Clara Schumann

Background info:
(1819-1896) Leipzig, Germany
Era where women, apart from singers, almost never performed in public or
composed-did both
Classical music from the romantic period
Husband-Robert Schumann
o Interpreter of his work
Primary force in reintroducing 18
th
century keyboard music to the pubic
(many unknown until 2
nd
half of the 20
th
century and many unpublished
Studies with Friedrich Wieck, her father who made his career in music
(taught piano, opened an instrument-selling business, and music lending
library) age of 5
o Gave Clara the finest music education (piano, violin, theory, and
composition- the best teachers in Leizig, Dresden and Berlin
Age of nine-performed for the first time in Leipzig Gewandhaus
Age 11- formal debut
Until 1838, father acted as Claras manager and mentor as she toured
Germany, France and Austria
One f the few pianists at the time who performed from memory
Not only promoted her own compositions, but also introduced works of
other major composures, including Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van
Beethoven, Franz Shubert and Robert Schumann.
o Because her husband had a self-inflicted injury to his right hand, Clara
took on the task of performing it for him
o At age of 12, gave her first performance of his piano work Pipillons in
1831
o Earned most of the money in the Schumann household playing piano
and teaching
Clara and Robert Schumann
o 1836 Clara falls in love with Robert (17 years old), a pupil of her
father
o father doesn't like it because he only saw him as another unknown
composure, while his daughter was already a famous and
accomplished composure
o announced marriage but father wouldn't allow it. In Germany a
woman needed consent of father in order to marry, Robert turned to
the courts for allowance and was granted a year later.
o Married 1840 at 20/21
o Bore 8 children but continued to perform, compose and teach piano as
well as supporting Robert and his career. In return, Robert
encouraged Clara to compose and contracted publishers for her. But
he made it clear that his creative work took priority over hers
She arranged many of his instrumental works for piano and
performed them during her concert tours and he pad homage
to her compositional efforts by including many quotations
from her works in his
o Widowed at 37, due to husbands mental illness
Resumed concert tours after Roberts death, but only composed one march
(March)
Much of her compositions remained relatively unknown until 1879.
Spent most of time editing Roberts works
1878 became principal piano teacher at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt
while continuing her career as performer
passed away in Frankfurt

Important works:
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bANWdzQPchQ

Piano Trio Op. 17 in G minor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ-RkjbXDlY



Cites:
http://www.musicacademyonline.com/composer/biographies.php?bid=51
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Schumann-Clara.htm
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/clara-wieck-schumann-mn0001499984
http://kidsmusiccorner.co.uk/composers/classical/clara-schumann/