The Poet Speaks

Robert Schumann was born on this day in 1810 in Germany. Schumann is a very interesting person to learn about in many ways. He was of a very passionate temperament, was mentally unstable, was a very well-respected music critic, and of course wrote lots of very beautiful music that has stood the test of time.

Schumann would also have been possibly considered a great pianist, but while studying piano with the great Friedrich Wieck, he injured his right hand permanently and so gave that up as a career and focused on composing instead. He did fall in love with Wieck's daughter, Clara, however, and eventually married her (after a long legal battle with her father, who was very much against their union). Clara turned into one of the greatest pianists of her day, and often showcased her husband's piano works after he composed them.

An example of this is his Piano Concerto in A minor. This piece is one of the most popular romantic piano concertos in the repertoire today. Many very beautiful themes, lots of spontaneity (typical of Schumann), and impressive pianism. It was first performed by Clara. Here is a performance by the great virtuoso Martha Argerich, who I'm sure could have rivaled Clara had she lived at that time: first movement, parts 1 and 2, 2nd movement, and 3rd movement.

Schumann's skills as a writer and music critic gave him the unique opportunity to assist other younger composers and musicians who greatly benefited from his generous encouragement and enthusiasm. Schumann helped both Felix Mendelssohn and Johannes Brahms in their careers as musicians. Brahms became very close to the Schumanns later in life. Although many writers have played up that he was in love with Clara and speculate about an affair, it is unlikely that anything untoward happened between them, although Clara and Brahms did become very good friends after Schumann died (in an insane asylum).

Here are some more of Schumann's best:

Toccata, Op. 7 - a monstrously difficult piece, requiring immense technique and endurance. It displays unbridled joy and passion, but has lots of light-hearted parts, too.

Carnaval, Op. 9. This work is a set of 20 short pieces, each of very different character, very spontaneously jumping between tender/slow and frantic/fast moods. Several pieces are written with certain people in mind, such as Clara Wieck (not yet his wife), a different love-interest (displaced by Clara), composer Chopin, composer Paganini, etc. It is a very likeable piece, and very passionate. Here are the opening few pieces.

Schumann also wrote 4 symphonies, all of which are quite good. Here is the opening movement of the 3rd symphony, "Rhenish".

Finally, probably his most well-known and loved little gems, the "Scenes from Childhood", Op. 15. They are little piano pieces in which the composer reminisces about his childhood as an adult. Here they are, pieces 1-8 and 9-13. By the way, the last piece in this set is entitled "The Poet Speaks", in case you were wondering about the title of my blog entry.