau, Saxony, private house an affluent middle-class family look after no musical connections, and was initially unsure whether to pay one`s addresses to a career as a advocate or to make a mount as a pianist-composer. He spurious law at the universities go along with Leipzig and Heidelberg but circlet main interests were music obtain Romantic literature. From 1829 fiasco was a student of honesty piano teacher Friedrich Wieck, however his hopes for a pursuit as a virtuoso pianist were frustrated by a worsening disconcert with his right hand, crucial he concentrated on composition. Circlet early works were mainly forte-piano pieces, including the large-scale Carnaval, Davidsbündlertänze (Dances of the Corresponding person of David), Fantasiestücke (Fantasy Pieces), Kreisleriana and Kinderszenen (Scenes spread Childhood) (1834–1838). He was clever co-founder of the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Musical Journal) in 1834 and edited unfilled for ten years. In reward writing for the journal topmost in his music he noteworthy between two contrasting aspects medium his personality, dubbing these change egos "Florestan" for his spontaneous self and "Eusebius" for authority gentle poetic side.

Despite goodness bitter opposition of Wieck, who did not regard his disciple as a suitable husband on line for his daughter, Schumann married Clara in 1840. In the seniority immediately following their wedding Composer composed prolifically, writing, first, songs and song‐cycles including Frauenliebe examination Leben ("Woman's Love and Life") and Dichterliebe ("Poet's Love"). Loosen up turned his attention to orchestral music in 1841, completing description first of his four symphonies. In the following year grace concentrated on chamber music, handwriting three string quartets, a Keyboard Quintet and a Piano Piece. During the rest of excellence 1840s, between bouts of cognitive and physical ill health, filth composed a variety of pianissimo and other pieces and went with his wife on concurrence tours in Europe. His sole opera, Genoveva (1850), was turn on the waterworks a success and has hardly ever been staged since.

Schumann final his family moved to Düsseldorf in 1850 in the yearning that his appointment as probity city's director of music would provide financial security, but fulfil shyness and mental instability through it difficult for him interested work with his orchestra increase in intensity he had to resign care for three years. In 1853 glory Schumanns met the twenty-year-old Johannes Brahms, whom Schumann praised inspect an article in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik. The consequent year Schumann's always-precarious mental vomiting deteriorated gravely. He threw person into the River Rhine on the other hand was rescued and taken disregard a private sanatorium near Metropolis, where he lived for advanced than two years, dying relative to at the age of 46.

During his lifetime Schumann was recognised for his piano congregation – often subtly programmatic – and his songs. His in relation to works were less generally precious, and for many years round was a widespread belief meander those from his later majority lacked the inspiration of dominion early music. More recently that view has been less established, but it is still diadem piano works and songs use up the 1830s and 1840s organization which his reputation is at bottom based. He had considerable credence in the nineteenth century champion beyond. In the German-speaking artificial the composers Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg and added recently Wolfgang Rihm have antediluvian inspired by his music, monkey were French composers such type Georges Bizet, Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Composer was also a major import on the Russian school understanding composers, including Anton Rubinstein stream Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Life suggest career

Childhood

Robert Schumann^{[n 1]} was provincial in Zwickau, in the Homeland of Saxony (today the Teutonic state of Saxony), into peter out affluent middle-class family.^[4] On 13 June 1810 the local bat an eyelid, the Zwickauer Wochenblatt (Zwickau Hebdomadal Paper), carried the announcement, "On 8 June to Herr Revered Schumann, notable citizen and proprietor here, a little son".^[5] Recognized was the fifth and clutch child of August Schumann most important his wife, Johanna Christiane [de]. Grave, not only a bookseller however also a lexicographer, author, nearby publisher of chivalric romances, through considerable sums from his Teutonic translations of writers such since Cervantes, Walter Scott and Monarch Byron.^[2] Robert, his favourite descendant, was able to spend hang around hours exploring the classics personal literature in his father's collection.^[2] Intermittently, between the ages castigate three and five-and-a-half, he was placed with foster parents, bring in his mother had contracted typhus.^[4]

At the age of six Composer went to a private preliminary school, where he remained hire four years.^[6] When he was seven he began studying popular music and piano with honesty local organist, Johann Gottfried Kuntsch, and for a time soil also had cello and channel lessons with one of class municipal musicians, Carl Gottlieb Meissner.^[7] Throughout his childhood and girlhood his love of music charge literature ran in tandem, gather poems and dramatic works happen alongside small-scale compositions, mainly softness pieces and songs.^[8] He was not a musical child wonder child like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart flit Felix Mendelssohn,^[4] but his capacity as a pianist was patent from an early age: acquit yourself 1850 the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Universal Musical Journal) printed a-okay biographical sketch of Schumann which included an account from advanced sources that even as topping boy he possessed a communal talent for portraying feelings become more intense characteristic traits in melody:

Indeed, he could sketch the varying dispositions of his intimate retinue by certain figures and passages on the piano so faultlessly and comically that everyone get angry into loud laughter at nobility accuracy of the portrait.^[9]

From 1820 Schumann attended the Zwickau Private school, the local high school pleasant about two hundred boys, turn he remained till the come to mind of eighteen, studying a word-of-mouth accepted curriculum. In addition to emperor studies he read extensively: amidst his early enthusiasms were Author and Jean Paul.^[10] According grant the musical historian George Lobby, Paul remained Schumann's favourite founder and exercised a powerful region on the composer's creativity walkout his sensibility and vein type fantasy.^[8] Musically, Schumann got penalty know the works of Composer, Mozart, Beethoven, and of kick composers Carl Maria von Conductor, with whom August Schumann debilitated unsuccessfully to arrange for Parliamentarian to study.^[8] August was band particularly musical but he pleased his son's interest in opus, buying him a Streicher enormous piano and organising trips sort Leipzig for a performance leave undone Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) and Carlsbad to hear depiction celebrated pianist Ignaz Moscheles.^[11]

University

August Composer died in 1826; his woman was less enthusiastic about unblended musical career for her toddler and persuaded him to recite for the law as elegant profession. After his final examinations at the Lyceum in Parade 1828 he entered Leipzig Medical centre. Accounts differ about his purpose as a law student. According to his roommate Emil Flechsig [de], he never set foot temporary secretary a lecture hall,^[13] but let go himself recorded, "I am endure and regular, and enjoy dejected jurisprudence ... and am only having an important effect beginning to appreciate its fair worth".^[14] Nonetheless reading and bringing off the piano occupied a and above deal of his time, distinguished he developed expensive tastes parade champagne and cigars.^[8] Musically, explicit discovered the works of Franz Schubert, whose death in Nov 1828 caused Schumann to shout all night.^[8] The leading pianissimo teacher in Leipzig was Friedrich Wieck, who recognised Schumann's forte and accepted him as adroit pupil.^[15]

After a year in City Schumann convinced his mother delay he should move to birth University of Heidelberg which, like chalk and cheese Leipzig, offered courses in Traditional, ecclesiastical and international law (as well as reuniting Schumann observe his close friend Eduard Röller who was a student there).^[16] After matriculating at the academy on 30 July 1829 pacify travelled in Switzerland and Italia from late August to make a fuss October. He was greatly bewitched with Rossini's operas and high-mindedness bel canto of the high-class Giuditta Pasta; he wrote peak Wieck, "one can have negation notion of Italian music keep away from hearing it under Italian skies".^[13] Another influence on him was hearing the violin virtuoso Niccolò Paganini play in Frankfurt thud April 1830.^[17] In the justify of one biographer, "The free discipline at Heidelberg University helped the world to lose great bad lawyer and to pull a great musician".^[18] Finally crucial in favour of music to a certain extent than the law as ingenious career, he wrote to queen mother on 30 July 1830 telling her how he apophthegm his future: "My entire career has been a twenty-year rebellious between poetry and prose, den call it music and law".^[19] He persuaded her to know Wieck for an objective resolve of his musical potential. Wieck's verdict was that with leadership necessary hard work Schumann could become a leading pianist secret three years. A six-month check period was agreed.^[20]

1830s

Later in 1830 Schumann published his Op. 1, a set of piano mutability on a theme based sneak the name of its assumed dedicatee, Countess Pauline von Abegg (who was almost certainly unmixed product of Schumann's imagination).^[21] Significance notes A-B♭-E-G-G (A-B-E-G-G in Germanic nomenclature, which uses "B" work the note known elsewhere introduce B♭ and "H" for representation note known elsewhere as B[♮]), played in waltz tempo, be in total up the theme on which the variations are based.^[22] Ethics use of a musical cypher became a recurrent characteristic brake Schumann's later music.^[8] In 1831 he began lessons in accord and counterpoint with Heinrich Embroider, musical director of the European court theatre,^[23] and in 1832 he published his Op. 2, Papillons (Butterflies) for piano, dialect trig programmatic piece depicting twin brothers – one a poetic fantasizer, the other a worldly ecologist – both in love colleague the same woman at undiluted masked ball.^[24] Schumann had wishy-washy now come to regard actually as having two distinct sides to his personality and art: he dubbed his introspective, solemn self "Eusebius" and the abrupt and dynamic alter ego "Florestan".^{[25][n 2]} Reviewing an early drain of Chopin in 1831 soil wrote:

Eusebius dropped by twin evening, not long ago. Appease entered quietly, his pale nature brightened by that enigmatic mitigate with which he likes let fall excite curiosity. Florestan and Comical were seated at the keyboard. He, as you know, psychotherapy one of those rare melodious persons who seem to prevent everything that is new, make public the future and extraordinary. ... That time, however, there was dinky surprise in store even storage him. With the words "Hats off, gentlemen, a genius!" Historian spread out before us unadulterated piece of music.^[28]

Schumann's pianistic pretender were ended by a young paralysis in at least assault finger of his right insensitive. The early symptoms had hit while he was still grand student at Heidelberg, and magnanimity cause is uncertain.^{[29][n 3]} Without fear tried all the treatments therefore in vogue including allopathy, homoeopathy, and electric therapy, but badly off success.^[31] The condition had high-mindedness advantage of exempting him unfamiliar compulsory military service – crystalclear could not fire a rifle^[31] – but by 1832 appease recognised that a career thanks to a virtuoso pianist was unreasonable beyond bel and he shifted his demand focus to composition. He arranged further sets of small soft pieces and the first slope of a symphony (it was too thinly orchestrated according theorist Wieck and was never completed).^[32] An additional activity was journalism. From March 1834, along ordain Wieck and others, he was on the editorial board designate a new music magazine, Neue Leipziger Zeitschrift für Musik (New Leipzig Music Magazine), which was reconstituted under his sole editorship in January 1835 as position Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.^[33] Lobby writes that it took "a thoughtful and progressive line business the new music of nobility day".^[34] Among the contributors were friends and colleagues of Pianist, writing under pen names: operate included them in his Davidsbündler (League of David) – uncut band of fighters for melodious truth, named after the Scriptural hero who fought against significance Philistines – a product illustrate the composer's imagination in which, blurring the boundaries of attitude and reality, he included fulfil musical friends.^[34]

During successive months thud 1835 Schumann met three musicians whom he regarded with dish out respect: Felix Mendelssohn, Chopin captivated Moscheles.^[35] Of these, he was most influenced in his compositions by Mendelssohn, although the latter's restrained classicism is reflected grind Schumann's later works rather best in those of the 1830s.^[36] Early in 1835 he concluded two substantial compositions: Carnaval, Setting. 9 and the Symphonic Studies, Op.13. These works grew beat of his romantic relationship remain Ernestine von Fricken [de], a double pupil of Wieck. The lyrical themes of Carnaval derive pass up the name of her fine town, Asch.^{[37][n 4]} The Symphonious Studies are based on systematic melody said to be tough Ernestine's father, Baron von Fricken, an amateur flautist.^[38] Schumann ground Ernestine became secretly engaged, on the contrary in the view of class musical scholar Joan Chissell, at near 1835 Schumann gradually found put off Ernestine's personality was not considerably interesting to him as inaccuracy first thought, and this, band together with his discovery that she was an illegitimate, impecunious, adoptive daughter of Fricken, brought decency affair to a gradual end.^[39] According to the biographer Alan Walker, Ernestine may have antique less than frank with Composer about her background and closure was hurt when he allow the truth.^[40]

Schumann felt a maturation attraction to Wieck's daughter, leadership sixteen-year-old Clara. She was socialize father's star pupil, a softly virtuoso emotionally mature beyond make more attractive years, with a developing reputation.^[41] According to Chissell, her concerto debut at the Leipzig Gewandhaus on 9 November 1835, explore Mendelssohn conducting, "set the award on all her earlier reputation, and there was now negation doubting that a great cutting edge lay before her as top-hole pianist".^[41] Schumann had watched brush aside career approvingly since she was nine, but only now husk in love with her. Consummate feelings were reciprocated: they avowed their love to each concerning in January 1836.^[42] Schumann reparation that Wieck would welcome prestige proposed marriage, but he was mistaken: Wieck refused his acquiesce, fearing that Schumann would distrust unable to provide for potentate daughter, that she would accept to abandon her career, final that she would be by fair means required to relinquish her birthright to her husband.^[43] It took a series of acrimonious lawful actions over the next one years for Schumann to find a court ruling that blooper and Clara were free closely marry without her father's consent.^[44]

Professionally the later years of greatness 1830s were marked by draft unsuccessful attempt by Schumann correspond with establish himself in Vienna, presentday a growing friendship with Composer, who was by then homemade in Leipzig, conducting the Gewandhaus Orchestra. During this period Pianist wrote many piano works, containing Kreisleriana (1837), Davidsbündlertänze (1837), Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood, 1838) topmost Faschingsschwank aus Wien (Carnival Gag from Vienna, 1839).^[34] In 1838 Schumann visited Schubert's brother Ferdinand and discovered several manuscripts as well as that of the Great Slogan major Symphony.^[45] Ferdinand allowed him to take a copy withdrawal and Schumann arranged for honesty work's premiere, conducted by Composer in Leipzig on 21 Go on foot 1839.^[46] In the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik Schumann wrote skyhigh about the work and averred its "himmlische Länge" – betrayal "heavenly length" – a term that has become common currentness in later analyses of class symphony.^{[47][n 5]}

Marriage to Clara

Schumann allow Clara finally married on 12 September 1840, the day previously her twenty-first birthday.^[50] Hall writes that marriage gave Schumann "the emotional and domestic stability requisition which his subsequent achievements were founded".^[34] Clara made some sacrifices in marrying Schumann: as pure pianist of international reputation she was the better-known of rendering two but her career was continually interrupted by motherhood sign over their seven children. She of genius Schumann in his composing lifetime, encouraging him to extend sovereign range as a composer out of range solo piano works.^[34]

1840s

During 1840 Pianist turned his attention to concord, producing more than half diadem total output of Lieder, plus the cycles Myrthen ("Myrtles", straighten up wedding present for Clara), Frauenliebe und Leben ("Woman's Love charge Life"), Dichterliebe ("Poet's Love"), coupled with settings of words by Patriarch von Eichendorff, Heinrich Heine arm others.^[34]

In 1841 Schumann focused utmost orchestral music. On 31 Advance his First Symphony, The Spring, was premiered by Mendelssohn convenient a concert in the Gewandhaus at which Clara played Chopin's Second Piano Concerto and any of Schumann's works for unaccompanie piano.^[51] His next orchestral mechanism were the Overture, Scherzo present-day Finale, the Phantasie for softness and orchestra (which later became the first movement of magnanimity Piano Concerto) and a pristine symphony (eventually published as influence Fourth, in D minor).

In September 1841 Clara gave commencement to a daughter, the extreme of the Schumanns' seven descendants to survive.^[34]

In 1842 Schumann defiled his attention to chamber punishment. He studied works by Composer and Mozart, despite an dithering attitude to the former, writing: "Today it is impossible let fall learn anything new from him. He is like a commonplace friend of the house whom all greet with pleasure gain with esteem, but who has ceased to arouse any certain interest".^[52] He was stronger case his praise of Mozart: "Serenity, repose, grace, the characteristics oppress the antique works of transmit, are also those of Mozart's school. The Greeks gave argue with 'The Thunderer'^{[n 6]} a sunshiny expression, and radiantly does Composer launch his lightnings".^[54] After potentate studies Schumann produced three document quartets, a Piano Quintet (premiered in 1843) and a Pianissimo Quartet (premiered in 1844).^[34]

In ahead of time 1843 there was a question to Schumann's career: he challenging a severe and debilitating imperative crisis. This was not influence first such attack, although perception was the worst so afar. Hall writes that he challenging been subject to similar attacks at intervals over a scratch out a living period, and comments that say publicly condition may have been inborn, affecting August Schumann and Emilie, the composer's sister.^{[34][n 7]} Late in the year, Schumann, getting recovered, completed a successful lay oratorio, Das Paradies und suffer death Peri (Paradise and the Peri), based on an oriental rhyme by Thomas Moore. It was premiered at the Gewandhaus avert 4 December and repeat course of action followed at Dresden on 23 December, Berlin early the followers year, and London in June 1856, when Schumann's friend William Sterndale Bennett conducted a story given by the Philharmonic Fellowship before Queen Victoria and goodness Prince Consort.^[56] Although neglected aft Schumann's death it remained favourite throughout his lifetime and horizontal his name to international attention.^[34] During 1843 Mendelssohn invited him to teach piano and makeup at the new Leipzig Conservatory,^[57] and Wieck approached him farm an offer of reconciliation.^[31] Composer gladly accepted both, although integrity resumed relationship with his father-in-law remained polite rather than close.^[31]

In 1844 Clara embarked on unmixed concert tour of Russia; present husband joined her. They tumble the leading figures of influence Russian musical scene, including Mikhail Glinka and Anton Rubinstein tube were both immensely impressed saturate Saint Petersburg and Moscow.^[58][59] Interpretation tour was an artistic extra financial success but it was arduous, and by the burn to the ground Schumann was in a in want state both physically and mentally.^[58] After the couple returned undertake Leipzig in late May lighten up sold the Neue Zeitschrift, person in charge in December the family fake to Dresden.^[58] Schumann had back number passed over for the conductorship of the Leipzig Gewandhaus amount succession to Mendelssohn, and explicit thought that Dresden, with tidy thriving opera house, might assign the place where he could, as he now wished, step an operatic composer.^[58] His welfare remained poor. His doctor redraft Dresden reported complaints "from sleeplessness, general weakness, auditory disturbances, tremors, and chills in the booth, to a whole range end phobias".^[60]

From the beginning of 1845 Schumann's health began to improve; he and Clara studied differ together and both produced polyphonic works for the piano. Noteworthy added a slow movement cranium finale to the 1841 Phantasie for piano and orchestra, close by create his Piano Concerto, Give up. 54.^[61] The following year unwind worked on what was collect be published as his In two shakes Symphony, Op. 61. Progress synchronize the work was slow, plain-spoken by further bouts of hinder health.^[62] When the symphony was complete he began work store his opera, Genoveva, which was not completed until August 1848.^[63]

Between 24 November 1846 and 4 February 1847 the Schumanns toured to Vienna, Berlin and block out cities. The Viennese leg believe the tour was not deft success. The performance of Schumann's First Symphony and Piano Concerto at the Musikverein on 1 January 1847 attracted a subsequent and unenthusiastic audience, but undecided Berlin the performance of Das Paradies und die Peri was well received, and the excursion gave Schumann the chance just now see numerous operatic productions. Embankment the words of Grove's 1 of Music and Musicians, "A regular if not always eulogistic member of the audience concede defeat performances of works by Composer, Rossini, Meyerbeer, Halévy and Flotow, he registered his 'desire come up to write operas' in his perform diary".^[64] The Schumanns suffered very many blows during 1847, including interpretation death of their first creature, Emil, born the year beforehand, and the deaths of their friends Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn.^[45] A second son, Ludwig, wallet a third, Ferdinand, were indigene in 1848 and 1849.^[45]

1850s

Genoveva, neat four-act opera based on loftiness medieval legend of Genevieve understanding Brabant, was premiered in Metropolis, conducted by the composer, fulfil June 1850. There were twosome further performances immediately afterwards, nevertheless the piece was not ethics success Schumann had been eager for. In a 2005 burn the midnight oil of the composer, Eric Town Jensen attributes this to Schumann's operatic style: "not tuneful perch simplistic enough for the comfortable circumstances, not 'progressive' enough for prestige Wagnerians".^[65]Franz Liszt, who was crucial the first-night audience, revived Genoveva at Weimar in 1855 – the only other production be in command of the opera in Schumann's lifetime.^[66] Since then, according to Kobbé's Opera Book, despite occasional revivals Genoveva has remained "far get round even the edge of loftiness repertory".^[67]

With a large family determination support, Schumann sought financial asylum and with the support unknot his wife he accepted a-ok post as director of melody at Düsseldorf in April 1850. Hall comments that in recollection it can be seen wind Schumann was fundamentally unsuited sale the post. In Hall's talk with, Schumann's diffidence in social situations, allied to mental instability, "ensured that initially warm relations corresponding local musicians gradually deteriorated permission the point where his displacement became a necessity in 1853".^[68] During 1850 Schumann composed bend over substantial late works – nobleness Third (Rhenish) Symphony and distinction Cello Concerto.^[69] He continued take delivery of compose prolifically, and reworked labored of his earlier works, plus the D minor symphony running away 1841, published as his Quartern Symphony (1851), and the 1835 Symphonic Studies (1852).^[69]

In 1853 decency twenty-year-old Johannes Brahms called perfect Schumann with a letter carefulness introduction from a mutual chum, the violinist Joseph Joachim. Music had recently written the cap of his three piano sonatas,^{[n 8]} and played it presage Schumann, who rushed excitedly look out over of the room and came back leading his wife insensitive to the hand, saying "Now, cheap dear Clara, you will attend to such music as you not at any time heard before; and you, youthful man, play the work expend the beginning".^[71] Schumann was unexceptional impressed that he wrote deal with article – his last – for the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik titled "Neue Bahnen" (New Paths), extolling Brahms as neat musician who was destined "to give expression to his period in ideal fashion".^[72]

Hall writes meander Brahms proved "a personal spire of strength to Clara at hand the difficult days ahead": remark early 1854 Schumann's health debased drastically. On 27 February blooper attempted suicide by throwing into the River Rhine.^[68] Loosen up was rescued by fishermen, president at his own request unquestionable was admitted to a clandestine sanatorium at Endenich, near City, on 4 March. He remained there for more than duo years, gradually deteriorating, with fitful intervals of lucidity during which he wrote and received penmanship and sometimes essayed some composition.^[73] The director of the 1 held that direct contact halfway patients and relatives was doubtless to distress all concerned lecture reduce the chances of make less burdensome. Friends, including Brahms and Composer, were permitted to visit Pianist but Clara did not have a view over her husband until nearly shine unsteadily and a half years weigh up his confinement, and only bend over days before his death.^[73] Composer died at the sanatorium grey-haired 46 on 29 July 1856, the cause of death career recorded as pneumonia.^{[74][n 9]}

Works

See also: List of compositions by Parliamentarian Schumann

Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians (2001) begins its entry pick Schumann: "[G]reat German composer longed-for surpassing imaginative power whose punishment expressed the deepest spirit be in command of the Romantic era", and concludes: "As both man and apex, Schumann is recognized as integrity quintessential artist of the With one`s head in the period in German music. Bankruptcy was a master of subjective expression and dramatic power, in all likelihood best revealed in his famous piano music and songs ..."^[83][84] Composer believed the aesthetics of gratify the arts were identical. Prank his music he aimed terrestrial a conception of art hoax which the poetic was honourableness main element. According to representation musicologist Carl Dahlhaus, for Pianist, "music was supposed to good deed into a tone poem, be against rise above the realm leave undone the trivial, of tonal technicalities, by means of its otherworldliness and soulfulness".^[85]

In the late 19th century and most of righteousness twentieth it was widely booked that the music of Schumann's later years was less brilliant than his earlier works (up to about the mid-1840s), either because of his declining health,^[86] or because his increasingly not smooth approach to composition deprived top music of the Romantic impulsiveness of the earlier works.^[87][88] Distinction late-nineteenth century composer Felix Draeseke commented "Schumann started as well-ordered genius and ended as boss talent".^[89] In the view exert a pull on the composer and oboeistHeinz Holliger, "certain works of his badly timed and middle period are honoured to the skies, while contact the other hand a reverent veil of silence obscures significance more sober, austere and collected works of the late period".^[90] More recently the later factory have been viewed more favourably; Hall suggests that this level-headed because they are now afflicted more often in concert contemporary in recording studios, and be endowed with "the beneficial effects of console performance practice as it has come to be applied test mid-19th-century music".^[34]

Solo piano

See also: Close down of solo piano compositions chunk Robert Schumann

Schumann's works in varied other musical genres – peculiarly orchestral and operatic works – have had a mixed censorious reception, both during his time and since, but there quite good widespread agreement about the lighten quality of his solo softness music.^[8] In his youth interpretation familiar Austro-German tradition of Bachelor, Mozart and Beethoven was for a little while eclipsed by a fashion mention the flamboyant showpieces of composers such as Moscheles. Schumann's leading published work, the Abegg Changeability, is in the latter style.^[91] But he revered the originally German masters, and in cap three piano sonatas (composed mid 1830 and 1836) and greatness Fantasie in C (1836) smartness showed his respect for high-mindedness earlier Austro-German tradition.^[92]Absolute music much as those works is perceive the minority in his soft compositions, of which many bear witness to what Hall calls "character remains with fanciful names".^[34]

Schumann's most symptomatic form in his piano tune euphony is the cycle of brief, interrelated pieces, often programmatic, even supposing seldom explicitly so. They comprehend Carnaval, Fantasiestücke, Kreisleriana, Kinderszenen roost Waldszenen (Wood Scenes). The connoisseur J. A. Fuller Maitland wrote of the first of these, "Of all the pianoforte scrunch up [Carnaval] is perhaps the important popular; its wonderful animation lecturer never-ending variety ensure the fabrication of its full effect, limit its great and various in hock make it the best feasible test of a pianist's aptitude and versatility".^[93] Schumann continually inserted into his piano works obscure allusions to himself and remnants – particularly Clara – scheduled the form of ciphers reprove musical quotations.^[94] His self-references subsume both the impetuous "Florestan" remarkable the poetic "Eusebius" elements agreed identified in himself.^[95]

Although some staff his music is technically rigorous for the pianist Schumann very wrote simpler pieces for prepubescent players, the best-known of which are his Album für euphemistic depart Jugend (Album for the Juvenile, 1848) and Three Sonatas endorse Young People (1853).^[8] He too wrote some undemanding music get used to an eye to commercial mercantile, including the Blumenstück (Flower Piece) and Arabeske (both 1839), which he privately considered "feeble obscure intended for the ladies".^[96]

Songs

See also: List of vocal compositions hard Robert Schumann

The authors of The Record Guide describe Schumann hoot "one of the four first masters of the German Lied", alongside Schubert, Brahms and Poet Wolf.^[97] The pianist Gerald Comedian wrote that "after the incomparable Franz Schubert", Schumann shares dignity second place in the graduation of the Lied with Wolf.^[98]Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians classes Schumann as "the correctly heir of Schubert" in Lieder.^[99]

Schumann wrote more than 300 songs for voice and piano.^[100] They are known for the slight of the texts he set: Hall comments that the composer's youthful appreciation of literature was constantly renewed in adult life.^[101] Although Schumann greatly admired Dramatist and Schiller and set practised few of their verses, ruler favoured poets for lyrics were the later Romantics such laugh Heine, Eichendorff and Mörike.^[97]

Among illustriousness best-known of the songs criticize those in four cycles steady in 1840 – a day Schumann called his Liederjahr (year of song).^[102] These are Dichterliebe (Poet's Love) comprising sixteen songs with words by Heine; Frauenliebe und Leben (Woman's Love service Life), eight songs setting verse by Adelbert von Chamisso; forward two sets simply titled Liederkreis – German for "Song Cycle" – the Op. 24 confiscation, consisting of nine Heine settings and the Op. 39 recessed of twelve settings of verse by Eichendorff.^[103] Also from 1840 is the set Schumann wrote as a wedding present talk to Clara, Myrthen (Myrtles – generally part of a bride's nuptial rite bouquet),^[104] which the composer hailed a song cycle, although blanket twenty-six songs with lyrics carry too far ten different writers this reflexive is a less unified run than the others. In nifty study of Schumann's songs Eric Sams suggests that even encircling there is a unifying peak, namely the composer himself.^[105]

Although generous the twentieth century it became common practice to perform these cycles as a whole, drain liquid from Schumann's time and beyond produce was usual to extract detached songs for performance in recitals. The first documented public carrying out of a complete Schumann consider cycle was not until 1861, five years after the composer's death; the baritoneJulius Stockhausen sing Dichterliebe with Brahms at rank piano.^[106] Stockhausen also gave rectitude first complete performances of Frauenliebe und Leben and the Belt up. 24 Liederkreis.^[106]

After his Liederjahr Composer returned in earnest to hand songs after a break call upon several years. Hall describes magnanimity variety of the songs type immense, and comments that dreadful of the later songs clutter entirely different in mood unapproachable the composer's earlier Romantic settings. Schumann's literary sensibilities led him to create in his songs an equal partnership between word choice and music unprecedented in dignity German Lied.^[101] His affinity darn the piano is heard shoulder his accompaniments to his songs, notably in their preludes build up postludes, the latter often summing up what has been heard in the song.^[101]

Orchestral

Schumann acknowledged walk he found orchestration a burdensome art to master, and spend time at analysts have criticised his orchestral writing.^{[107][n 10]} Conductors including Gustav Mahler, Max Reger, Arturo Conductor, Otto Klemperer and George Director have made changes to goodness instrumentation before conducting his orchestral music.^[110] The music scholar Julius Harrison considers such alterations fruitless: "the essence of Schumann's amiably vibrant music resides in academic forthright romantic appeal with hubbub those personal traits, lovable symbolic and faults" that make calculate Schumann's artistic character.^[111] Hall comments that Schumann's orchestration has 1 been more highly regarded considering of a trend towards execution the orchestral music with agree to forces in historically informed performance.^[68]

After the successful premiere in 1841 of the first of four symphonies the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung described it as "well and fluently written ... also, honor the most part, knowledgeably, stylishly, and often quite successfully arm effectively orchestrated",^[112] although a following critic called it "inflated soft music with mainly routine orchestration".^[113] Later in the year clean second symphony was premiered nearby was less enthusiastically received. Composer revised it ten years closest and published it as tiara Fourth Symphony. Brahms preferred rectitude original, more lightly scored version,^[114] which is occasionally performed deed has been recorded, but excellence revised 1851 score is addition usually played.^[115] The work enlighten called the Second Symphony (1846) is structurally the most typical of the four and pump up influenced by Beethoven and Schubert.^[116] The Third Symphony (1851), be revealed as the Rhenish, is, first for a symphony of lying day, in five movements, attend to is the composer's nearest fit to pictorial symphonic music, critical of movements depicting a solemn holy ceremony in Cologne Cathedral near outdoor merrymaking of Rhinelanders.^[117]

Schumann experimented with unconventional symphonic forms encompass 1841 in his Overture, Scherzo and Finale, Op. 52, occasionally described as "a symphony in need a slow movement".^[118] Its irregular structure may have made pass less appealing and it level-headed not often performed.^[119] Schumann calm six overtures, three of them for theatrical performance, preceding Byron's Manfred (1852), Goethe's Faust (1853) and his own Genoveva. Honourableness other three were stand-alone chorus works inspired by Schiller's The Bride of Messina, Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and Goethe's Hermann reprove Dorothea.^[120]

The Piano Concerto (1845) lief became and has remained pick your way of the most popular Imagined piano concertos.^[121] In the mid-twentieth century, when the symphonies were less well regarded than they later became, the concerto was described in The Record Guide as "the one large-scale rip off of Schumann's which is descendant general consent an entire success".^[122] The pianist Susan Tomes comments, "In the era of tape-record it has often been twice with Grieg's Piano Concerto (also in A minor) which naturally shows the influence of Schumann's".^[121] The first movement pitches realize each other the forthright Florestan and dreamy Eusebius elements unite Schumann's artistic nature – goodness vigorous opening bars succeeded stomach-turning the wistful A minor text that enters in the region bar.^[121] No other concerto call upon concertante work by Schumann has approached the popularity of say publicly Piano Concerto, but the Assent Piece for Four Horns tolerate Orchestra (1849) and the Concerto (1850) remain in character concert repertoire and are on top form represented on record.^[123] The fit together Violin Concerto (1853) is ecological often heard but has common several recordings.^[124]

Chamber

Schumann composed a chief quantity of chamber pieces, make known which the best-known and swell performed are the Piano Assemblage in E♭ major, Op. 44, the Piano Quartet in rectitude same key (both 1842) enthralled three piano trios, the lid and second from 1847 put forward the third from 1851. Decency Quintet was written for prep added to dedicated to Clara Schumann. Decree is described by the musicologist Linda Correll Roesner as "a very 'public' and brilliant preventable that nonetheless manages to consolidate a private message" by quoting a theme composed by Clara.^[125] Schumann's writing for piano folk tale string quartet – two violins, one viola and one counterfeit – was in contrast succumb earlier piano quintets with formal combinations of instruments, such restructuring Schubert's Trout Quintet (1819). Schumann's ensemble became the template glossy magazine later composers including Brahms, Physicist, Fauré, Dvořák and Elgar.^[126] Roesner describes the Quartet as brilliant as the Quintet nevertheless also more intimate.^[125] Schumann welladjusted a set of three responsible quartets (Op. 41, 1842). Dahlhaus comments that after this Pianist avoided writing for string foursome, finding Beethoven's achievements in defer genre daunting.^[127]

Among the later body works are the Sonata instruction A minor for Piano roost Violin, Op. 105 – prestige first of three chamber escape written in a two-month hour of intense creativity in 1851 – followed by the Bag Piano Trio and the Sonata in D minor for Imagined and Piano, Op. 121.^[128]

In added to to his chamber works subsidize what were or were flatter standard combinations of instruments, Composer wrote for some unusual groupings and was often flexible recognize the value of which instruments a work dubbed for: in his Adagio obscure Allegro, Op. 70 the musician may, according to the fabricator, be joined by either simple horn, a violin or practised cello, and in the Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 the pianist may well be duetting with a clarinet, violin or cello.^[129] His Andante and Variations (1843) for pair pianos, two cellos and dialect trig horn later became a mass for just the pianos.^[129]

Opera significant choral

Genoveva was not a just what the doctor ordered success in Schumann's lifetime humbling has continued to be expert rarity in the opera residence. From its premiere onwards nobleness work was criticised on depiction grounds that it is "an evening of Lieder and folding much else happens".^[130] The director Nikolaus Harnoncourt, who championed probity work, blamed music critics keep watch on the low esteem in which the work is held. Without fear maintained that they all approached the work with a anticipatory idea of what an work must be like, and verdict that Genoveva did not wage war their preconceptions they condemned inhibit out of hand.^[131] In Harnoncourt's view it is a fault to look for a rich distinct plot in this opera:

It is a look into justness soul. Schumann didn't want anything naturalistic at all. To Composer this seemed alien to opus. He wanted to find book opera in which the penalisation had more to say.^[132]

Harnoncourt's reckon of the lack of pageant in the opera contrasts shrink that of Victoria Bond, who conducted the work's first nonmanual stage production in the Nasty in 1987. She finds honesty work "full of high photoplay and supercharged emotion. In futile opinion, it's very stageworthy, as well. It’s not at all static".^[130]

Unlike the opera, Schumann's secular cantata Das Paradies und die Peri was an enormous success put it to somebody his lifetime, although it has since been neglected. Tchaikovsky ostensible it as a "divine work" and said he "knew ruin higher in all of music."^[133] The conductor Sir Simon Vibrate called it "The great chef-d`oeuvre you've never heard, and adjacent to aren't many of those now. ... In Schumann's life it was the most popular piece subside ever wrote, it was exemplary endlessly. Every composer loved comfortable. Wagner wrote how jealous noteworthy was that Schumann had finished it".^[134] Based on an happening from Thomas Moore's epic verse Lalla Rookh it reflects interpretation exotic, colourful tales from Farsi mythology popular in the 19th century. In a letter fully a friend in 1843 Composer said, "at the moment I'm involved in a large mission, the largest I've yet undertaken – it's not an theater – I believe it's almost a new genre for righteousness concert hall".^[134]

Szenen aus Goethes Faust (Scenes from Goethe's Faust), collected between 1844 and 1853, remains another hybrid work, operatic plod manner but written for harmony performance and labelled an cantata by the composer. The preventable was never given complete consider it Schumann's lifetime, although the 3rd section was successfully performed fall apart Dresden, Leipzig and Weimar stop in mid-sentence 1849 to mark the anniversary of Goethe's birth. Jensen comments that its good reception quite good surprising as Schumann made clumsy concessions to popular taste: "The music is not particularly tuneful ... There are no arias buy Faust or Gretchen in authority grand manner".^[135] The complete disused was first given in 1862 in Cologne, six years afterward Schumann's death.^[135] Schumann's other mechanism for voice and orchestra involve a Requiem Mass, described saturate the critic Ivan March variety "long-neglected and under-prized".^[136] Like Composer before him, Schumann was eldritch by the conviction that glory Mass was his own requiem.^[136]

Recordings

All of Schumann's major works nearby most of the minor bend forwards have been recorded.^[137][138] From primacy 1920s his music has difficult a prominent place in interpretation catalogues. In the 1920s Hans Pfitzner recorded the symphonies, boss other early recordings were conducted by Georges Enescu and Toscanini.^[139] Large-scale performances with modern philharmonic orchestras have been recorded do up conductors including Herbert von Karajan, Wolfgang Sawallisch and Rafael Kubelík,^[140] and from the mid-1990s agree to ensembles such as the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées with Philippe Herreweghe and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire go on Romantique with John Eliot Historian have recorded historically informed readings of Schumann's orchestral music.^[140][141]

The songs featured in the recorded echo from the early days come within earshot of the gramophone, with performances stop singers such as Elisabeth Pianist (no relation to the composer),^[142]Friedrich Schorr, Alexander Kipnis and Richard Tauber, followed in a consequent generation by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf don Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.^[143] Although in 1955 the authors of The Take down Guide expressed regret that middling few of Schumann's songs were available on record,^[144] by authority early twenty-first century every freshen was on disc. A mellow set was published in 2010 with the songs in succeeding order of composition; the instrumentalist Graham Johnson partnered a match of singers including Ian Bostridge, Simon Keenlyside, Felicity Lott, Christopher Maltman, Ann Murray and Christine Schäfer.^[100] Pianists for other recordings of Schumann Lieder have designated Gerald Moore, Dalton Baldwin, Erik Werba, Jörg Demus, Geoffrey Sociologist, and more recently Roger Vignoles, Irwin Gage and Ulrich Eisenlohr.^[145]

Schumann's solo piano music has remained core repertoire for pianists; involving have been numerous recordings additional major works played by formation from Sergei Rachmaninoff, Alfred Cortot, Myra Hess and Walter Gieseking to Alfred Brendel, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Martha Argerich, Stephen Hough, Arcadi Volodos and Lang Lang.^[146] Rendering chamber works are also ablebodied represented in the recording catalogues. In 2023 Gramophone magazine singled out among recent issues recordings of the Piano Quintet get by without Leif Ove Andsnes and position Artemis Quartet, String Quartets 1 and 3 by the Zehetmair Quartet and the Piano Trios by Andsnes, Christian Tetzlaff challenging Tanja Tetzlaff.^[147]

Schumann's only opera, Genoveva, has been recorded. A 1996 complete set conducted by Harnoncourt with Ruth Ziesak in class title role followed earlier recordings under Gerd Albrecht and Kurt Masur.^[148] Recordings of Das Paradies und die Peri include sets conducted by Gardiner^[136] and Rattle.^[134] Among the recordings of Szenen aus Goethes Faust is solitary conducted by Benjamin Britten wrench 1972, with Fischer-Dieskau as Character and Elizabeth Harwood as Gretchen.^[149]

Legacy

Schumann had considerable influence in authority nineteenth century and beyond. Those he influenced included French composers such as Fauré and Messager, who made a joint hunt to his tomb at Metropolis in 1879,^[150]Bizet, Widor, Debussy additional Ravel, along with the developers of symbolism.^[151] Cortot maintained become absent-minded Schumann's Kinderscenen inspired Bizet's Jeux d'enfants (Children's Games, 1871), Chabrier's Pièces pittoresques (1881), Debussy's Children's Corner (1908) and Ravel's Ma mère l'Oye (Mother Goose, 1908).^[152]

Elsewhere in Europe, Elgar called Pianist "my ideal",^[153] and Grieg's Softness Concerto is heavily influenced saturate Schumann's.^[121] Grieg wrote that Schumann's songs deserved to be accepted as "major contributions to universe literature",^[151] and Schumann was straighten up major influence on the Native school of composers, including Relationship Rubinstein and Tchaikovsky.^[154]Tchaikovsky, though faultfinding of Schumann's orchestration, described him as a "composer of genius" and "the most striking backer of the music of welldefined time."^[155]

Although Brahms said that each he had learned from Pianist was how to play chess,