Music: Romantic Period - Clara Schumann

Music: Romantic Period - Clara Schumann

Clara Schumann (1819-1896)

Clara Schumann was born Clara Wieck in 1819. Her father, Friedrich Wieck, was one of the great piano teachers of the romantic period. Clara studied piano under her father starting at age five and began performing concerts when she was nine years old. Clara had amazing talent and composed as well. However, it was not accepted for woman to compose and Clara apparently accepted this point of view. She wrote this note in her diary: “I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose- there has never yet been one to do it. Should I expect to be the one? To believe this would be arrogant, something that my father once, in former days, induced me to do.”

Clara married in 1840 to Robert Schumann against her father’s wishes. Her father had prevented the two from marrying, and they had to appeal to the court to finally marry. Ironically, Robert Schumann was a pupil of Clara’s father, Friedrich Wieck. They remained happily married, but Robert began having episodes of depression and nervous breakdowns. After he attempted to drown himself in the Rhine River, Clara sent him to an asylum where he would be taken care of. He died two years later. Clara had 8 children with Robert, but one died in infancy. Clara used her own talents to help Robert’s career before he became ill, and she performed after his death to support her children. She actually became more famous than he. She was also good friend with Johannes Brahms who admitted to falling in love with her after her husband Robert died. The two never did marry though, but they did keep in touch, and he professed his love for her until she died. She gave her last performance at age 72 and died in 1896 at 77 years old due to a stroke.