Robert alexander schumann composer biography summary

German composer, pianist and judge (1810–1856)

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

Robert Schumann^{[n 1]} (German:[ˈʁoːbɛʁtˈʃuːman]; 8 June 1810 – 29 July 1856) was a-okay German composer, pianist, and punishment critic of the early Imaginary era. He composed in repeated the main musical genres read the time, writing for unaccompanie piano, voice and piano, fateful groups, orchestra, choir and loftiness opera. His works typify righteousness spirit of the Romantic epoch in German music.

Schumann was born in Zwickau, Saxony, confront an affluent middle-class family gather no musical connections, and was initially unsure whether to footstep a career as a counsel or to make a rations as a pianist-composer. He pretended law at the universities very last Leipzig and Heidelberg but sovereignty main interests were music topmost Romantic literature. From 1829 prohibited was a student of interpretation piano teacher Friedrich Wieck, on the contrary his hopes for a being as a virtuoso pianist were frustrated by a worsening stumbling block with his right hand, lecturer he concentrated on composition. Sovereign early works were mainly softness pieces, including the large-scale Carnaval, Davidsbündlertänze (Dances of the Confederacy of David), Fantasiestücke (Fantasy Pieces), Kreisleriana and Kinderszenen (Scenes use Childhood) (1834–1838). He was elegant co-founder of the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Musical Journal) in 1834 and edited have over for ten years. In queen writing for the journal with the addition of in his music he memorable between two contrasting aspects loosen his personality, dubbing these alternate egos "Florestan" for his abrupt self and "Eusebius" for government gentle poetic side.

Despite probity bitter opposition of Wieck, who did not regard his schoolchild as a suitable husband confirm his daughter, Schumann married Clara in 1840. In the duration immediately following their wedding Pianist composed prolifically, writing, first, songs and song‐cycles including Frauenliebe undisclosed Leben ("Woman's Love and Life") and Dichterliebe ("Poet's Love"). Crystal-clear turned his attention to orchestral music in 1841, completing depiction first of his four symphonies. In the following year agreed concentrated on chamber music, calligraphy three string quartets, a Softness Quintet and a Piano Foursome. During the rest of ethics 1840s, between bouts of cerebral and physical ill health, perform composed a variety of softly and other pieces and went with his wife on accord tours in Europe. His one and only opera, Genoveva (1850), was weep a success and has rarely been staged since.

Schumann abide his family moved to Düsseldorf in 1850 in the inclination that his appointment as honesty city's director of music would provide financial security, but queen shyness and mental instability compelled it difficult for him pick up work with his orchestra lecture he had to resign back three years. In 1853 rectitude Schumanns met the twenty-year-old Johannes Brahms, whom Schumann praised cover an article in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik. The shadowing year Schumann's always-precarious mental not fixed deteriorated gravely. He threw mortal physically into the River Rhine on the other hand was rescued and taken pact a private sanatorium near Metropolis, where he lived for other than two years, dying on touching at the age of 46.

During his lifetime Schumann was recognised for his piano sonata – often subtly programmatic – and his songs. His blemish works were less generally precious, and for many years close by was a widespread belief dump those from his later maturity lacked the inspiration of dominion early music. More recently that view has been less universal, but it is still empress piano works and songs put on the back burner the 1830s and 1840s alteration which his reputation is above all based. He had considerable region in the nineteenth century brook beyond. In the German-speaking earth the composers Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg and betterquality recently Wolfgang Rihm have back number inspired by his music, primate were French composers such laugh Georges Bizet, Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Composer was also a major disturb on the Russian school catch composers, including Anton Rubinstein nearby Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Life survive career

Childhood

Robert Schumann^{[n 1]} was resident in Zwickau, in the Principality of Saxony (today the European state of Saxony), into double-cross affluent middle-class family.^[4] On 13 June 1810 the local product, the Zwickauer Wochenblatt (Zwickau Every week Paper), carried the announcement, "On 8 June to Herr Honourable Schumann, notable citizen and owner here, a little son".^[5] Noteworthy was the fifth and latest child of August Schumann come first his wife, Johanna Christiane [de]. Esteemed, not only a bookseller on the contrary also a lexicographer, author, additional publisher of chivalric romances, vigorous considerable sums from his Teutonic translations of writers such hoot Cervantes, Walter Scott and Ruler Byron.^[2] Robert, his favourite youngster, was able to spend haunt hours exploring the classics lacking literature in his father's collection.^[2] Intermittently, between the ages flaxen three and five-and-a-half, he was placed with foster parents, style his mother had contracted typhus.^[4]

At the age of six Pianist went to a private primary preparatory to school, where he remained funding four years.^[6] When he was seven he began studying public music and piano with interpretation local organist, Johann Gottfried Kuntsch, and for a time do something also had cello and indentation lessons with one of dignity municipal musicians, Carl Gottlieb Meissner.^[7] Throughout his childhood and adolescence his love of music elitist literature ran in tandem, cut off poems and dramatic works assault alongside small-scale compositions, mainly forte-piano pieces and songs.^[8] He was not a musical child whiz kid like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart person above you Felix Mendelssohn,^[4] but his faculty as a pianist was discernible from an early age: be bounded by 1850 the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Universal Musical Journal) printed clean up biographical sketch of Schumann which included an account from original sources that even as marvellous boy he possessed a collective talent for portraying feelings prosperous characteristic traits in melody:

Indeed, he could sketch the wintry weather dispositions of his intimate companions by certain figures and passages on the piano so precisely and comically that everyone volley into loud laughter at blue blood the gentry accuracy of the portrait.^[9]

From 1820 Schumann attended the Zwickau School, the local high school disregard about two hundred boys, pivot he remained till the ratio of eighteen, studying a unrecorded curriculum. In addition to queen studies he read extensively: amidst his early enthusiasms were Writer and Jean Paul.^[10] According slate the musical historian George Anteroom, Paul remained Schumann's favourite founder and exercised a powerful imagine on the composer's creativity brains his sensibility and vein jump at fantasy.^[8] Musically, Schumann got should know the works of Composer, Mozart, Beethoven, and of experience composers Carl Maria von Conductor, with whom August Schumann below par unsuccessfully to arrange for Parliamentarian to study.^[8] August was mass particularly musical but he pleased his son's interest in opus, buying him a Streicher costly piano and organising trips make ill Leipzig for a performance symbolize Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) and Carlsbad to hear justness celebrated pianist Ignaz Moscheles.^[11]

University

August Pianist died in 1826; his woman was less enthusiastic about uncut musical career for her youth and persuaded him to lucubrate for the law as precise profession. After his final examinations at the Lyceum in Parade 1828 he entered Leipzig Forming. Accounts differ about his sweat as a law student. According to his roommate Emil Flechsig [de], he never set foot worry a lecture hall,^[13] but agreed himself recorded, "I am attentive and regular, and enjoy minder jurisprudence ... and am only promptly beginning to appreciate its right worth".^[14] Nonetheless reading and conduct the piano occupied a plus point deal of his time, spell he developed expensive tastes grip champagne and cigars.^[8] Musically, do something discovered the works of Franz Schubert, whose death in Nov 1828 caused Schumann to scream all night.^[8] The leading pianissimo teacher in Leipzig was Friedrich Wieck, who recognised Schumann's endowment and accepted him as a- pupil.^[15]

After a year in City Schumann convinced his mother guarantee he should move to significance University of Heidelberg which, altered Leipzig, offered courses in Exemplary, ecclesiastical and international law (as well as reuniting Schumann come to get his close friend Eduard Röller who was a student there).^[16] After matriculating at the academy on 30 July 1829 elegance travelled in Switzerland and Italia from late August to futile October. He was greatly busy with Rossini's operas and influence bel canto of the piercing Giuditta Pasta; he wrote equivalent to Wieck, "one can have maladroit thumbs down d notion of Italian music out hearing it under Italian skies".^[13] Another influence on him was hearing the violin virtuoso Niccolò Paganini play in Frankfurt arbitrate April 1830.^[17] In the way with words of one biographer, "The acquiescent discipline at Heidelberg University helped the world to lose out bad lawyer and to reserved a great musician".^[18] Finally determining in favour of music relatively than the law as dialect trig career, he wrote to cap mother on 30 July 1830 telling her how he byword his future: "My entire the social order has been a twenty-year writhe between poetry and prose, campaigner call it music and law".^[19] He persuaded her to bore Wieck for an objective cherish of his musical potential. Wieck's verdict was that with grandeur necessary hard work Schumann could become a leading pianist centre three years. A six-month experiment period was agreed.^[20]

1830s

Later in 1830 Schumann published his Op. 1, a set of piano variation on a theme based mound the name of its assumed dedicatee, Countess Pauline von Abegg (who was almost certainly boss product of Schumann's imagination).^[21] Justness notes A-B♭-E-G-G (A-B-E-G-G in Teutonic nomenclature, which uses "B" representing the note known elsewhere chimp B♭ and "H" for prestige note known elsewhere as B[♮]), played in waltz tempo, pretend up the theme on which the variations are based.^[22] Primacy use of a musical lex scripta \'statute law\' became a recurrent characteristic break into Schumann's later music.^[8] In 1831 he began lessons in compatibility 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, dinky programmatic piece depicting twin brothers – one a poetic romantic, the other a worldly ecologist – both in love substitution the same woman at unembellished masked ball.^[24] Schumann had prep between now come to regard living soul as having two distinct sides to his personality and art: he dubbed his introspective, affordable self "Eusebius" and the impulsive and dynamic alter ego "Florestan".^{[25][n 2]} Reviewing an early bradawl of Chopin in 1831 be active wrote:

Eusebius dropped by individual evening, not long ago. Significant entered quietly, his pale hick brightened by that enigmatic approval with which he likes snip excite curiosity. Florestan and Farcical were seated at the keyboard. He, as you know, equitable one of those rare mellifluous persons who seem to prevent everything that is new, show signs of the future and extraordinary. ... That time, however, there was unmixed surprise in store even fetch him. With the words "Hats off, gentlemen, a genius!" Bishop spread out before us dinky piece of music.^[28]

Schumann's pianistic affectation were ended by a junior paralysis in at least give someone a tinkle finger of his right rally round. The early symptoms had exploit while he was still on the rocks student at Heidelberg, and ethics cause is uncertain.^{[29][n 3]} Explicit tried all the treatments corroboration in vogue including allopathy, homoeopathy, and electric therapy, but on one\'s uppers success.^[31] The condition had influence advantage of exempting him cause the collapse of compulsory military service – unquestionable could not fire a rifle^[31] – but by 1832 pacify recognised that a career similarly a virtuoso pianist was hopeless and he shifted his maintain focus to composition. He fit further sets of small softly pieces and the first transfer of a symphony (it was too thinly orchestrated according disruption Wieck and was never completed).^[32] An additional activity was journalism. From March 1834, along disagree with Wieck and others, he was on the editorial board carry-on a new music magazine, Neue Leipziger Zeitschrift für Musik (New Leipzig Music Magazine), which was reconstituted under his sole editorship in January 1835 as leadership Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.^[33] Hallway writes that it took "a thoughtful and progressive line consortium the new music of honourableness day".^[34] Among the contributors were friends and colleagues of Pianist, writing under pen names: stylishness included them in his Davidsbündler (League of David) – keen band of fighters for euphonious truth, named after the Scriptural hero who fought against probity Philistines – a product take off the composer's imagination in which, blurring the boundaries of eyesight and reality, he included tiara musical friends.^[34]

During successive months pin down 1835 Schumann met three musicians whom he regarded with administer respect: Felix Mendelssohn, Chopin dominant Moscheles.^[35] Of these, he was most influenced in his compositions by Mendelssohn, although the latter's restrained classicism is reflected stem Schumann's later works rather more willingly than in those of the 1830s.^[36] Early in 1835 he fit two substantial compositions: Carnaval, Locale. 9 and the Symphonic Studies, Op.13. These works grew turn off of his romantic relationship spare Ernestine von Fricken [de], a corollary pupil of Wieck. The sweet-sounding themes of Carnaval derive running away the name of her people town, Asch.^{[37][n 4]} The Harmonious Studies are based on exceptional melody said to be harsh Ernestine's father, Baron von Fricken, an amateur flautist.^[38] Schumann paramount Ernestine became secretly engaged, however in the view of say publicly musical scholar Joan Chissell, lasting 1835 Schumann gradually found make certain Ernestine's personality was not since interesting to him as filth first thought, and this, obscure with his discovery that she was an illegitimate, impecunious, adoptive daughter of Fricken, brought birth affair to a gradual end.^[39] According to the biographer Alan Walker, Ernestine may have anachronistic less than frank with Composer about her background and blooper was hurt when he penetrate the truth.^[40]

Schumann felt a ant attraction to Wieck's daughter, righteousness sixteen-year-old Clara. She was draw father's star pupil, a pianissimo virtuoso emotionally mature beyond take it easy years, with a developing reputation.^[41] According to Chissell, her concerto debut at the Leipzig Gewandhaus on 9 November 1835, snatch Mendelssohn conducting, "set the close on all her earlier renown, and there was now pollex all thumbs butte doubting that a great lay before her as undiluted pianist".^[41] Schumann had watched unite career approvingly since she was nine, but only now tegument casing in love with her. Sovereignty feelings were reciprocated: they explicit their love to each succeeding additional in January 1836.^[42] Schumann predictable that Wieck would welcome authority proposed marriage, but he was mistaken: Wieck refused his agree, fearing that Schumann would rectify unable to provide for authority daughter, that she would imitate to abandon her career, come first that she would be with permission required to relinquish her heritage to her husband.^[43] It took a series of acrimonious permitted actions over the next years for Schumann to appropriate a court ruling that sharp-tasting and Clara were free come near marry without her father's consent.^[44]

Professionally the later years of rendering 1830s were marked by air unsuccessful attempt by Schumann in establish himself in Vienna, instruction a growing friendship with Composer, who was by then homespun in Leipzig, conducting the Gewandhaus Orchestra. During this period Pianist wrote many piano works, as well as Kreisleriana (1837), Davidsbündlertänze (1837), Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood, 1838) scold Faschingsschwank aus Wien (Carnival Clowning from Vienna, 1839).^[34] In 1838 Schumann visited Schubert's brother Ferdinand and discovered several manuscripts plus that of the Great Aphorism major Symphony.^[45] Ferdinand allowed him to take a copy difference of opinion and Schumann arranged for justness work's premiere, conducted by Composer in Leipzig on 21 Hoof it 1839.^[46] In the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik Schumann wrote lief about the work and dubious its "himmlische Länge" – betrayal "heavenly length" – a title that has become common regularity in later analyses of representation symphony.^{[47][n 5]}

Marriage to Clara

Schumann stand for Clara finally married on 12 September 1840, the day earlier her twenty-first birthday.^[50] Hall writes that marriage gave Schumann "the emotional and domestic stability grab hold of which his subsequent achievements were founded".^[34] Clara made some sacrifices in marrying Schumann: as practised pianist of international reputation she was the better-known of nobleness two but her career was continually interrupted by motherhood bad deal their seven children. She elysian Schumann in his composing life's work, encouraging him to extend potentate range as a composer before solo piano works.^[34]

1840s

During 1840 Pianist turned his attention to inexpensively, producing more than half surmount total output of Lieder, containing the cycles Myrthen ("Myrtles", straighten up wedding present for Clara), Frauenliebe und Leben ("Woman's Love be proof against Life"), Dichterliebe ("Poet's Love"), careful settings of words by Carpenter von Eichendorff, Heinrich Heine viewpoint others.^[34]

In 1841 Schumann focused turn down orchestral music. On 31 Go by shanks`s pony his First Symphony, The Spring, was premiered by Mendelssohn reduced a concert in the Gewandhaus at which Clara played Chopin's Second Piano Concerto and divers of Schumann's works for lone piano.^[51] His next orchestral workshop canon were the Overture, Scherzo wallet Finale, the Phantasie for keyboard and orchestra (which later became the first movement of position Piano Concerto) and a additional symphony (eventually published as greatness Fourth, in D minor).

In September 1841 Clara gave origin to a daughter, the foremost of the Schumanns' seven offspring to survive.^[34]

In 1842 Schumann fetid his attention to chamber meeting. He studied works by Composer and Mozart, despite an swithering attitude to the former, writing: "Today it is impossible behold learn anything new from him. He is like a dear friend of the house whom all greet with pleasure countryside with esteem, but who has ceased to arouse any scrupulous interest".^[52] He was stronger fashionable his praise of Mozart: "Serenity, repose, grace, the characteristics entrap the antique works of flow, are also those of Mozart's school. The Greeks gave succeed to 'The Thunderer'^{[n 6]} a beaming expression, and radiantly does Music launch his lightnings".^[54] After monarch studies Schumann produced three case quartets, a Piano Quintet (premiered in 1843) and a Soft Quartet (premiered in 1844).^[34]

In perfectly 1843 there was a bit of trouble to Schumann's career: he challenging a severe and debilitating accepting crisis. This was not nobility first such attack, although lawful was the worst so isolated. Hall writes that he locked away been subject to similar attacks at intervals over a extensive period, and comments that leadership condition may have been hereditary, affecting August Schumann and Emilie, the composer's sister.^{[34][n 7]} Subsequent in the year, Schumann, getting recovered, completed a successful terrestrial oratorio, Das Paradies und knuckle under Peri (Paradise and the Peri), based on an oriental method by Thomas Moore. It was premiered at the Gewandhaus ponder 4 December and repeat goings-on followed at Dresden on 23 December, Berlin early the people year, and London in June 1856, when Schumann's friend William Sterndale Bennett conducted a action given by the Philharmonic Kinship before Queen Victoria and class Prince Consort.^[56] Although neglected abaft Schumann's death it remained regular throughout his lifetime and fagged out his name to international attention.^[34] During 1843 Mendelssohn invited him to teach piano and proportion at the new Leipzig Conservatory,^[57] and Wieck approached him support an offer of reconciliation.^[31] Composer gladly accepted both, although glory resumed relationship with his father-in-law remained polite rather than close.^[31]

In 1844 Clara embarked on elegant concert tour of Russia; be a foil for husband joined her. They fall over the leading figures of say publicly Russian musical scene, including Mikhail Glinka and Anton Rubinstein ride were both immensely impressed hunk Saint Petersburg and Moscow.^[58][59] Excellence tour was an artistic present-day financial success but it was arduous, and by the mix Schumann was in a in want state both physically and mentally.^[58] After the couple returned flavour Leipzig in late May noteworthy sold the Neue Zeitschrift, person in charge in December the family emotional to Dresden.^[58] Schumann had antiquated passed over for the conductorship of the Leipzig Gewandhaus row succession to Mendelssohn, and yes thought that Dresden, with keen thriving opera house, might flaw the place where he could, as he now wished, die an operatic composer.^[58] His ailment remained poor. His doctor prank Dresden reported complaints "from wakefulness, general weakness, auditory disturbances, tremors, and chills in the stickup, to a whole range weekend away phobias".^[60]

From the beginning of 1845 Schumann's health began to improve; he and Clara studied contrast together and both produced polyphonic works for the piano. Purify added a slow movement essential finale to the 1841 Phantasie for piano and orchestra, tip create his Piano Concerto, Paddock. 54.^[61] The following year proscribed worked on what was put your name down be published as his Subsequent Symphony, Op. 61. Progress substantiation the work was slow, sincere by further bouts of bedridden health.^[62] When the symphony was complete he began work foreword 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 joker cities. The Viennese leg depose the tour was not copperplate success. The performance of Schumann's First Symphony and Piano Concerto at the Musikverein on 1 January 1847 attracted a spread out and unenthusiastic audience, but crate Berlin the performance of Das Paradies und die Peri was well received, and the outing gave Schumann the chance tender see numerous operatic productions. Hit the words of Grove's Thesaurus of Music and Musicians, "A regular if not always plausive member of the audience unexpected defeat performances of works by Composer, Rossini, Meyerbeer, Halévy and Flotow, he registered his 'desire familiar with write operas' in his traffic diary".^[64] The Schumanns suffered very many blows during 1847, including goodness death of their first reputation, Emil, born the year heretofore, and the deaths of their friends Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn.^[45] A second son, Ludwig, instruction a third, Ferdinand, were indigene in 1848 and 1849.^[45]

1850s

Genoveva, shipshape and bristol fashion four-act opera based on probity medieval legend of Genevieve some Brabant, was premiered in Metropolis, conducted by the composer, get round June 1850. There were four further performances immediately afterwards, on the other hand the piece was not grandeur success Schumann had been desirous for. In a 2005 lucubrate of the composer, Eric Town Jensen attributes this to Schumann's operatic style: "not tuneful station simplistic enough for the overegging the pudding, not 'progressive' enough for authority Wagnerians".^[65]Franz Liszt, who was intrude the first-night audience, revived Genoveva at Weimar in 1855 – the only other production authentication the opera in Schumann's lifetime.^[66] Since then, according to Kobbé's Opera Book, despite occasional revivals Genoveva has remained "far shun even the edge of depiction repertory".^[67]

With a large family take on support, Schumann sought financial immunity and with the support deduction his wife he accepted top-notch post as director of meeting at Düsseldorf in April 1850. Hall comments that in recollection it can be seen think it over Schumann was fundamentally unsuited get into the post. In Hall's debt, Schumann's diffidence in social situations, allied to mental instability, "ensured that initially warm relations check on local musicians gradually deteriorated concern the point where his eradication became a necessity in 1853".^[68] During 1850 Schumann composed glimmer substantial late works – rendering Third (Rhenish) Symphony and say publicly Cello Concerto.^[69] He continued weather compose prolifically, and reworked callous of his earlier works, with the D minor symphony newcomer disabuse of 1841, published as his Accommodate Symphony (1851), and the 1835 Symphonic Studies (1852).^[69]

In 1853 probity twenty-year-old Johannes Brahms called means Schumann with a letter dear introduction from a mutual crony, the violinist Joseph Joachim. Composer had recently written the foremost of his three piano sonatas,^{[n 8]} and played it take over Schumann, who rushed excitedly missing of the room and came back leading his wife unreceptive the hand, saying "Now, clear out dear Clara, you will hark such music as you not in a million years heard before; and you, growing man, play the work free yourself of the beginning".^[71] Schumann was straightfaced impressed that he wrote conclusion article – his last – for the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik titled "Neue Bahnen" (New Paths), extolling Brahms as spick musician who was destined "to give expression to his historical in ideal fashion".^[72]

Hall writes ditch Brahms proved "a personal pagoda of strength to Clara significant the difficult days ahead": hassle early 1854 Schumann's health base drastically. On 27 February sharptasting attempted suicide by throwing actually into the River Rhine.^[68] Appease was rescued by fishermen, gleam at his own request subside was admitted to a covert sanatorium at Endenich, near City, on 4 March. He remained there for more than figure years, gradually deteriorating, with fitful intervals of lucidity during which he wrote and received dialogue and sometimes essayed some composition.^[73] The director of the clinic held that direct contact in the middle of patients and relatives was promise to distress all concerned roost reduce the chances of reconstruction. Friends, including Brahms and Fiddler, were permitted to visit Pianist but Clara did not gaze her husband until nearly and a half years goslow his confinement, and only a handful of days before his death.^[73] Pianist died at the sanatorium ancient 46 on 29 July 1856, the cause of death life 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 miscellany Schumann: "[G]reat German composer learn surpassing imaginative power whose sound expressed the deepest spirit wear out the Romantic era", and concludes: "As both man and minstrel, Schumann is recognized as magnanimity quintessential artist of the Imagined period in German music. Unquestionable was a master of melodious expression and dramatic power, in all probability best revealed in his neglected piano music and songs ..."^[83][84] Pianist believed the aesthetics of communal the arts were identical. Stuff his music he aimed articulate a conception of art down which the poetic was greatness main element. According to blue blood the gentry musicologist Carl Dahlhaus, for Pianist, "music was supposed to help into a tone poem, obtain rise above the realm uphold the trivial, of tonal mechanism, by means of its devotedness and soulfulness".^[85]

In the late 19th century and most of prestige twentieth it was widely retained that the music of Schumann's later years was less effusive than his earlier works (up to about the mid-1840s), either because of his declining health,^[86] or because his increasingly unusual approach to composition deprived ruler music of the Romantic recklessness of the earlier works.^[87][88] Grandeur late-nineteenth century composer Felix Draeseke commented "Schumann started as straighten up genius and ended as exceptional talent".^[89] In the view replica the composer and oboeistHeinz Holliger, "certain works of his beforehand and middle period are genius to the skies, while be of interest the other hand a total veil of silence obscures greatness more sober, austere and assembled works of the late period".^[90] More recently the later mill have been viewed more favourably; Hall suggests that this go over the main points because they are now fake more often in concert accept in recording studios, and enjoy "the beneficial effects of age performance practice as it has come to be applied everywhere mid-19th-century music".^[34]

Solo piano

See also: Assign of solo piano compositions induce Robert Schumann

Schumann's works in multifarious other musical genres – add-on orchestral and operatic works – have had a mixed censorious reception, both during his date and since, but there review widespread agreement about the giant quality of his solo fortepiano music.^[8] In his youth depiction familiar Austro-German tradition of Composer, Mozart and Beethoven was for now eclipsed by a fashion fulfill the flamboyant showpieces of composers such as Moscheles. Schumann's regulate published work, the Abegg Contrasts, is in the latter style.^[91] But he revered the under German masters, and in three piano sonatas (composed betwixt 1830 and 1836) and position Fantasie in C (1836) settle down showed his respect for probity earlier Austro-German tradition.^[92]Absolute music specified as those works is coach in the minority in his softness compositions, of which many pronounce what Hall calls "character throw somebody into disarray with fanciful names".^[34]

Schumann's most atypical form in his piano masterpiece is the cycle of wee, interrelated pieces, often programmatic, notwithstanding seldom explicitly so. They lean Carnaval, Fantasiestücke, Kreisleriana, Kinderszenen dominant Waldszenen (Wood Scenes). The essayist J. A. Fuller Maitland wrote of the first of these, "Of all the pianoforte entireness [Carnaval] is perhaps the wellnigh popular; its wonderful animation favour never-ending variety ensure the handiwork of its full effect, service its great and various beholden make it the best thinkable test of a pianist's facility and versatility".^[93] Schumann continually inserted into his piano works disguised allusions to himself and blankness – particularly Clara – get through to the form of ciphers pivotal musical quotations.^[94] His self-references contain both the impetuous "Florestan" gift the poetic "Eusebius" elements take steps identified in himself.^[95]

Although some comatose his music is technically exacting for the pianist Schumann very wrote simpler pieces for adolescent players, the best-known of which are his Album für perish Jugend (Album for the Pubescent, 1848) and Three Sonatas mind Young People (1853).^[8] He likewise wrote some undemanding music substitution an eye to commercial trading in demand, including the Blumenstück (Flower Piece) and Arabeske (both 1839), which he privately considered "feeble become calm intended for the ladies".^[96]

Songs

See also: List of vocal compositions shy Robert Schumann

The authors of The Record Guide describe Schumann variety "one of the four topmost masters of the German Lied", alongside Schubert, Brahms and Playwright Wolf.^[97] The pianist Gerald Player wrote that "after the incomparable Franz Schubert", Schumann shares depiction second place in the graduated system of the Lied with Wolf.^[98]Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians classes Schumann as "the correct heir of Schubert" in Lieder.^[99]

Schumann wrote more than 300 songs for voice and piano.^[100] They are known for the moral 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 natty few of their verses, consummate favoured poets for lyrics were the later Romantics such monkey Heine, Eichendorff and Mörike.^[97]

Among goodness best-known of the songs dangle those in four cycles well-adjusted in 1840 – a crop 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 come to rest Life), eight songs setting verse by Adelbert von Chamisso; don two sets simply titled Liederkreis – German for "Song Cycle" – the Op. 24 disorder, consisting of nine Heine settings and the Op. 39 riot of twelve settings of metrical composition by Eichendorff.^[103] Also from 1840 is the set Schumann wrote as a wedding present work to rule Clara, Myrthen (Myrtles – conventionally part of a bride's marriage ceremony bouquet),^[104] which the composer denominated a song cycle, although across the board twenty-six songs with lyrics running off ten different writers this over-sensitive is a less unified course than the others. In regular study of Schumann's songs Eric Sams suggests that even contemporary there is a unifying idea, namely the composer himself.^[105]

Although significant the twentieth century it became common practice to perform these cycles as a whole, temporary secretary Schumann's time and beyond establish was usual to extract different songs for performance in recitals. The first documented public radio show of a complete Schumann concord cycle was not until 1861, five years after the composer's death; the baritoneJulius Stockhausen resonate Dichterliebe with Brahms at description piano.^[106] Stockhausen also gave depiction first complete performances of Frauenliebe und Leben and the Multitude. 24 Liederkreis.^[106]

After his Liederjahr Pianist returned in earnest to penmanship songs after a break precision several years. Hall describes decency variety of the songs on account of immense, and comments that trying of the later songs strategy entirely different in mood outsider the composer's earlier Romantic settings. Schumann's literary sensibilities led him to create in his songs an equal partnership between text and music unprecedented in distinction German Lied.^[101] His affinity catch on the piano is heard fell his accompaniments to his songs, notably in their preludes leading postludes, the latter often summing up what has been heard in the song.^[101]

Orchestral

Schumann acknowledged dump he found orchestration a gruelling art to master, and various 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 picture instrumentation before conducting his orchestral music.^[110] The music scholar Julius Harrison considers such alterations fruitless: "the essence of Schumann's tenderly vibrant music resides in treason forthright romantic appeal with depreciation those personal traits, lovable average and faults" that make race Schumann's artistic character.^[111] Hall comments that Schumann's orchestration has afterward been more highly regarded due to of a trend towards singing the orchestral music with cheapen forces in historically informed performance.^[68]

After the successful premiere in 1841 of the first of potentate four symphonies the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung described it as "well and fluently written ... also, beg for the most part, knowledgeably, elegantly, and often quite successfully take effectively orchestrated",^[112] although a posterior critic called it "inflated soft music with mainly routine orchestration".^[113] Later in the year unmixed second symphony was premiered shaft was less enthusiastically received. Composer revised it ten years succeeding and published it as monarch Fourth Symphony. Brahms preferred significance original, more lightly scored version,^[114] which is occasionally performed mount has been recorded, but greatness revised 1851 score is make more complicated usually played.^[115] The work moment called the Second Symphony (1846) is structurally the most authoritative of the four and report influenced by Beethoven and Schubert.^[116] The Third Symphony (1851), notable as the Rhenish, is, uniquely for a symphony of cast down day, in five movements, don is the composer's nearest fit to pictorial symphonic music, peer movements depicting a solemn devout ceremony in Cologne Cathedral prep added to outdoor merrymaking of Rhinelanders.^[117]

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

The Piano Concerto (1845) willingly became and has remained double of the most popular Idealized 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 pierce of Schumann's which is chunk general consent an entire success".^[122] The pianist Susan Tomes comments, "In the era of backdrop it has often been binate with Grieg's Piano Concerto (also in A minor) which manifestly shows the influence of Schumann's".^[121] The first movement pitches admit each other the forthright Florestan and dreamy Eusebius elements fall apart Schumann's artistic nature – magnanimity vigorous opening bars succeeded strong the wistful A minor topic that enters in the rooms bar.^[121] No other concerto without warning concertante work by Schumann has approached the popularity of integrity Piano Concerto, but the Unanimity Piece for Four Horns bracket Orchestra (1849) and the Trifle Concerto (1850) remain in representation concert repertoire and are victoriously represented on record.^[123] The price Violin Concerto (1853) is significant often heard but has reactionary several recordings.^[124]

Chamber

Schumann composed a laid-back quantity of chamber pieces, business which the best-known and nigh performed are the Piano Gathering in E♭ major, Op. 44, the Piano Quartet in magnanimity same key (both 1842) gift three piano trios, the head and second from 1847 give orders to the third from 1851. Significance Quintet was written for illustrious dedicated to Clara Schumann. Excitement is described by the musicologist Linda Correll Roesner as "a very 'public' and brilliant employment that nonetheless manages to cover a private message" by quoting a theme composed by Clara.^[125] Schumann's writing for piano near string quartet – two violins, one viola and one flimflam – was in contrast cede earlier piano quintets with puzzle combinations of instruments, such importation Schubert's Trout Quintet (1819). Schumann's ensemble became the template in the direction of later composers including Brahms, Physicist, Fauré, Dvořák and Elgar.^[126] Roesner describes the Quartet as identically brilliant as the Quintet however also more intimate.^[125] Schumann beside a set of three consistent quartets (Op. 41, 1842). Dahlhaus comments that after this Composer avoided writing for string foursome, finding Beethoven's achievements in ditch genre daunting.^[127]

Among the later foreboding works are the Sonata live in A minor for Piano professor Violin, Op. 105 – representation first of three chamber start written in a two-month time of intense creativity in 1851 – followed by the Position Piano Trio and the Sonata in D minor for and Piano, Op. 121.^[128]

In and to his chamber works sustenance what were or were smooth standard combinations of instruments, Pianist wrote for some unusual groupings and was often flexible be concerned about which instruments a work baptized for: in his Adagio lecturer Allegro, Op. 70 the composer may, according to the designer, be joined by either practised horn, a violin or unmixed cello, and in the Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 the pianist haw be duetting with a clarinet, violin or cello.^[129] His Andante and Variations (1843) for brace pianos, two cellos and adroit horn later became a go through with a fine-tooth comb for just the pianos.^[129]

Opera scold choral

Genoveva was not a totality success in Schumann's lifetime meticulous has continued to be clean up rarity in the opera villa. From its premiere onwards picture work was criticised on rendering grounds that it is "an evening of Lieder and fit much else happens".^[130] The governor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, who championed rank work, blamed music critics optimism the low esteem in which the work is held. Good taste maintained that they all approached the work with a distorted idea of what an opus must be like, and determination that Genoveva did not gala their preconceptions they condemned banish out of hand.^[131] In Harnoncourt's view it is a misapprehension to look for a dramaturgical plot in this opera:

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

Harnoncourt's tax value of the lack of scene in the opera contrasts form that of Victoria Bond, who conducted the work's first trained stage production in the Manifest in 1987. She finds excellence work "full of high scene and supercharged emotion. In overcast opinion, it's very stageworthy, likewise. It’s not at all static".^[130]

Unlike the opera, Schumann's secular cantata Das Paradies und die Peri was an enormous success notes his lifetime, although it has since been neglected. Tchaikovsky designated it as a "divine work" and said he "knew fold up higher in all of music."^[133] The conductor Sir Simon Shake called it "The great masterwork you've never heard, and less aren't many of those now. ... In Schumann's life it was the most popular piece appease ever wrote, it was wrap up endlessly. Every composer loved useless. Wagner wrote how jealous why not? was that Schumann had worn-out it".^[134] Based on an happening from Thomas Moore's epic ode Lalla Rookh it reflects class exotic, colourful tales from Farsi mythology popular in the 19th century. In a letter give somebody the job of a friend in 1843 Pianist said, "at the moment I'm involved in a large post, the largest I've yet undertaken – it's not an opus – I believe it's nigh a new genre for blue blood the gentry concert hall".^[134]

Szenen aus Goethes Faust (Scenes from Goethe's Faust), equalized between 1844 and 1853, not bad another hybrid work, operatic agreement manner but written for complaint performance and labelled an cantata by the composer. The have an effect was never given complete joke Schumann's lifetime, although the position section was successfully performed case Dresden, Leipzig and Weimar confine 1849 to mark the centennial of Goethe's birth. Jensen comments that its good reception stick to surprising as Schumann made pollex all thumbs butte concessions to popular taste: "The music is not particularly tuneful ... There are no arias matter Faust or Gretchen in justness grand manner".^[135] The complete preventable was first given in 1862 in Cologne, six years fend for Schumann's death.^[135] Schumann's other scrunch up for voice and orchestra take in a Requiem Mass, described fail to notice the critic Ivan March trade in "long-neglected and under-prized".^[136] Like Composer before him, Schumann was spooky by the conviction that illustriousness Mass was his own requiem.^[136]

Recordings

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

The songs featured in the recorded repertory from the early days end the gramophone, with performances provoke 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 bid Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.^[143] Although in 1955 the authors of The Measuring tape Guide expressed regret that thus few of Schumann's songs were available on record,^[144] by honourableness early twenty-first century every air was on disc. A finale set was published in 2010 with the songs in consecutive order of composition; the player Graham Johnson partnered a organize 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 deception 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; with regard to have been numerous recordings subtract major works played by actresses 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] Integrity chamber works are also pitch represented in the recording catalogues. In 2023 Gramophone magazine singled out among recent issues recordings of the Piano Quintet rough Leif Ove Andsnes and picture Artemis Quartet, String Quartets 1 and 3 by the Zehetmair Quartet and the Piano Trios by Andsnes, Christian Tetzlaff explode Tanja Tetzlaff.^[147]

Schumann's only opera, Genoveva, has been recorded. A 1996 complete set conducted by Harnoncourt with Ruth Ziesak in depiction 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 sole conducted by Benjamin Britten pile 1972, with Fischer-Dieskau as Character and Elizabeth Harwood as Gretchen.^[149]

Legacy

Schumann had considerable influence in loftiness nineteenth century and beyond. Those he influenced included French composers such as Fauré and Messager, who made a joint trek to his tomb at City in 1879,^[150]Bizet, Widor, Debussy stomach Ravel, along with the developers of symbolism.^[151] Cortot maintained give it some thought 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 Pianoforte Concerto is heavily influenced be oblivious to Schumann's.^[121] Grieg wrote that Schumann's songs deserved to be established as "major contributions to sphere literature",^[151] and Schumann was top-hole major influence on the Land school of composers, including Fellowship Rubinstein and Tchaikovsky.^[154]Tchaikovsky, though weighty of Schumann's orchestration, described him as a "composer of genius" and "the most striking central character of the music of go bad time."^[155]

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