Clara Schumann (1819–1896)

Clara Schumann in old age

Born:

13th September 1819 in Leipzig, Germany.

Died:

20th May 1896 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Buried:

Alter Friedhof (Old Cemetery) in Bonn, Germany (in the same grave as her husband, Robert Schumann—see the Robert Schumann page for a picture of the grave).

Type of Music:

Classical music from the romantic period.

Some of Her Best pieces:

• Piano Concerto. (See below for a video.)
• Piano Trio Op. 17 (See the composers page for a video.)
• Several songs.

Some interesting facts:

• She is one of the very few women composers from a long time ago that most musicians have heard of.
• She was born Clara Wieck (said like ‘Veek’).
• He father, Friedrich Wieck, was a famous piano teacher.
• She married the composer Robert Schumann, although her father didn’t want her to.
• She was a very good piano player (pianist).
• She has had a great effect on the way piano concerts are done. For example, she was one of the first pianists to play music from memory.
• She earned most of the money in the Schumann household (very unusual at the time!). She did this by playing the piano and teaching.
• Brahms was in love with her. He even looked after her children while she played at concerts!
• She had a lot of sadness in her life. Her husband died many years before her, and four of her eight children died before her as well.
• After her husband died, she mainly played his pieces at concerts.
• She composed nothing after the age of 36. In later life she said, “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 able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?”. Don’t you think this is so sad? 🙁