Robert Schumann was another tragic Romantic composer. He had periods of depression, tried to drown himself, and lived the last two years of his life in an asylum. Many people confuse Schubert and Schumann, but you can keep them straight.  Just remember that Schubert had little wire glasses, looked like a mushroom, and liked to go fishing for trout. Schumann ran a shoe shop and sold yellow shoes to The Happy Farmer! They both died young; Schubert died when he was 31, while Schumann lived to be 46.

Most of the composers were child prodigies, and Schumann was no exception.  (Maybe you are a child prodigy! It's a good word, even if it sounds suspicious!)  Schumann's mother, however, thought Robert should study law; he obeyed and enrolled in law school. There he met Felix Mendelssohn and decided he liked the company of musicians better than lawyers.

Schumann decided to study piano with a very good teacher. His teacher had a daughter, Clara, who was also a prodigy. Schumann fell in love with her. Clara was nine years younger than Robert. Her parents were not anxious for her to marry him; in fact, they strongly opposed the marriage. Schumann persisted and eventually resorted to a lawsuit to win the right to marry her.

Robert and Clara Schumann helped the young Brahms by promoting his music and introducing him to other famous composers. They became good friends and remained so all their lives.

Robert became one of the greatest composers of his time. Clara became the greatest woman pianist of her generation. Clara also composed music, and her works are now being performed and recorded more frequently.

Schumann wrote mostly for solo piano, but his symphonies and concertos are also a good addition to your music collection.