Overview
Clara Schumann (1819–1896 ) was one of the most outstanding figures in 19th-century music history. She was not only a celebrated child prodigy pianist and composer, but also an influential teacher and the driving force behind the success of her husband, Robert Schumann.
Here is an overview of her multifaceted life and work:
1. The early career: The child prodigy
Clara was born Clara Wieck in Leipzig. Her father, Friedrich Wieck, a strict piano teacher , molded her into a virtuoso using a rigorous training plan.
Debut : She made her official debut at the age of 9 in the Leipzig Gewandhaus.
International star: In her teenage years, she toured throughout Europe. At 18, she was appointed ” Imperial and Royal Chamber Virtuoso” in Vienna – a rare honor for a foreigner and such a young woman.
2. The marriage to Robert Schumann
The love story between Clara and Robert Schumann is legendary , but also tragic. Her father vehemently opposed the union, leading to a legal battle that lasted for years . They were finally allowed to marry in 1840.
Partners on equal footing : The couple kept a joint ” marriage diary” and inspired each other musically.
The burden of everyday life: Clara balanced her career as a global star with her role as a mother of eight children. She was often the family’s main breadwinner, as Robert increasingly suffered from mental health problems.
Johannes Brahms: After Robert’s committal to a mental asylum (1854) and his death (1856), the young Johannes Brahms became her closest confidant. The exact nature of their relationship (whether platonic or romantic) remains a subject of speculation to this day.
3. The composer
Although she often stood in the shadow of her husband and even doubted her own talent ( ” A woman doesn’t have to want to compose ” ), she left behind a significant body of work.
Important works:
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7: Composed between the ages of 14 and 16.
Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 17: Considered her masterpiece of chamber music.
Songs: She set numerous poems to music (including those by Rückert and Heine), often as birthday presents for Robert.
Style: Her music is characterized by harmonic boldness and a deeply felt romanticism.
4. Legacy and Influence
Clara Schumann had a lasting impact on modern concert life:
Playing from memory: She was one of the first pianists to play concertos entirely from memory, which is standard practice today.
Repertoire: She championed the works of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and of course Robert Schumann and Brahms, thus shaping the canon of classical music.
Pedagogy : As a professor at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, she trained an entire generation of international pianists.
History
Clara Schumann’s life began in Leipzig as the story of an extraordinary child prodigy. Under the rigorous and methodical tutelage of her father, Friedrich Wieck, she developed so rapidly that she made her debut at the renowned Gewandhaus at the age of nine . Her father purposefully molded her into an international virtuoso, which led her on tours throughout Europe during her teenage years and even earned her the title of Imperial and Royal Chamber Virtuoso in Vienna .
Into this world of success entered Robert Schumann, a pupil of her father. The affection that grew between the two, however, met with the bitter resistance of Friedrich Wieck. He saw his daughter’s career as being jeopardized by marriage . Only after years of grueling legal battles did Clara and Robert obtain permission to marry and exchange vows in 1840.
The years of their marriage were characterized by a profound artistic symbiosis, but also by enormous challenges. While Robert composed, Clara balanced her own career as an international star with raising eight children. She was often the one who secured the family’s livelihood through her concert tours. Despite her talent, she frequently subordinated her own compositions — such as her important Piano Trio in G minor — to her husband’s work .
The tragedy in Clara’s life deepened when Robert Schumann increasingly suffered from mental illness, which ultimately led to his confinement in a mental institution and his early death in 1856. At only 36 years old, Clara was left a widow and solely responsible for her seven surviving children. During this difficult time, she found lifelong support in the young Johannes Brahms. Their relationship was characterized by deep affection and mutual respect , though they later destroyed many of their letters to protect their privacy from posterity .
In her later decades , Clara Schumann cemented her reputation as the ” High Priestess of Music . ” She toured tirelessly , shaped modern concert culture through her playing without sheet music, and, as the first female professor at the Frankfurt Conservatory, passed on her knowledge to the next generation . Until her death in 1896, she remained one of the most influential women of her time, always describing art as ” the air she breathed . ”
Chronological History
The early years and the child prodigy (1819–1839 )
She was born Clara Wieck on September 13, 1819, in Leipzig. After her parents separated in 1824, her father, Friedrich Wieck, assumed sole custody of her upbringing and immediately began systematic, almost relentless piano lessons. She made her public debut in 1828 at the Leipzig Gewandhaus. In the following years, she rose to international stardom; in 1838, the Emperor appointed her ” Imperial and Royal Chamber Virtuoso ” in Vienna . During this time, she also began composing, including her Piano Concerto, Op. 7, which she completed at the age of 16.
Struggle for Love and Marriage (1840–1854 )
After a years-long legal battle with her father, she married Robert Schumann on September 12, 1840. For the next 14 years, she balanced an extraordinary workload : between 1841 and 1854, she gave birth to eight children while simultaneously continuing concert tours and composing important works such as her Piano Trio in G minor (1846). The couple moved several times, from Leipzig to Dresden (1844) and finally to Düsseldorf (1850), where Robert took up the position of music director.
Crisis and New Beginning (1854–1878 )
The year 1854 marked a turning point: After Robert’s suicide attempt and his subsequent admission to a mental asylum, Clara faced the task of supporting the family alone . During this time, her friendship with the young Johannes Brahms deepened. After Robert’s death in 1856, Clara largely gave up composing and concentrated entirely on her career as a pianist and the publication of Robert’s works. She moved via Berlin to Baden-Baden (1863), where she acquired a small house that became a meeting place for artists like Brahms for many years .
Her later years as a teacher (1878–1896)
In 1878, she became the first woman to be appointed professor at the Dr. Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt am Main – a position she held until 1892. During this time, she celebrated her major anniversaries ( 50 and 60 years on stage ) and, as a teacher, influenced generations of musicians. Her last public performance was in 1891. Clara Schumann died on May 20, 1896, in Frankfurt am Main and, as she had wished, was buried next to her husband in Bonn.
Style(s), movement ( s) and period(s) of music
Clara Schumann was a central figure of the High Romantic period. Her work and influence cannot be pigeonholed, as she assumed diverse roles as a composer, performer, and educator .
Epoch and current
Her music unmistakably belongs to the Romantic era. She lived and worked in a time when feeling , subjective expression, and the connection between music and literature (as in the art song) were paramount. Within this period, she was closely associated with the so-called Leipzig School – a circle around Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, which stood for a poetic yet formally conscious Romanticism.
Style: Traditional or Innovative?
Clara Schumann’s style was a fascinating mixture of classical rigor and romantic freedom:
Traditional at its core: She admired the old masters like Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven. This is evident in her preference for clear structures and contrapuntal techniques (e.g., in her preludes and fugues). In a time when many virtuosos relied on mere showmanship, her music was considered serious and well-founded.
Innovative in expression: Particularly in her early works , such as the Piano Concerto Op. 7, she displayed a radicalism astonishing for her age (14-16 years) . She experimented with harmonic shifts and a bold piano technique that went far beyond what was customary at the time. Her songs are characterized by a subtle psychological exploration of the texts, which she often underscored harmonically in a modern and daring manner.
Moderate or radical?
Compared to the ” radical” New German composers around Franz Liszt or Richard Wagner, who sought to break with traditional forms (such as the sonata), Clara Schumann seemed rather moderate. She rejected excessive program music and the purely external cult of virtuosity. Nevertheless, she was a pioneer of modern concert performance: her faithful and memorized interpretations of works by great composers were a radical innovation in her time, one that gave rise to the concept of the ” serving artist . ”
In summary , Clara Schumann was a conservative innovator. She preserved the legacy of the Classical and Baroque periods, but filled it with the passionate, often melancholic soul of Romanticism. Her music was “new” at the time of its creation in terms of its emotional depth, but remained ” traditional” in its respect for musical form.
Music genres
1. Piano Music (Solo)
This is her most extensive genre. Her early works were often characterized by the virtuosity of her prodigy period , but quickly developed into profound character pieces .
Virtuoso forms: Polonaises, Caprices and Variations (e.g. the Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, op. 20).
Character pieces: She particularly cultivated the genre of the romance, small, atmospheric pieces with a lyrical character (e.g. Three Romances, op. 11).
Strict forms: Later she also composed preludes and fugues (op. 16), which reflects her deep study of Baroque music.
2. The art song
Clara Schumann was an important composer of songs. Her songs are in the tradition of Schubert and Robert Schumann, but are distinguished by a very distinctive piano accompaniment that interprets the text psychologically.
She often set texts by Heinrich Heine and Friedrich Rückert to music.
A well-known example is the cycle Liebesfrühling , which she published together with Robert (she contributed three songs, including Liebst du um Schönheit ) .
3. Chamber Music
In this genre she created works that are now considered highlights of romantic chamber music.
Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 17: Arguably her most important work. Here she demonstrates her mastery in the interweaving of piano, violin, and cello, as well as in her handling of the classical sonata form.
Three Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22: A standard work for violinists , distinguished by its lyrical melodies.
4. Orchestral works and concertos
Although she composed less in this area, she left behind a remarkable early body of work:
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7: She completed this work at the age of 16. It is innovative, as the movements flow seamlessly into one another , and already demonstrates her desire to break with the traditional forms of the concerto.
In summary, it can be said that Clara Schumann perfected the small, intimate forms (songs and piano pieces ) above all , but with her piano trio she proved that she also mastered the large, complex form.
Characteristics of Music
1. The melody: Cantabile and breathing
A key characteristic of her music is its lyrical quality (cantabile ) . Clara Schumann often saw the piano as a human voice.
Melodic lines: Their melodies are rarely mere embellishment to technique; they are wide-ranging and require a fine sense of phrasing and “ breathing ” .
Inwardness: Instead of loud, triumphant themes, she often preferred intimate, almost yearning motifs that directly appeal to the emotions .
2. Harmony: Bold and chromatic
Clara Schumann was often more harmonically daring than one would have expected of a female composer of her time.
Dissonances and suspensions: She used friction and unresolved dissonances to create moments of inner turmoil or pain.
Chromatics: In her later works (such as the Piano Trio in G minor), she deliberately uses chromaticism (semitone steps) to increase harmonic tension and achieve a dark , melancholic coloring .
3. The piano part: Orchestral and demanding
Since she herself was one of the best pianists of her time, her piano arrangement is extremely well thought out:
Polyphony: Influenced by her intensive study of J.S. Bach, she often weaves several independent voices together. Her music is never “thin ” ; often two hands sound like a whole orchestra.
Wide register: It utilizes the entire keyboard – from deep, rumbling basses to sparkling highs in the treble.
A rejection of empty virtuosity : In contrast to contemporary ” keyboard lions , ” her technique always served expression. Rapid runs or arpeggios always had a poetic function for her.
4. Rhythm: Vital and complex
Their rhythms often exhibit characteristics typical of the Schumann era:
Syncopation and punctuation: These create a forward – driving , sometimes almost breathless character.
Metrical superimpositions: Often the hands play rhythms that work against each other (e.g. triplets against eighth notes), giving the music a floating, unstable quality .
Summary of the sound characteristics
Listening to Clara Schumann’s music , one experiences a controlled passion. It is:
Structurally clear (like classical music),
Emotionally profound ( like Romanticism),
Technically brilliant, but never superficial .
Effects and influences
Clara Schumann was far more than ” just” the wife of a famous composer . She was one of the most influential figures in European music history, whose work decisively shaped today’s concert life, piano playing, and the understanding of musical tradition .
Their effects can be divided into four key areas:
1. Revolution of the concert system
Clara Schumann fundamentally changed how classical music is presented . Before her, piano recitals often resembled circus performances, where technical showpieces and superficial variations on operatic melodies took center stage.
Playing from memory: She was one of the first to play her concerts entirely from memory. What is standard today was considered a sign of the highest artistic mastery back then .
Fidelity to the work: Instead of staging herself, she saw herself as a ” servant of the work ” . She established the serious character of the solo recital and brought the composer’s intention into focus.
Canon formation: Through her programming, she helped works by JS Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and of course Robert Schumann and Brahms to achieve the status as ” classics ” that they have today.
2. Keeper of Robert Schumann’s legacy
Without Clara Schumann, the work of her husband Robert would probably be far less well-known.
Ambassador: After his death in 1856, she dedicated almost four decades of her career to disseminating his music. She was the foremost interpreter of his piano works and, through her worldwide fame, gave him a platform .
, she set standards for the scholarly edition of musical scores.
3. Influence as an educator ( ” The Frankfurt School ” )
As a professor at the Dr. Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt (from 1878), she influenced an entire generation of pianists from all over the world.
Her ideal sound: She taught a technique that prioritized a ” singing tone” and musical intelligence over mere dexterity. Her students carried this ” Schumann style” well into the 20th century (e.g., Fanny Davies or Adelina de Lara).
4. Role model for women in music
In a time when professional careers for women were hardly considered by society, Clara Schumann exemplified a modern, almost revolutionary model :
Professional activity : She was the main breadwinner of the family, managed her own tours, and asserted herself as an undisputed authority in a male- dominated industry .
Composer: Although she often rated her own work modestly, she created works (such as her Piano Trio) that are considered milestones today and continue to inspire modern female composers.
In summary: Clara Schumann was the ” high priestess of music ” who exemplified the transition from virtuoso spectacle to profound , faithful concert performances. She was the moral and artistic conscience of Romanticism.
Musical activities other than composing
Clara Schumann was one of the most versatile musical personalities of her time. Besides her compositional work, she shaped the music world primarily through four other areas of activity:
1. The piano virtuoso and concert manager
Clara Schumann was considered the most important pianist of the 19th century. Her concert career spanned more than 60 years.
Worldwide tours: She traveled under the most adverse conditions (by stagecoach, ship or sleigh) across Europe, from Russia to England and from Paris to Vienna.
Self-management: In a time without concert agencies, she often organized her own performances. She took care of venue rentals, advertising, fees, and program planning.
A pioneer of the recital: She established the format of the solo piano evening and was one of the first to play works by great masters such as Beethoven or Bach from memory.
2. The editor and executor of the estate
After the death of her husband Robert in 1856, she devoted much of her energy to preserving and spreading his legacy.
Complete edition: Together with Johannes Brahms, she published the first critical complete edition of Robert Schumann’s works with the publisher Breitkopf & Härtel ( 1881–1893 ) . In doing so, she corrected manuscripts and added tempo and fingering indications.
Publication of letters: She published Robert’s ” Early Letters” (1885) to solidify the image of his character and artistic development for posterity .
3. The influential educator
As a professor, she shaped an entire generation of pianists and passed on her high artistic standards.
Dr. Hoch ‘s Conservatory: In 1878, she was appointed as the first woman to Dr. Hoch ‘s Conservatory in Frankfurt am Main. She taught there until 1892.
The “ Frankfurt School ” : Their teaching style emphasized the “ singing tone ” , a perfect technique and above all fidelity to the work – absolute fidelity to the composer’s score without unnecessary gimmickry .
The networker and supporter
Clara Schumann was a central figure in cultural life. She used her fame to promote young talent and to establish new music.
World premieres : She premiered numerous works by Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms (e.g. the Piano Quintet in F minor ) .
Artistic exchange : She was in constant contact with the leading minds of her time, including Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt, and was a valued advisor on matters of interpretation and composition .
In summary: Clara Schumann was not only a performer, but a strategic player in the music industry who, as an educator and editor, defined the understanding of romantic music well into the 20th century.
Activities besides music
1. Chronicler and diarist
One of her most consistent activities was keeping diaries .
Lifelong documentation: Her father started a diary for her when she was five years old . Later, she continued it herself, recording not only artistic successes but also her deepest personal reflections .
Marriage diary: Together with Robert, she kept a ” marriage diary ” in which they took turns exchanging information about their daily life, their reading , and their relationship. For Clara , writing was a form of moral self-affirmation and a way of processing her eventful life.
2. Family management and motherhood
In a time without modern aids, organizing a household with eight children was an immense logistical task.
Single mother: After Robert’s death in 1856, she bore sole responsibility for the upbringing and financial security of her seven surviving children.
Organization: She coordinated the staff (cooks , nannies ) , took care of her children’s education, and kept the family together despite her constant travels .
3. Extensive correspondence
Clara Schumann was a passionate and disciplined letter writer.
Networking: She was in contact with the most important personalities of her time, from musicians like Brahms and Joachim to writers and actors.
Workload: She often complained in her letters that answering correspondence cost her ” moral and physical strength , ” as she sometimes wrote hundreds of letters per year.
4. Nature and travel (outside of the tour)
Although her travels were mostly work-related, she actively sought relaxation in nature.
Summer retreat in Baden-Baden: She bought a house in Lichtental near Baden-Baden to spend the summer months there with her children. This time in the countryside was her most important escape from the hectic concert circuit.
Walks : Like many Romantics, she appreciated long walks in nature , often accompanied by friends such as Johannes Brahms, to recharge her batteries.
5. Language studies and education
succeed on her international tours , she constantly pursued further education.
Foreign languages: She took lessons in French and English, which was essential for her concert tours to Paris and London .
Reading : She was a well-read woman who engaged intensively with the literature of her time, which was also reflected in her choice of texts for her songs.
In summary, Clara Schumann’s ” free time” was usually inextricably linked to her duties as head of the family and her role as a public figure. Her house in Baden-Baden remained the rare place where she attempted to lead a semblance of a private life away from the limelight .
As a pianist
As a pianist, Clara Schumann was a figure of her era. She was not only one of the most technically accomplished virtuosos of the 19th century, but she fundamentally redefined what it means to stand at the piano and interpret music. Her playing was the antithesis of the superficial celebrity cult that was widespread at the time .
The training and the prodigy
Her path as a pianist began under the dictatorial rule of her father, Friedrich Wieck. He wanted to prove that his pedagogical method could lead any talent to perfection .
Technical foundation: Clara was trained for a hard attack and absolute precision . Her playing was characterized from an early age by a strength and stamina that was often not attributed to women at that time.
fame : While other children played, she gave concerts for Goethe, Paganini, and Liszt. The latter deeply admired her technique, although her style would later be diametrically opposed to his.
Style and aesthetics : The “High Priestess ”
As she matured, Clara developed a playing ideal that is considered the birth of modern interpretation. She was called the ” High Priestess of Music ” because she shifted the focus away from herself and towards the composer.
Fidelity to the score: While other pianists arbitrarily altered pieces or ” improved” them with embellishments , Clara played exactly what was written in the score. She saw herself as the creator ‘s medium .
The “ singing ” tone: Her playing was famous for its cantabile quality . She could literally make the piano sing , which was particularly evident in the lyrical works of Chopin and Robert Schumann.
She eschewed effects: unnecessary body movements or theatrical gestures at her instrument. Her posture was calm and focused, which only underscored her enormous inner intensity.
Revolutionary innovations in the concert hall
Clara Schumann broke with the conventions of the 19th century and shaped formats that we still experience in classical concerts today:
Playing from memory: Before Clara, playing without sheet music was considered almost arrogant or insecure. She established playing from memory as a sign of deep intellectual understanding of the work.
Demanding programs: She refused to play only ” pleasant ” pieces in her concerts . She forced her audience to perform challenging works by Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, thus cultivating a new seriousness in her listeners .
A lifelong career against all odds.
Her career as a pianist was not only an artistic calling, but often a sheer necessity.
The main breadwinner: While Robert earned hardly any money due to illness and later died , Clara financed the lives of her eight-member family through her tours .
Physical strain: She traveled throughout Europe well into old age (her last concert was in 1891 at the age of 71). Despite the onset of rheumatic symptoms and hearing loss , she never lost her technical mastery.
Clara Schumann left behind a legacy that extended beyond her own performances. She transformed piano playing into an intellectual and moral endeavor.
As a music teacher
Clara Schumann was as influential as a music educator as she was as a pianist. Her teaching was characterized by uncompromising artistic rigor, a deep reverence for the musical score, and the goal of leading piano playing from mere virtuosity to intellectual penetration .
Here is an overview of her work and her lasting contribution as a teacher:
1. The appointment to Frankfurt
In 1878, Clara Schumann took up a position that was extraordinary for the time : she was appointed as the first woman to be a professor of piano at the newly founded Dr. Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt am Main.
A prestigious project: The conservatory secured a world-class star with her. She received special conditions, was allowed to continue touring, and chose her own students .
International appeal: Thanks to her name, young talents from all over Europe, the USA and even Australia flocked to Frankfurt to study with her.
2. The “ Schumann School ” : Method and Principles
Clara Schumann represented a very clear pedagogical line that differed significantly from the technical-mechanical drill of other schools.
The “ singing tone ” : The ultimate goal was to produce a refined, lyrical tone. She demanded that her students never “ strike ” the piano , but always “ press ” or “ caress” it , in order to imitate a human voice.
Intellectual penetration: Before a student pressed the first key , they had to understand the work theoretically. She demanded that one grasp the soul of the composition, instead of merely training the fingers.
Absolute respect for the score: In a time when many pianists altered works in their own idiosyncratic ways , she was a pioneer of fidelity to the score. Fingerings and phrasing had to be executed exactly as the composer (especially Robert Schumann) had intended.
3. Discipline and maternal strictness
Her lessons often took place in her private living room, creating a personal yet highly focused atmosphere .
Attention to detail: Students reported that they sometimes spent an hour working on just a single bar or a specific phrasing.
Promotion of women: Although she herself was critical of women in the composing profession, she massively promoted female pianists and enabled many of them to enter a professional career.
4. Her lasting contribution to the music world
Her pedagogical legacy continues to this day, as she bridged the gap between the classical era and the modern piano school.
Preserving tradition: She passed on the authentic interpretation of the works of Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms directly to her students . Because she had often worked on these works with the composers themselves, her teaching was considered the ” source of truth ” .
Famous pupils : Among her most important pupils were Fanny Davies, Adelina de Lara and Ilona Eibenschütz . These musicians made recordings well into the 20th century that are now considered valuable documents of the ” Schumann style”.
Professionalization: Through her position in Frankfurt, she proved that women could succeed in academic teaching at the highest level , thus paving the way for subsequent generations of female music professors.
In summary, it can be said that Clara Schumann moralized piano pedagogy : she turned piano lessons into a teaching of artistic ethics and humility before the work.
Musical Family
The parents: The foundation
Her musical influences began with her parents, whose relationship, however, was not a happy one.
Friedrich Wieck (father): He was one of the most renowned piano teachers of his time. He owned a piano factory and a music lending business . His ambition was the driving force behind Clara’s career; he wanted to prove through her that his teaching method was infallible.
Mariane Wieck, née Tromlitz (mother): She was a gifted singer and pianist who performed as a soloist in the Leipzig Gewandhaus concerts. She herself came from a family of musicians; her father was the famous flautist Johann George Tromlitz. Mariane left the family when Clara was five years old, which further strengthened her connection to music as a ” substitute language . ”
The siblings: In the shadow of the firstborn
Clara had several brothers and half-siblings who also received musical training, but none achieved her worldwide fame.
Alwin and Gustav Wieck: Their brothers also received lessons from their father, but remained rather average musicians.
Marie Wieck (half-sister): Born from her father’s second marriage, Marie was also trained as a pianist and singer. She remained in the shadow of her famous half-sister throughout her life , but was nevertheless a respected musician and piano teacher.
Marriage to Robert Schumann
Her marriage to Robert Schumann in 1840 united two of the greatest musical talents of the Romantic era. Robert had originally been a pupil of her father. In their marriage, private life and art merged: they studied Bach’s scores together, inspired each other’s compositions, and corrected each other’s works.
The children: Music as a burden and a legacy
shaped by music or the tragic circumstances of the family .
Marie and Eugenie Schumann: They most strongly followed in their mother’s footsteps. Marie became Clara’s closest assistant and right-hand woman in teaching. Eugenie also became a pianist and wrote important memoirs about her mother and Johannes Brahms.
Felix Schumann: The youngest child was highly gifted musically and literarily. He wrote poems that were set to music by Johannes Brahms, but died tragically young of tuberculosis.
Ferdinand Schumann: He became a music dealer and thus remained connected to the music world, at least commercially .
The “ elective affinity ” : Johannes Brahms
Although not biologically related, Johannes Brahms must be mentioned as part of the musical family. From 1853 onwards, he became the Schumanns’ closest confidant. After Robert’s death, he became a kind of surrogate father and spiritual partner for Clara and her children, remaining their artistic advisor until the end of her life .
Relationships with composers
1. Robert Schumann: Total Symbiosis
Her most important relationship was with her husband. It was a connection on equal footing that went far beyond a normal marriage.
Artistic exchange: She was his most important advisor and often the first to see or hear his work . Robert once said that no musician understood him as well as she did.
The Muse: He dedicated numerous works to her (e.g., the Fantasy in C major), while she ensured , through her concert tours , that his music became known at all .
2. Johannes Brahms: A lifelong soul connection
The relationship with Brahms is one of the most enigmatic and moving in music history. In 1853, the young Brahms came to live with the Schumanns and was immediately recognized as a genius.
A pillar of support in times of need: During Robert ‘s illness and after his death, Brahms was Clara’s most important support. He took care of her children and her finances.
Artistic conscience: They sent almost all of their new compositions to each other for correction. Brahms sought her approval throughout his life; if Clara didn’t like a work, he often doubted its value.
3. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Admiration and Friendship
Mendelssohn was one of Clara’s closest friends and companions during her time in Leipzig.
The mentor: He conducted many of her concerts at the Gewandhaus. Clara admired his elegance and formal perfection.
Shared values: Both shared an aversion to superficial sensationalism and jointly championed the rediscovery of J.S. Bach. His sudden death in 1847 deeply affected them.
4. Frédéric Chopin : Respectful Distance
Clara met Chopin several times, including in Paris and Leipzig.
The pianist: Chopin admired her playing and dedicated his variations on “ La ci darem la mano ” to her .
The critic: Clara appreciated Chopin’s poetry, but was skeptical of some of his ” eccentric ” harmonic turns . Nevertheless, she was one of the first to consistently include his works in her German repertoire.
5. Franz Liszt: From Admiration to Hostility
The relationship with Liszt is an example of the aesthetic break in the 19th century.
Early years: As a young girl, Clara was fascinated by Liszt’s technical brilliance. Liszt, in turn, called her a ” priestess of art ” .
The break: Later , Clara radically rejected his extravagant lifestyle and his ” future music” (the New German School). She found his music empty and sensationalist. When Liszt arranged Robert Schumann’s works in a way she disliked, a lasting rift developed .
6. Joseph Joachim: The musical brother
The famous violinist Joseph Joachim was her closest chamber music partner for decades.
The duo: Together with him, she formed a legendary ensemble . They shared the same performance aesthetic : humility before the work and technical perfection. Besides Brahms, he was her most important confidant in musical matters.
quality in the Romantic music world . Those close to her belonged to the inner circle of ” serious” music; those rejected by her found it difficult to gain a foothold in conservative circles.
Relationship to Robert Schumann
The relationship between Clara and Robert Schumann is considered one of the most significant and tragic love and working partnerships in cultural history. It was a union in which art and life were completely intertwined.
From teacher- student relationship to forbidden love
The story began when young Robert Schumann moved into the house of Clara’s father, Friedrich Wieck, in 1830 to become a piano student. Clara was only eleven years old at the time, but already a celebrated pianist. Over the years , their initial sibling relationship developed into a deep romantic affection.
When Clara was 16, they exchanged their first kisses , leading to an unprecedented conflict with her father . Friedrich Wieck saw Robert as a mediocre composer with a dubious lifestyle who would ruin the career of his most valuable ” product ” —his daughter . A bitter, years-long battle ensued, ultimately ending in court. Only through a judicial ruling did they receive permission to marry, and they wed on September 12, 1840, the day before Clara’s 21st birthday.
The musical symbiosis
In their marriage, they formed an artistic unit that was unparalleled in the music world. They kept a joint marriage diary in which they exchanged not only everyday matters , but above all their musical ideas.
” year of song” in 1840, Robert composed numerous works as declarations of love to Clara. She, in turn, was his most important advisor and often the only one who immediately understood his complex scores.
The piano as a point of conflict: Despite their love, there were tensions. When Robert composed, he needed silence, which often prevented Clara from practicing for her concerts . Robert also sometimes felt overshadowed when she was celebrated as the real star on tours, while he was only perceived as ” the artist’s husband . ”
The distribution of roles and load
Clara assumed a dual role in the marriage that pushed her to her limits. She was the muse and interpreter of his works, but also the main breadwinner for the growing family with eight children. Robert, whose own career as a pianist had been cut short by a hand injury , increasingly suffered from bouts of depression and hallucinations. Clara managed the household, the finances, and the travels, while simultaneously trying to protect Robert’s sensitive nature from the outside world .
The tragic end
The relationship ended in disaster when Robert’s mental illness culminated in a suicide attempt in the Rhine in 1854. He was committed to a mental asylum in Endenich. On the advice of the doctors , Clara was not allowed to visit him there for almost two and a half years to avoid upsetting him. She saw him again only two days before his death in 1856. He still recognized her, but could barely speak.
After his death, Clara devoted the rest of her life – another 40 years – almost exclusively to making Robert’s music famous throughout Europe . She wore almost exclusively black and became the ” executor” of his soul. Her love for him remained the anchor of her life, even though she later cultivated a deep friendship with Johannes Brahms.
Relationship to Johannes Brahms
The relationship between Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms is one of the most profound , enigmatic , and moving connections in music history. For over 43 years, it fluctuated between passionate adoration, familial bond , and an uncompromising artistic collaboration .
The encounter in the fateful year (1853)
The story began in September 1853, when the then completely unknown, 20-year- old Johannes Brahms stood at the Schumanns’ door in Düsseldorf . Robert Schumann was immediately electrified by the young man’s talent and proclaimed him a future genius in his famous article “New Paths. ” For Clara, Brahms was initially the young, handsome ” prophet . ” But when Robert was admitted to the Endenich asylum just a few months later , in February 1854, after a suicide attempt, the relationship changed abruptly.
Support in the catastrophe (1854–1856 )
During the two and a half years that Robert was in the institution, Brahms became an indispensable rock in Clara’s life.
Practical help: He temporarily moved into the Schumanns’ house, helped with the children’s upbringing, and organized Robert’s library.
Emotional closeness : During this phase of isolation and grief, her feelings deepened . The form of address in her letters changed from the formal ” Dear Madam” to the familiar ” My beloved Clara” and finally to “You ” .
During this time, Brahms was passionately in love with the woman who was 14 years his senior. Whether this love was ever consummated remains the great mystery of music history, as both later mutually agreed to destroy a large part of their correspondence.
The Moment of Decision (1856)
After Robert’s death in July 1856, Clara and Johannes spent a summer holiday together in Switzerland. Many biographers suggest that their relationship was clarified during this time . However, the result was not a marriage, but a gradual estrangement: Brahms left, and both opted for a life of ” free” union. Clara remained Robert’s ” eternal widow,” and Brahms remained a bachelor for the rest of his life.
The artistic conscience
In the following decades, an unprecedented professional symbiosis developed.
The critic: Brahms sent almost every one of his new works to Clara before publishing it . Her judgment was the most important measure for him . If she criticized a passage, he often painstakingly revised it .
The ambassador: Clara, in turn, was the most important interpreter of his piano works and used her fame to make his music known throughout Europe.
Age and farewell
Their relationship lasted until his death. Even though there were periods of estrangement and heated arguments (often due to Brahms’s sometimes brusque manner), they always found their way back to each other. Brahms described Clara as the ” most beautiful experience” of his life.
When Clara lay dying in 1896, Brahms rushed to her side in despair, but due to train delays, he arrived only shortly after her death. He was a broken man at her funeral. He outlived her by only eleven months. His last major work, the Four Serious Songs , is considered his musical farewell to her.
Similar composers
1. Robert Schumann (1810 –1856)
The most obvious similarity is with her husband. Because they influenced each other and learned together, their musical language is often closely related.
Similarity : Both employ a highly poetic, fragmentary form at the piano and a dense, polyphonic texture. Those who enjoy Robert’s ” Scenes from Childhood” will find a very similar emotional world in Clara’s ” Romances .”
2. Fanny Hensel, née Mendelssohn (1805 –1847)
She is the most important female counterpart to Clara Schumann in German Romanticism.
Similarity : Both composed outstanding songs and sophisticated piano music. However, while Clara was known as a traveling virtuoso, Fanny worked more in a private setting ( “ Sunday concerts ” ). Her style, like that of her brother Felix, is somewhat more classical and elegant than Clara’s, but shares the same romantic intimacy.
Listening tip : The Year (piano cycle).
3. Johannes Brahms (1833 –1897)
Brahms was not only her closest friend, but also her artistic kin.
Similarity : Both shared a deep reverence for Johann Sebastian Bach and the old forms (fugue, variation). The seriousness and melancholic mood found in Clara’s late works (e.g., the Piano Trio) are at the heart of Brahms ‘s oeuvre.
Listening tip : Intermezzi for piano, op. 117.
4. Fr é d é ric Chopin (1810 –1849)
Although Chopin was of Polish origin, there are strong overlaps in the field of piano music.
Similarity : Like Chopin, Clara Schumann understood how to make the piano “sing .” Her early polonaises and mazurkas are clearly influenced by Chopin’s style. Both used the piano as a medium for extremely delicate, nuanced emotions .
Listening tip : Nocturnes.
5. Amy Beach (1867–1944 )
A generation later in the USA, Amy Beach shows a similar development to Clara.
Similarity : Beach was also a child prodigy at the piano and had to fight against societal resistance . Her style is late Romantic , often large-scale, and displays a similar structural mastery to Clara’s piano trio.
Listening tip : Gaelic Symphony.
6. Louise Farrenc (1804–1875)
The French composer was a contemporary of Clara’s and shared many of her professional challenges.
Similarity : Like Clara, she was an excellent pianist and the first female professor at a major conservatory (Paris). Musically, she resembled Clara in her preference for clear , almost Beethoven- like structures in chamber music.
Listening tip : Nonet in E-flat major.
Relationships
1. Close partnerships with soloists
Clara Schumann preferred musicians who shared her philosophy of fidelity to the original work.
Joseph Joachim (violinist): He was her most important artistic partner for decades. Together they formed a duo that set standards for chamber music throughout Europe . They gave hundreds of concerts and were united in their rejection of pure virtuosity. Joachim was like a kindred spirit to her .
Julius Stockhausen (singer ) : The baritone was her closest partner in the field of art song. Together they established the tradition of song recitals that focused on entire cycles (such as Dichterliebe or Magelone) rather than just individual, pleasing arias.
Alfred Piatti (cellist): During her regular stays in London, she formed a legendary trio with cellist Piatti and Joachim . This collaboration solidified her reputation in Victorian England.
2. Relationship with orchestras and conductors
As a soloist, she performed with the most important orchestras of her time, and the relationship was often characterized by mutual respect, but also by Clara’s strict demands .
The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra: This was her ” musical home . ” She made her debut here at the age of nine and performed there over 70 times throughout her life . She maintained a close relationship with the respective conductors, especially with Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, who shaped the orchestra into one of the best in Europe.
Vienna Philharmonic: In Vienna, she was already enthusiastically celebrated as a young woman. She was one of the few foreign artists to enjoy lasting institutional recognition there.
Hermann Levi (conductor): He was one of the conductors she particularly trusted, especially when it came to performing the works of Robert Schumann. He belonged to her closest circle of friends in Frankfurt.
3. Collaboration with piano makers
Clara Schumann was an expert in the mechanics of her instrument and worked closely with leading manufacturers to find the ideal sound.
Grotrian-Steinweg: She maintained an almost friendly relationship with this family from Braunschweig. She appreciated the durability and the singing tone of their grand pianos.
Streicher (Vienna): In her early years she preferred the Viennese action of the Streicher company, which had a lighter touch.
Broadwood and Erard: During her travels in London and Paris, she used the instruments of these companies, often giving detailed feedback on the playing style and the sound volume.
4. Institutions and Conservatories
In her later career, she herself became an institution.
Dr. Hoch ‘s Conservatory (Frankfurt): Here she not only worked as a teacher, but also shaped the entire artistic direction of the institute. She ensured that Frankfurt became a center for the ” Schumann tradition”.
Society of Friends of Music (Vienna): She was in constant contact with this powerful institution to promote the publication of her husband’s works and to coordinate concerts.
5. Influence on other pianists (contemporaries)
Although she was often in competition with others, her influence on colleagues was massive.
Sigismund Thalberg & Franz Liszt: While she got along well with Thalberg, her relationship with most of the “keyboard lions” of her time was strained . She indirectly forced other pianists to rethink their repertoire , as she proved that one could also fill concert halls with ” serious” music (Bach, Beethoven) .
Relationships with non-musicians
Although Clara Schumann was deeply rooted in the world of music, she maintained a far-reaching network of contacts with important figures in intellectual life, politics, and the arts. These relationships often provided her with the necessary intellectual respite from her demanding touring routine.
Here are the most important direct relationships with non-musicians:
1. Writers and poets
Since Clara Schumann was an important song composer, she often sought contact with the authors of the texts she set to music.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: As a nine-year – old child prodigy, she performed for Goethe in Weimar. He was so impressed that he presented her with a medal bearing his portrait and the inscription “For the artistically gifted Clara Wieck.” This encounter remained a lifelong, proud memory for Clara .
Heinrich Heine: During her stays in Paris, she met the poet several times. Although Heine was known for his sharp tongue, he admired Clara’s acting. She set several of his poems to music , including the famous ” They both loved each other ” .
Friedrich Rückert : The Schumann family was in close contact with Rückert . For his silver wedding anniversary, Clara and Robert set poems from his ” Liebesfrühling ” to music .
2. Physicians and scientists
Due to her husband Robert’s tragic medical history and her own strain, doctors were often close confidants of the family.
Dr. Franz Richarz: He was the director of the sanatorium in Endenich where Robert spent his final years. The correspondence with him was an enormous emotional burden for Clara , but it represented her only connection to her seriously ill husband.
Doctors ‘ families as a circle of friends: In cities like Düsseldorf and Frankfurt, Clara often belonged to the upper middle class , which was strongly influenced by doctors and professors . These families offered her stable social support outside the music world.
3. Visual artists
Clara Schumann moved in circles where the exchange between the arts was a matter of course .
Adolph Menzel: The famous painter was a great admirer of her playing and sketched her several times. These drawings are among the most authentic records of her appearance at the piano.
Anselm Feuerbach: The painter belonged to the close circle of friends around Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann. They shared the idealistic understanding of art characteristic of Romanticism and often met to discuss aesthetics .
4. Nobility and Politics
As an international star, Clara Schumann was a frequent guest at the European courts .
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert: Clara traveled regularly to London and was invited to Buckingham Palace by the Queen on several occasions. Since Prince Albert was himself very musical, she maintained an almost professional relationship with him . The recognition from the British royal family was crucial for her financial success in England.
Imperial Court in Vienna: As already mentioned , she was appointed Imperial and Royal Chamber Virtuoso. This official recognition secured her a social position that went far beyond that of an ordinary ” professional musician”.
5. Patrons and civic friends
Especially during her time in Frankfurt and Baden-Baden, she surrounded herself with wealthy admirers who made her life easier.
The family of Pauline Viardot-García : Although Pauline was a singer , her Parisian salon Clara opened the doors to the entire French elite , including writers such as Ivan Turgenev.
Elisabeth von Herzogenberg: Although she was highly educated musically, she primarily served Clara as a close friend and correspondent, with whom she could also unburden herself of private worries.
In summary: Non-musicians often served as a window to the world for Clara Schumann. While musicians were mostly her colleagues or competitors, she found in poets, painters, and nobles confirmation of her social status and intellectual stimulation that enriched her interpretations.
Important solo piano works
Clara Schumann’s piano works are the heart of her compositional output. They reflect her development from a brilliant virtuoso to a profound Romantic . Since she mostly wrote her pieces for her own use in the concert hall, they are often extremely demanding technically.
Here are her most important solo piano works:
1. Quatre Pi è ces Fugitives, op. 15
These “four fleeting pieces ” were created during a difficult time for Clara (around 1845) and are considered masterpieces of musical short form .
Character: They are intimate, melancholic, and harmonically very subtle. The first piece in F major is particularly captivating with its yearning melody, while the fourth piece is almost reminiscent of Brahms’ late Intermezzi .
Meaning: They show Clara as a composer who can pour “ great emotion ” into a small, concentrated form .
2. Three Romances, Op. 11
The Romance was Clara’s favorite genre. She dedicated Opus 11 to Robert Schumann, and he praised it enthusiastically.
Character: The romances are highly romantic and characterized by a ” singing ” piano style . The second romance in G minor is particularly known for its delicate, almost fragile mood, which builds to virtuosic passion.
Schumann was so impressed by the “ peculiarity ” of these pieces that he later used the theme of the first Romance in his own music.
3. Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op. 20
This work from 1853 is a moving testament to the deep bond between the married couple.
The background: Clara chose a theme from Robert’s Bunte Blätter , Op. 99. It was her birthday present for him , shortly before his illness dramatically broke out.
Style: The variations are technically highly complex. Clara demonstrates her complete mastery in the treatment of a theme – from delicate, playful figures to powerful, orchestral outbursts .
completely gave up composing after Robert’s death .
4. Soiré es Musicales, op. 6
This cycle from her early youth (written at about age 15) shows her as the young virtuoso who conquered Europe.
Contents: It contains dances such as the Mazurka and Polonaise, but also a Nocturne .
Style: One can hear the influence of Chopin, but also a very distinctive, German seriousness. The work bursts with rhythmic energy and youthful fire.
5. Three Preludes and Fugues, Op. 16
These pieces are the result of her intensive studies of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, which she undertook together with Robert.
Character: They combine the strict, baroque form of the fugue with the romantic expression of the 19th century.
wanted to show that she mastered not only ” feeling ” but also ” construction.”
6. Scherzo No. 2 in C minor, op. 14
One of their most powerful and passionate pieces.
Style: It is dramatic, stormy , and demands enormous leaping technique and power across the octaves from the pianist. It radically breaks with the cliché of the ” gentle feminine composition ” .
Clara Schumann’s piano works are now an integral part of the repertoire and are valued for their formal clarity and emotional depth .
Important chamber music
Although Clara Schumann left behind only a few works in this genre, her contributions to chamber music are among the highest quality of her entire career. They demonstrate her perfect mastery of large, multi- movement forms and the complex interaction between different instruments.
Here are her most important chamber music works:
1. Piano Trio in G minor, op. 17
This work from 1846 is undoubtedly considered her greatest masterpiece and one of the most important piano trios of the entire Romantic period.
Origin: Clara composed it during a time of severe personal crises , while Robert was in poor health and she was struggling with her fourth pregnancy .
Structure: It is classically structured in four movements . Particularly impressive are the third movement (Andante), which radiates a deep, almost painful melancholy, and the finale, in which she masterfully employs contrapuntal techniques (fugati).
Significance: The trio was highly praised by contemporaries such as Mendelssohn. Even Robert Schumann was so impressed that it inspired him to write his own first piano trios shortly afterward. It impressively refutes the prevailing prejudice that women were incapable of developing complex, large-scale structures.
2. Three Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22
These pieces, composed in 1853, are now part of the standard repertoire for violinists and are a prime example of Clara ‘s lyrical talent.
Character: The three pieces are very different in character: The first romance is dreamy and passionate, the second rather playful and melancholic, and the third impresses with a flowing, expansive melody in the piano.
Collaboration: Clara dedicated the Romances to the legendary violinist Joseph Joachim. She often performed these pieces with him ; they were a regular part of their joint concert programs.
” singing ” instrument is evident . The violin and the piano act as equal partners in an intimate dialogue .
Piano Concerto No. 3 in A minor, Op. 7 (in the version for chamber music)
Although it is primarily an orchestral work, it deserves mention in this context because Clara often performed it in smaller ensembles or conceived passages from it as chamber music.
The slow middle movement (Romance) is a pure duet between the piano and a solo cello. This intimate ensemble within a large concerto demonstrates Clara’s predilection for chamber music dialogue and delicate texture.
4. Unpublished and early attempts
In her youth and during her studies, she experimented with other instrumentations, including designs for string quartets. However, being extremely self-critical, she destroyed many of these attempts or left them unfinished, as she felt they did not meet the high standards of Robert or Mendelssohn .
In summary: Clara Schumann’s chamber music is characterized by a perfect balance between the instruments. While the piano is often demanding, it never unduly pushes itself to the forefront, but rather serves the overall musical expression. Her Piano Trio, Op. 17, remains the shining testament to her compositional emancipation.
Important Orchestral Works
Clara Schumann’s output in the field of orchestral music is small in quantity, but of enormous historical and artistic significance . Since, as a woman in the 19th century, she had little access to comprehensive instruction in composition and orchestration, her orchestral works are testaments to an extraordinary talent and a strong will.
The central work in this category is:
Piano Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 7
This is her most important and only completed work for orchestra . She began composing it at the age of 13 and finished it at 16 (1835).
Structure: The concerto consists of three movements that flow seamlessly into one another without a break ( Allegro maestoso, Romance, Finale: Allegro non troppo). This continuous structure was highly innovative for its time.
The chamber music core: In the second movement, the Romance, Clara almost completely dispenses with the orchestra. The piano enters into an intimate dialogue with a solo cello. This moment is considered one of the most poetic ideas of early Romanticism .
The finale: The last movement is a virtuosic showpiece in polonaise rhythm. Interestingly, Robert Schumann helped her with the orchestration of this movement, while the musical substance and the first two movements were entirely her own.
Significance: Clara thus created a work that confidently stands alongside the concertos of Chopin or Mendelssohn. She herself performed the premiere at the Leipzig Gewandhaus under the direction of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.
2nd movement of the concerto in F minor (1847)
More than ten years after her first concert, Clara Schumann began working on another piano concerto.
Background: It remained a single -movement fragment. For a long time, this work was almost forgotten until it was reconstructed and orchestrated in the 20th century.
Style: Compared to the youthful Op. 7, this movement is significantly more mature, darker , and harmonically more complex. It reflects the compositional experience she had gained through working on her piano trio and studying with Robert.
3. Orchestration of songs and arrangements
Although she did not write any independent symphonies , she was heavily involved in the sonic design of music:
Collaboration with Robert: It is known that she helped Robert with the review and correction of his orchestral scores (e.g., his 1st Symphony, the “Spring Symphony ” ). Her knowledge of orchestral sound was therefore very profound, even if she rarely used it for her own large scores.
Concert Overture (Project): There are indications in her diaries that she was considering an overture , but the enormous pressure from her concert tours and her growing family left her hardly the necessary time for the elaborate work on large scores.
Other Important Works
Besides her instrumental works, Clara Schumann left behind a significant legacy in the field of vocal music. Her output here focuses primarily on art songs for voice and piano, as well as on demanding choral works.
Songs for voice and piano
Clara Schumann’s songs are today considered on par with those of her husband Robert or Franz Schubert. They are characterized by a profound psychological interpretation of the lyrics, in which the piano is far more than just an accompaniment – it functions as an equal partner, further developing the mood of the text.
Of particular note are the Three Songs, Op. 12, which were published as part of a joint project with Robert Schumann under the title Liebesfrühling (Spring of Love). Clara set poems by Friedrich Rückert to music for this work . Songs such as ” Er ist gekommen in Sturm und Regen” (He Has Come in Storm and Rain) and ” Liebst du um Schönheit ” (Do You Love for Beauty) belong to the core repertoire of the German art song and captivate audiences with their emotional immediacy and harmonic sophistication.
Another important work is the six songs Opus 13, dedicated to the Queen of Denmark . It contains settings of poems by Heinrich Heine and Emanuel Geibel. The song ” Ich stand in dunklen Träumen ” (Heine) impressively demonstrates Clara’s ability to musically capture melancholy and inner turmoil. Her late Six Songs Op. 23, to texts by Hermann Rollett, finally show her at the height of her compositional maturity, with a very dense, almost chamber music-like interweaving of voice and piano.
The choral works
Although she rarely wrote for larger ensembles, she created impressive a cappella works with her Three Mixed Choirs ( to poems by Emanuel Geibel, 1848). These pieces were composed as a birthday present for Robert . The piece ” Evening Celebration in Venice” in particular demonstrates her feel for polyphonic compositional techniques and an almost atmospheric , evocative tone painting that went far beyond the usual standards of the time . These choral pieces prove that she could weave complex musical structures using only human voices, even without the support of the piano.
Anecdotes & Interesting Facts
1. The “silent ” prodigy
It’s hard to believe, but the future world -class pianist hardly spoke as a toddler. Until the age of four, she barely uttered a word and appeared to those around her as if she were hard of hearing or had a developmental delay . Only when she began systematic piano lessons with her father did she ” awaken ” mentally and linguistically. Music was quite literally her first mother tongue.
2. The “ escape” to Paris
When Clara was 19, she defied her domineering father for the first time . To meet Robert and plan her career independently, she traveled alone to Paris. For a young woman in 1839, traveling through Europe without a male escort or chaperone was an unheard – of scandal . There, she organized her own concerts and proved that she could survive without her father ‘s managerial hand .
3. Courage during the Revolution (1849)
During the Dresden May Uprising of 1849, Clara displayed incredible bravery. As the fighting escalated , she initially fled the city with the mentally unstable Robert. However, she returned to the besieged city of Dresden, braving the barricades and gunfire , to retrieve her children, whom she had left with a maid . She fearlessly marched past the soldiers and brought her family to safety.
4. The “ face” of the D-Mark
For many Germans, Clara Schumann remains the ” face of music ” to this day , as her portrait ( based on a painting by Andreas Staub) adorned the 100-Deutsche Mark banknote. She was thus one of the few women to be permanently featured on German currency . Interestingly, she looked somewhat stern on the note – an image that suited her reputation as the ” high priestess of music.”
5. A passionate cigar smoker?
In her later years, especially in the company of Johannes Brahms, Clara Schumann was not averse to pleasure. There are accounts that she occasionally smoked a cigar, or at least appreciated the scent of tobacco in the air , when Brahms was her guest. This didn’t fit at all with the image of the chaste widow, but it reveals her emancipated and independent side.
6. The matter of playing from memory
Today it’s obligatory for pianists , but in Clara’s time it was a sensation: When she began playing entire evenings without sheet music, many considered it arrogant or even ” unfeminine , ” as it seemed she wanted to place herself above the work. In fact , she did it for the opposite reason: She wanted to become one with the music. Franz Liszt was one of the few who immediately recognized her achievement as genius.
A quick fact check:
Hobbies: She loved long hikes and was an avid letter writer (it is estimated that she wrote over 20,000 letters).
Culinary delights: She was known for being an excellent hostess. In Frankfurt, her ” coffee hours ” with students and fellow musicians were legendary .
Languages: She spoke fluent French and English, which she had painstakingly taught herself for her tours.
(The writing of this article was assisted and carried out by Gemini, a Google Large Language Model (LLM). And it is only a reference document for discovering music that you do not yet know. The content of this article is not guaranteed to be completely accurate. Please verify the information with reliable sources.)