HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Robert & Clara Schumann

Robert Schumann

Despite an early injury to his right hand that prevented him from playing piano as he'd have liked, Robert Schumann was a highly regarded compositional master in his own time and has remained so ever since. Born on 8 June 1810 in Zwickau, Kingdom of Saxony, Schumann had a bookseller, publisher and novelist for a father. He began piano instruction and wrote juvenile compositions at age seven. As he advanced he invented the entertainment of doing comical portraits at the keyboard. He was also a writer, beginning to show promise as a teenager.

In 1828 Schumann entered law school in Leipzig, then in Heidelberg the next year, necessary if he wished to receive an inheritance from his mother. His father had died by then. Robert that year met nine year-old Clara Wieck upon her debut public performance at the Gewandhaus on 28 October 1828. He then dropped law to live in the Wieck home for about a year while studying under Clara's father, Friedrich Wieck. Along the path of separate careers Clara and Robert would eventually marry on 12 September 1840. Clara was a wholly remarkable woman who, in addition to composing extensively (: 23 Opp) and performing piano concerts, bore eight children.

Clara Schumann 1857

Clara Schumann

Autotype by Franz Hanfstaengl 1857

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Schumann's Op 1 is his 'Abegg Variations' written in 1829-30 toward publishing in Leipzig in November of 1831. Clara had written a four-part song and a couple of piano pieces in 1830, now lost, before completing her own Op 1 which was 'Quatre Polonaises' also published in 1831. Robert's first written criticism was also published in 1831, that concerning Chopin who was only nigh three months older than he, and whom he considered a genius and would promote as such.

'Variations on the name 'Abegg'' Op 1 Five piano pieces by Robert Schumann

1830 in Heidelberg Published 1831 in Leipzig

Piano: Jörg Demus

Fugue for Thought Hollywood Bowl IMSLP

Interlude Wendy Wang Wikipedia

'Quatre Polonaises' Op 1 Four piano pieces by Clara Schumann

1830 Published 1831 in Leipzig

Piano: Susanne Grützmann

IMSLP Wikipedia

Schumann's Op 2 was program music, his 'Papillons' ('Butterflies') also published sometime in 1831 to include a suite of 12 pieces referring to Jean Paul's novel, 'Die Flegeljahre'. Program music is distinguished from absolute music in that it is instrumental narrative referenced to something extramusical, compared to absolute music composed for its own sake. Clara's Op 2 was a set of nine 'Caprices en forme de valses' authored in 1832 toward publishing that year.

'Papillons' ('Butterflies') Op 2 12 piano pieces by Robert Schumann

1831 Published 1831

Piano: Jörg Demus

Misha Donat IMSLP Blair Johnston Wikipedia

'Caprices en forme de valses' Op 2 9 piano pieces by Clara Schumann

1832 Published 1832

Piano: Susanne Grutzmann

IMSLP

Schumann's Op 3 was a set of six caprices titled 'Etudes after Paganini' [IMSLP]. On 18 November 1832 the first movement of his incomplete 'Symphony in G minor' ('Zwickauer') was performed at the Gewandhaus in Zwickau. Thirteen year-old Clara performed piano at the same concert, though in association with her father, Friedrich, not Schumann's symphony which program fared not so well [Robert Schumann Haus]. Her own Op 3 was 'Romance variée' in C major published in 1833 [IMSLP]. Robert is thought by some to have first attempted suicide the same year.

In 1833 Schumann formed Davidsbündler ('League of David'), a musical society to promote progressive rather than "philistine" music. Members of this group included Clara and her father, Friedrich, Chopin, Paganini, and Franz and Ernst Otto. The first issue of Schumann's journal of musical criticism, 'Neue Zeitschrift für Musik', was published in 1834 [RIPM]. He continued to concentrate on piano works until 1840 when he composed 138 songs. The twenty-one pieces of his 'Carnaval' below represent 21 masked revelers at Carnival.

'Carnaval' Op 9 21 piano pieces by Robert Schumann

1835 Published 1837

Piano: Arthur Rubinstein in Warsaw 1966

Colby College IMSLP Interlude Wikipedia

'Davidsbündlertänze' Op 6 18 piano character pieces by Robert Schumann

'Dances of the League of David' (Schumann's musical society)

1837 Published 1837 in Leipzig

Dedicated to Walter Goethe, last grandson of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Piano: Tiffany Poon at the Palais im Großen Garten in Dresden 2023

IMSLP Wikipedia

'Kinderszenen' Op 15 13 piano pieces by Robert Schumann

'Scenes from Childhood'

Sometime 1838 Published 1839 in Leipzig dedicated to Chopin

Piano: Tiffany Poon at the Palais im Großen Garten in Dresden 17 June 2023

Hollywood Bowl IMSLP Wikipedia

'Kreisleriana' Op 16 8 piano fantasies by Robert Schumann

April 1838 Published 1838 in Vienna

Piano: Daria Burlak

Grant Hiroshima IMSLP Wikipedia

'Dichterliebe' ('A Poet's Love') Op 48 16 songs by Robert Schumann

1840 Revised and published 1844

Dedicated to the soprano Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient

Lyrics from Heinrich Heine's 'Das Buch der Lieder' of 1823

Piano: Hubert Giesen Tenor: Fritz Wunderlich

IMSLP Wikipedia

What is catalogued as Schumann's 'Symphony No. 4' was actually his second that premiered in Leipzig on 6 December of 1841 as No. 2 at that time. The revised version premiered in Düsseldorf on 3 March of 1853.

'Symphony No.4' D minor Op 120 Robert Schumann

Completed June 1841 to premiere 6 Dec 1841 in Leipzig conducted by Ferdinand David

Revised June 1851 to premiere 3 March 1853 in Düsseldorf conducted by Robert Schumann

Version 1 dedicated to Clara Schumann Version 2 dedicated to Joseph Joachim

Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Robin Ticciati

Calvin Dotsey Peter Gutmann IMSLP

Michael Morrison Wikipedia Kenneth Woods

Schumann focused on chamber works in 1842, then became a professor at Mendelssohn's Conservatory of Music in 1843. Though Schumann had small affection for Jews he made Mendelssohn a guarded exception. He that year premiered what he felt to be his best work, his oratorio titled 'Das Paradies und die Peri' ('Paradise and the Peri') Op 50 with libretto by Emil Flechsig after Thomas Moore's 'Lalla-Rookh' of 1817.

'Das Paradies und die Peri' Op 50 Oratorio by Robert Schumann

Completed 1843 to premiere 4 Dec 1843 in Leipzig

Libretto by Emil Flechzig

Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno / Petr Fiala

Brno Philharmonic / Roland Kluttig

Davidsbuendler IMSLP Wikipedia

In 1844 Schumann toured with Clara to Russia. His 'Symphony No.2' Op 61 was in the works as of December of 1845, premiering at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig on 5 November 1846. Schumann dedicated this symphony to Oscar I, King of Sweden and Norway, upon its publishing in 1847.

'Symphony No.2' C major Op 61 Robert Schumann

Premiere 5 Nov 1846 at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig conducted by Felix Mendelssohn

Mahler Chamber Orchestra / Daniel Harding

Proms Musical Festival at Royal Albert Hall in London 2013

Roger Dettmer IMSLP Steven Ledbetter

Tom Service Wikipedia Kenneth Woods

'Piano Trio No.1' D minor Op 63 4 movements by Robert Schumann

1847 toward publishing in 1848

Scored for piano / violin / cello

Piano: Inna Faliks Violin: Movses Pogossian Cello: Clive Greensmith

Zipper Hall in Los Angeles 23 Feb 2014

Kai Christiansen IMSLP Timothy Judd John Palmer Wikipedia

The only opera Schumann wrote was 'Genoveva' Op 81. In this tale Genoveva is a woman married to a Christian knight, Siegfried, Count of Brabante, who must off to protect Europe from Saracen threat. While away, Genoveva is falsely accused of adultery by a spiteful servant and imprisoned for the crime. Upon hearing word of such, Siegfried wants Genoveva put to death, though soon enough learns that she is innocent. Premiering this opera at the Stadttheater in Leipzig on 25 June of 1850, it wasn't well received and Schumann wouldn't write another.

Overture to 'Genoveva' Op 81 Opera by Robert Schumann

Completed 4 Aug 1848 toward premiere on 25 June 1850 at the Stadttheater in Leipzig

Published 1851

Libretto: Robert Reinick / Robert Schumann

BBC Symphony Orchestra / John Storgards

Regentenbau in Bad Kissingen, Germany 28 June 2007

The Guardian IMSLP NPR Redlands Symphony Wikipedia

It had also been 1850, before or after 'Genoveva's' premiere, that Schumann published 'Advice to Young Musicians'. His 'Symphony No.3' (the "Rhenish") in E-flat major Op 97 was composed in November and December of 1850 toward its premiere the next year on 6 February of 1851 in Düsseldorf. The numbering of his symphonies aside, this was Schumann's final.

'Symphony No.3' E-flat major Op 97 Final symphony by Robert Schumann

'Rhenish Symphony'

Completed 9 Dec 1850 to premiere 6 Feb 1851 in Düsseldorf Published 1851

Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Robin Ticciati

Calvin Dotsey Susan Halpern IMSLP

Blair Johnston John Mangum Wikipedia Kenneth Woods

It was 1853 when Clara Schuman authored 'Drei Romanzen' Op 21 for piano followed by 'Drei Romanzen' Op 22 for piano and violin, the latter dedicated to violinist Joseph Joachim (1831-1907). It was also 1953 when she completed 'Sechs Lieder aus 'Jucunde' von Hermann Rollet' on the 21st of June. That was her final Opus as Op 23. See Hermann Rollet at IMSLP and Ockerbloom.

'Drei Romanzen' Op 21 3 piano pieces by Clara Schumann

Completed 1853

1: Andante

2: Allegretto

3: Agitato

Piano: Sharon Prushansky

Kristina Gray IMSLP

'Drei Romanzen' Op 22 3 piano pieces by Clara Schumann

Completed 1853 Published 1855

1: Andante molto in D-flat major

2: Allegretto mit zartem Vortrage in G minor

3: Leidenschaftlich schnell in B-flat major

Piano: Tatiana Chernichka Violin: Audrey Park

Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, Belgium 2024

Wikipedia

'Sechs Lieder aus 'Jucunde' von Hermann Rollet' Op 23 6 songs by Clara Schumann

Completed 21 June 1853 in Düsseldorf Published 1856 in Leipzig

鋼琴: 李偵慈 (Piano: Li Zhenci)

女高音: 韓靜雯 (Soprano: Han Jingwen)

IMSLP Graham Johnson

Schumann's works for piano generally fared better with critics than his orchestrations. Among his latest compositions were the five pieces in 'Gesänge der Frühe' ('Morning Songs' or 'Chants de l'aube') Op 133 which arrived in October 1853.

'Gesänge der Frühe' ('Morning Songs') Op 133 5 piano pieces by Robert Schumann

Completed Oct 1853 Published 1855

Piano: Hélène Boschi

IMSLP polymorph Wikipedia This album

It had been 29 August 1849 when Franz Liszt conducted portions of Schumann's 'Scenes from Goethe's Faust', an overture in D minor begun in 1842 as an oratorio, dropped, then resumed again in 1844 to see final completion in December 1853. Though not an opera, this is generally considered to be Schumann's finest dramatic work, based as it is on Goethe's 'Faust' of 1808, a major literary thrust in the rise of the Romantic period. Schumann's work entire, however, didn't see performance until 1862 several years after his death.

Overture of 'Scenes from Goethe's Faust' D minor WoO 3

Secular oratorio by Robert Schumann

Composed off and on from 1842 to 1853

Posthumous premiere 13 Jan 1862 in Cologne

Piano reduction published 1858

Cambridge University Sinfonia / Toby Hession

West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge, England 25 Nov 2017

IMSLP Bradford Robinson Wikipedia

Schumann had met twenty year-old Johannes Brahms in early 1853, whom he considered a genius and with whom both he and Clara became close friends. He begun his 'Geistervariationen' ('Ghost Variations') in E-flat major WoO 24 the next year on 10 February of 1854. On 27 February he attempted suicide by jumping into the Rhine from a bridge in Düsseldorf. Pulled from the water by fishermen, he then completed 'Geistervariationen' the next day and gave the manuscript to Clara. That was Schumann's final work, as he then requested committal to a sanitarium, to enter the Endenich asylum in Bonn on 4 March 1854. He died two and half years later at age 46 on 29 July of 1856, only two days after Clara's only visit to see him at Endenich. Though it isn't proven what killed Schumann, it's generally thought to have been syphilis exaggerated by mercury used at the time for a cure.

'Geistervariationen' ('Ghost Variations') WoO 24

Six piano pieces in E-flat major by Robert Schumann

Composed 1854

Piano: Suguru Ito

Cambridge University Sinfonia / Toby Hession

West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge, England 25 Nov 2017

IMSLP Interlude polymorph Wikipedia

During the latter years of Clara's life following Robert's death she transcribed works by Brahms and Schumann for publishing, but altogether ceased to write music excepting a short piano piece for the wedding of a friend in 1879. She died about forty years after Robert in Frankfurt on 20 May 1896.

Sources & References for Robert Schumann:

Classical Net Aryeh Oron (Bach Cantatas)

VF History (notes) Wikipedia English

Associates Musical:

Clara Schumann (1819-96 / composer / pianist / wife as of 12 Sep 1840):

Audio: Classical Archives LA Phil Presto

Chronology

Compositions (by date / by genre)

Compositions (by date / by genre / by Opus)

Compositions (by Opus)

Lyrics:

Sechs Lieder aus 'Jucunde' von Hermann Rollet (1853): English German