Often compared to Mozart, Robert Schumann was one of the leading composers of the Romantic era. He was also a music critic and talented pianist.
He is best known for his romanticized music style where he poured out his heart and soul into his works. Some experts describe his style as “bipolar” because of its complexity. Even today, his work is considered some of the best ever.
There’s a lot known about this German composer, but here are 10 interesting facts about Robert Schumann you might not know.
1. He Quit Law School To Study Music
Despite his obvious affinity for music, Schumann’s family didn’t take his career as a virtuoso pianist seriously.
After completing high school in 1828, his family demanded that he go to law school instead. He complied for a short period, but eventually, he quit law school and devoted his life to studying music full-time.
He started out as a pianist under the tutelage of German musician Friedrich Wieck. However, he ended up a composer when a permanent hand injury kept him from playing the piano.
2. He Created A New Genre Of Music
Sources credit Schumann with creating the genre of chamber music when he introduced his Piano Quintet in 1842.
The Piano Quintet is the first known musical work of its kind to use a string quartet with piano.
Schumann dedicated the song to his wife, Clara, and it was first performed by Felix Mendelssohn on piano.
3. His Pianist Wife Inspired Many Of His Popular Works
Schumann was originally engaged to another woman when he met the love of his life, Clara Wieck, in 1835. They eventually married in 1840.
Clara became popular as Schumann’s wife, but she was one of the most famous female composers and a talented musician in her own right. She was an accomplished pianist and taught music.
In fact, it has been said that Clara shaped many of Schumann’s most popular works, and she had her own musical career as a concert pianist that spanned 61 years.
4. Controversy Surrounded His Marriage
Schumann met his wife, Clara, when she was just 13 years old. Her father, Friedrich Wieck, who was also Schumann’s piano teacher, introduced them.
As mentioned earlier, Schumann was initially engaged to Ernestine Von Fricken. However, he fell in love with Clara when she was 15 and broke off his engagement with Ernestine to be with her.
When Schumann asked Wieck for Clara’s hand in marriage, Wieck went to court in 1837 to stop the marriage. Schumann fought for the right to marry Clara, and they eventually married and stayed together until his death.
5. Schumann Suffered From Mental Illness
Historians believe that Schumann had dissociative identity disorder, with multiple personalities, each creating different styles of music.
He may have also had other mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, severe depression, and anxiety with frequent panic attacks. Schumann attempted suicide at least three times between 1830 and 1840.
In 1854, he asked to be admitted to an asylum. The next day, he tried to drown himself in another suicide attempt.
6. He Used Music As Self-Expression
Schumann was an introvert. His deep introspections and real-life examples from personal experience inspired much of his work. Some of his most popular pieces, like the Toccata, showed the depth of his character through his rhythmic music.
His music and his life went hand-in-hand as he composed heart-wrenching pieces that conjured up vivid imagery for listeners. Psychologists would later say that his music possessed a “bipolar” quality, which gave the music its unique style.
7. Schumann’s Multiple Personalities Were “Shown” In His Music
One of his most famous works is the Carnaval where he uses one of his personal experiences to create 22 short pianistic works in 1834.
The piece features references to their activities at the Carnival Festival and even uses the names of his close friends Paganini and Chopin as movements as a musical theme.
Historians say other names referenced throughout the piece may have been the names Schumann had given to his other personalities.
8. He Was A Family Man
Despite being deeply involved in his musical career, Schumann and his wife had a robust family life. They had eight children together. However, their fourth child, Emil, tragically died at only one year old.
People close to Schumann say he was devoted to his wife and children during his brief life. He spent most of his time surrounded by his family when he wasn’t composing music or battling mental illness.
9. He Died Young
Schumann was born in 1810. He struggled with mental illness that started around the age of 18 and died in an asylum in 1856, two years after being admitted. He was just 46 years old.
The exact cause of his death is unclear. Some believe he contracted syphilis as a student, which stayed hidden for years. Others think he might have died from mercury poisoning, a common syphilis treatment back then.
An autopsy, however, suggested he died from complications related to a brain mass, which might have caused many of his neurological problems.
10. His Mental Illness Made Him More Popular
Psychiatrists paid closer attention to Schumann’s music after his diagnosis of mental illness became more widely known.
They used it as a tool for psychiatric diagnosis and studying his bipolar moods. His doctors even believed the sharp tempo changes and the “bipolar” quality of his music were indicative of Schumann’s mental state.
This inspired musicians to conduct further studies of Schumann’s musical compilations.
Summing Up Our List Of Lesser-Known Facts About Robert Schumann
Schumann is famous for inspiring and creating some of the greatest musical works in history.
Despite suffering from mental health, he ushered in a new genre of music, created amazing pieces, and changed the psychological perspective of musicians.
Schumann also influenced future generations of musicians. His music, full of rich harmonies and expressive melodies, still touches people’s hearts today, showing just how timeless his work is.
