Robert Schumann

Robert Schumann (* 8 June 1810 in Zwickau, Kingdom of Saxony; † 29 July 1856 in Endenich, Rhine Province, now a district of Bonn) was a German composer, music critic and conductor. He is now counted among the most important composers of the Romantic period. In the first phase of his career he composed mainly piano music. In 1840, the year of his marriage to the pianist Clara Wieck, he wrote nearly 150 songs. In the following years, his oeuvre developed into great variety: from then on, he also composed orchestral music (including four symphonies), concertante works, chamber music, choral music and an opera.

Robert Schumann possessed a literary-musical double talent. Poems, artistic prose, drafts of dramas and musical compositions stood side by side on an equal footing in his younger years. It was not until after 1830 that music became the focus of his life concept, and he saw himself as a tone poet. Both in his compositions and, from 1834 at the latest, with the help of his literary works, he strove for a poetic music with a promising future, distancing himself from the program music of Franz Liszt.

Many contemporaries considered his works too difficult. For a long time, the bon mot persisted that he began as a genius and ended as a talent, and that his late works were marked by his illness, which led to an insane asylum. But with the musicological discussion of late works since the end of the 20th century, the view of this has changed. Schumann's complete works are now widely acknowledged, and he is unreservedly regarded as one of the great composers of the 19th century.

Robert Schumann's family

Siblings

• Emilie (1796-1825): suffered from severe depression and took her own life.
• Eduard (1799-1839): continued the company after August Schumann's death; was married to Maria Therese née Semmel (1805-1887), a daughter.
• Carl (1801-1849), book printer and publisher in Schneeberg; Robert Schumann had a particularly cordial relationship with him and his wife Rosalie née Illing (1809-1833).
• Julius (1805-1833), bookseller in Zwickau, married to Emilie Sophie Wilhelmine née Lorenz (1810-1860); four children.

Children

• Marie (September 1, 1841 - November 14, 1929): Godfather was Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, among others. Marie had a close relationship with Clara Schumann, managed the household; accompanied her mother on concert tours, taught her mother's students, was Clara Schumann's assistant at the Hoch'schen Conservatory in Frankfurt.
• Elise (25 April 1843 - 1 July 1928): Piano teacher in Frankfurt, married to the merchant Louis Sommerhoff, four children.
• Julie (11 March 1845 - 10 November 1872): lived most of the time with friends of Clara Schumann in the south because of her endangered health; married Count Vittorio Amadeo Radicati di Marmorito, died at the age of 27 during her third pregnancy. Brahms dedicated the Alto Rhapsody op. 53 to her as well as his Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann op. 23. Robert Schumann composed the Sonata op. 118 No. 1 for his daughter.
• Emil (8 February 1846 - 22 June 1847): died as an infant, godmother was the singer Livia Frege.
• Ludwig (January 20, 1848 - January 9, 1899): unsuccessful school attendance, aborted vocational training; diagnosed as mentally ill, he lived for almost 30 years in the state institution for incurable mental patients in Colditz Castle.
• Ferdinand (16 July 1849 - 6 June 1891): became a bank clerk in Berlin; married Antonie née Deutsch, seven children; became a drug addict, lived on his mother's support.
• Eugenie (1 December 1851 - 25 September 1938): spent most of her childhood and youth with a friend of Clara Schumann's or in boarding houses, due to her mother's necessary concert activities, before moving to Frankfurt to live with her mother and eldest sister Marie for about 20 years; subsequently lived in England for 20 years as a piano teacher; her partner was the singer Marie Fillunger.
• Felix (11 June 1854 - 16 February 1879): was born about three months after the beginning of Schumann's time in the mental hospital. In a letter to his wife dated September 18, 1854, Robert Schumann decided to choose the name Felix as his Christian name from three first names given at the registry office: "If you want to know which is my favorite name, you can probably guess it, the unforgettable one!" This meant the name of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, who had already died on November 4, 1847. Musical career and law studies failed; literary attempts; died of pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of 24.

Works

According to his own account, Robert Schumann composed a few piano pieces as early as 1817, even before his first piano lessons. From 1822 onwards, he designed several large-scale musical projects with larger instrumentation, which he was, however, only able to realize in part. In his project book he recorded his early works, which were later discarded, partly unfinished and unpublished during his lifetime, including, among others, the setting to music of the 150th Psalm (1822), the setting to music of the 150th Psalm (1822) and the setting to music of the 150th Psalm (1822). Psalm (1822), fragments of an opera (1822/23), 11 songs (1827/28), 8 polonaises for piano four hands (1827), variations on a theme by Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia for piano (1828), a piano quintet in C minor (1828/29), and beginnings of a piano concerto in F major (1830). When permanent complaints in his right hand thwarted a virtuoso career, Schumann devoted himself entirely to composing. The first published work was the Abegg Variations op. 1, published under the name Thème sur le nom Abegg varié pour le pianoforte in 1831.

Op. 1 to Op. 23, written between 1827 and 1839, are exclusively works for solo piano. In the years that followed, Schumann devoted himself systematically and with emphasis to other genres in succession. He wrote songs, orchestral and concertante works, chamber music, oratorios, stage music, choral music, an opera, polyphonic works for piano, pedal piano and organ, works for children and young people, and sacred music. The last valid works are the so-called Ghost Variations on an own theme in E-flat major for piano (1854) and the piano accompaniments to the 24 Caprices for solo violin by Paganini, which were written down in Endenich. Two chorale movements and several fugues were also written in Endenich, but these have been lost.

Until about 1845 Robert Schumann worked out his works on the piano. After that, he composed mostly at a standing desk, occasionally using the piano as a control instrument. From Schumann's diary: "I wrote most, almost all, the smallest of my pieces in inspiration, many in unbelievable speed, such as my first symphony in B major in four days, a song cycle of twenty pieces as well, the Peri in (likewise) relatively short time. It was only from 1845 onwards, when I began to invent and work out everything in my head, that a completely different way of composing began to develop."

Piano music

• Eight Polonaises for piano four hands o. op. (1828)
• Abegg Variations op. 1 (1829/1830)
• Papillons op. 2 (1829-1832)
• Studies for the pianoforte after caprices by Paganini op. 3 (1832)
• Intermezzi op. 4 (1832)
• Impromptus on a Romance by Clara Wieck op. 5 (1st version: 1833; 2nd version: 1850)
• Davidsbündlertänze. 18 character pieces op. 6 (1837)
• Toccata in C major op. 7 (early version: 1829/1830; final version: 1833)
• Allegro op. 8 (1831-1832)
• Carnaval op. 9 (1833 and winter 1834/1835)
• Six Concert Etudes after Caprices by Paganini op. 10 (1832/1833)
• Piano Sonata No. 1 in F sharp minor op. 11 (1832-1835)
• Fantasiestücke op. 12 (1837; No. 7: probably already 1836)
• Twelve Symphonic Etudes op. 13 (1st version: 1834-1835, possibly also 1836; 2nd version: 1849-1851)
• Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, op. 14 ("Concerto without Orchestra"; 1st version: 1835/1836; 2nd version: between April 1850 and June 1852)
• Kinderszenen op. 15 (1838; nos. 6 and 9: presumably already 1837)
• Kreisleriana op. 16 (1838)
• Fantasy in C major op. 17 (1836/1838)
• Arabesque op. 18 (1838-1839)
• Flower Piece op. 19 (1838-1839)
• Humoresque op. 20 (1838-1839)
• Novellettes op. 21 (1838)
• Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, op. 22 (June 1830, 1833, October 1835 and December 1838)
• Night Pieces op. 23 (1839/1840)
• Faschingsschwank aus Wien. Fantasiebilder for piano op. 26 (No. 1-4: 1839; No. 5: probably winter 1839/1840)
• Three Romances op. 28 (1839)
• Scherzo, Gigue, Romance and Fughette op. 32 (Nos. 1-3: 1838; No. 4: October 1839)
• Andante and Variations in B flat major for two pianos op. 46 (1843; original version for two pianos, two violoncellos and horn)
• Studies for Pedal Grand Piano. Six pieces in canonic form op. 56 (1845)
• Sketches for pedal piano op. 58 (1845)
• Six fugues on BACH for organ or pedal piano op. 60 (1845; revision: 1846)
• Pictures from the East. Six Impromptus op. 66 (four hands) (1848)
• Album for the Youth op. 68 (1848)
• Four Fugues op. 72 (1845)
• Four marches op. 76 (1849)
• Forest Scenes. Nine pieces op. 82 (1848-1849)
• Twelve piano pieces for four hands for small and large children op. 85 (1849)
• Bunte Blätter. Fourteen piano pieces op. 99 (1834/1835 [?] - 1849; compilation of the album: end of 1850)
• Ball Scenes. Nine characteristic tone pieces (four hands) op. 109 (1849/1851)
• Three Fantasy Pieces op. 111 (1851)
• Three Piano Sonatas for the Youth op. 118 (1853)
• Album leaves. 20 piano pieces op. 124 (1832/1833, 1835-1839, 1841, 1843, 1845, 1853)
• Seven piano pieces in fughetto form op. 126 (1853)
• Kinderball. Six easy dance pieces op. 130 (four hands; 1853; No. 3: probably 1850)
• Songs of the Early Days op. 133 (1853)
• Piano accompaniments to all 24 caprices from Paganini's Op. 1 WoO 25 (1853-1855)
• Theme with Variations in E-flat major ("Ghost Variations"; 1854)

Symphonies

• Symphony in G minor WoO 29, called Youth Symphony or Zwickau Symphony (1832-33), incomplete (two movements finished, two more sketched)
• No. 1 in B flat major op. 38, Spring Symphony (1841)
• No. 2 in C major op. 61 (1845/1846, revision 1846-47)
• No. 3 in E flat major op. 97, Rhenish (1850)
• No. 4 in D minor op. 120 (first version 1841, revision to the final version 1851)

Other orchestral works

• Overture, Scherzo and Finale op. 52 (1841)
• Overture in C minor to Schiller's drama The Bride of Messina op. 100 (1850-51)
• Overture in F minor to Shakespeare's drama Julius Caesar op. 128 (1851)
• Overture in B minor to Goethe's verse epic Hermann and Dorothea op. 136 (1851)

Concertante works

• Concerto for piano and orchestra in A minor op. 54 (original version of the 1st movement: May 1841; revision: August 1841, January 1843, again by the end of July 1845; 2nd and 3rd movements: 1845)
• Concert Piece for four horns and large orchestra in F major, op. 86 (18 February to 11 March 1849); also version for piano and orchestra by the composer
• Introduction and Allegro appassionato. Concert Piece for Piano and Orchestra op. 92 (18-26 September 1849)
• Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra in A minor op. 129 (October/November 1850); also version for violin and orchestra by the composer
• Concerto-Allegro with Introduction for piano and orchestra op. 134 (24-30 August 1853)
• Fantasy in C major for violin and orchestra op. 131 (1853)
• Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor WoO 1 (21 September to 3 October 1853)

Choral works with orchestra (selection)

For choir and orchestra

• Nightsong op. 108

For soli, choir and orchestra

• Paradise and the Peri. Poem from Lalla Rookh by Thomas Moore op. 50 (text: 1841-1842; outline and elaboration: 1843)
• Advent Song op. 71
• Requiem for Mignon from Goethe's Wilhelm Meister op. 98b (1849)
• Der Rose Pilgerfahrt op. 112 (poem by Heinrich Moritz Horn; 1851)
• Manfred. Dramatic poem in three sections after Lord Byron for eleven speaking parts, seven solo voices, five-part choir and orchestra op. 115 (1848)
• The King's Son. Ballad for op. 116
• Ouverture with song on the Rhine wine song for tenor, choir and orchestra op. 123 (1853)
• Des Sängers Fluch. Ballade nach Ludwig Uhland op. 139 (text: 1851; sketches and score: January 1852; revised 9 October 1852)
• Vom Pagen und der Königstochter. Ballad op. 140
• The Happiness of Edenhall op. 143
• New Year's Song op. 144
• Missa sacra (Mass in C minor) op. 147 (February to April 1852; offertory and version with organ accompaniment: March 1853)
• Requiem op. 148 (1852)
• Scenes from Goethe's Faust WoO 3 (1844-1853)

Chamber music

• Three String Quartets op. 41, No. 1 in A minor, No. 2 in F major, No. 3 in A major (1842)
• Piano Quintet in E flat major op. 44 (September/October 1842)
• Piano Quartet in E flat major op. 47 (October/November 1842)
• Trio for piano, violin and violoncello No. 1 in D minor op. 63 (1847)
• Adagio and Allegro for piano and horn (violin or violoncello ad libitum) op. 70 (14-17 February 1849)
• Three Fantasy Pieces for piano and clarinet (oboe d'amore, violin or violoncello ad libitum) op. 73 (11-13, possibly 15 February 1849)
• Trio for piano, violin and violoncello No. 2 in F major op. 80 (sketching and elaboration: 2 - 4 August 1847, revision: 26 September to 1 November 1847 and 5 - 9 April 1849)
• Fantasiestücke op. 88 for piano, violin and violoncello
• Three Romances for oboe and piano (violin or clarinet ad libitum) op. 94 (7-12 December 1849)
• Five pieces in folk tone for violoncello (violin ad libitum) and piano op. 102 (13-15 and 17 April 1849)
• Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor op. 105 (12-16 September 1851)
• Trio for piano, violin and violoncello No. 3 in G minor op. 110 (2-9 October 1851)
• Märchenbilder for piano and viola (violin ad libitum) op. 113 (1-4 March 1851)
• Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, op. 121 (October 26-November 2, 1851), dedicated "to the dear friend and master Ferdinand David".
• Fairy tale narrations for clarinet (violin ad libitum), viola and piano op. 132 (9-11 October 1853)
• Violin Sonata No. 3 in A minor WoO 2 (including movements II and IV from the F.A.E. Sonata, a joint composition by Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Albert Dietrich) (21 October to 1 November 1853)

Songs (selection)

• Liederkreis after Heinrich Heine for one voice and piano op. 24 (February 1840)
• Myrthen. Liederkreis for voice and piano op. 25 (January to April 1840)
• Three poems after Emanuel Geibel for polyphonic voice and piano op. 29 (No. 1 and 2: end of July/beginning of August 1840; No. 3: October 1840)
• Three poems after Emanuel Geibel for one voice and piano op. 30 (31 July to 2 August 1840)
• Three songs after Adelbert von Chamisso for one voice and piano op. 31 (13 and 14 July 1840)
• Twelve Songs after Justinus Kerner. A Series of Songs for One Voice and Piano op. 35 (20 November to 29 December 1840)
• Twelve poems from Friedrich Rückert's Liebesfrühling for voice and piano (together with Clara Schumann) op. 37 (1841)
• Liederkreis op. 39 after Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff for one voice and piano (1-20 May 1840; revised 1849)
• Frauenliebe und -leben. Acht Lieder nach Adelbert von Chamisso für eine Singstimme und Klavier op. 42 (sketch: July 11 and 12, elaboration: August 1840, revision: May 7, 1843)
• Dichterliebe. Liederkreis aus Heinrich Heines Buch der Lieder für eine Singstimme und Klavier op. 48 (24 May to 1 June 1840)
• Belsatzar. Ballade after Heinrich Heine for a low voice and piano op. 57 (7 February 1840)
• Songs for the Youth op. 79 (end of April - end of June 1849)
• Six songs op. 89 (1850, libretti by Wilfried von der Neun)
• Songs and chants op. 96 (1850)
• Six songs op. 107 (1851/52)
• Poems of Queen Mary Stuart for one voice and piano op. 135 (9-10, 13-15 and 16 December 1852)

Choral music

• Six songs for four-part male voice, op. 33 (1840)
• Five Songs for Mixed Choir, op. 55 (1846)
• Four Songs for Mixed Choir, op. 59 (1846)
• Three Songs for Male Choir, op. 62 (1847)
• Ritornelle in canonic tunes for polyphonic male voice, op. 65 (1847)
• Romances and Ballads for mixed choir, Heft 1, op. 67 (March/April 1849)
• Romances for female voices with piano ad libitum, Heft 1 op. 69 (1849)
• Romances and Ballads for mixed choir, Heft 2, op. 75 (March/April 1849)
• Romances for female voices with piano ad libitum, Heft 2 op. 91 (1849)
• Vier doppelchörige Gesänge für gemischten Chor a cappella, op. 141 (1849) [Actually: "Vier doppelchörige Gesänge für grössere Gesangvereine" (after the edition by Clara Schumann, Breitkopf & Härtel 1887)]
• Romances and Ballads for Choir, Heft 3, op. 145 (1849)
• Romances and Ballads for Choir, Heft 4, op. 146 (1849)

Opera

• Genoveva op. 81 (1847/48)

Liederkreis op. 39, title page of the first edition


Title page of Robert Schumann's first surviving composition: Psalm 150 from 1822


Title page of the first edition of the Piano Sonata in F-sharp minor, op. 11: PIANOFORTE SONATA. CLARAto be performed byFLORESTAN and EUSEBIUS