The biography of Schumann - the great German composer - like the life of any famous person, was filled with curious, anecdotal cases and tragic entanglements of fate. Why didn’t Schumann become a virtuoso pianist, as he dreamed of in his youth, and why did he have to choose a compositional path? How did this affect his mental health, and where did the famous author end his life?
Composer Schumann (biography): childhood and adolescence
Schumann was born on June 8, 1810 in Germany. The town of Zwickau became his hometown. The father of the future composer was a book publisher, a non-poor man, so he strove to give his son a decent education.
From childhood, the boy showed literary abilities - when Robert studied at the gymnasium, in addition to composing poems, dramas and comedies, he also organized a literary circle on his own. Under the influence of the German sentimental writer Jean Paul, the young man even composed a literary novel. Given all these facts, Schumann's biography could have turned out very differently - the boy could very well follow in the footsteps of his father. But the world of music excited Robert more than literary activity.
Schumann, whose biography and work throughout his life were tightly tied to musical art, wrote his first musical work in ten years. Perhaps this was the first sign that another great composer was born.
Robert Schumann (short biography): pianist career
Schumann began to show interest in playing the piano from an early age. He was very impressed with the play of the pianist Mosheles, as well as Paganini. The young man was eager to become a virtuoso instrumentalist and did not spare forces for this.
First, the future composer took lessons from the organist Kunst. Under the strict guidance of his first teacher, the boy began to create his own musical works - mainly sketches. After meeting Schubert, Robert wrote several songs.
However, the parents insisted that their son have a serious education, so Robert goes to Leipzig to study as a lawyer. But Schumann, whose biography, it seemed, could not have turned out differently, still reaches for music, so he continues to study piano under the guidance of a new teacher - Friedrich Wick. The latter sincerely believed that his student could become the most virtuoso pianist in Germany.
But Robert too fanatically pursued his goal, so he overdid it with classes - he earned a tendon stretch and said goodbye to his pianist career.
Education
As mentioned above, Schumann studied law at the University of Leipzig, and then at Heidelberg. But Robert did not become a lawyer, preferring music.
The beginning of composer activity
Robert Schuman, whose biography after the injury was completely devoted to composing, most likely was very worried that he would never be able to fulfill his dream and become a famous pianist. After that, the character of the young man changed - he became taciturn, too vulnerable, stopped joking and pranking his friends as soon as he knew how to do it. Once, as a young man, Schumann went into a musical instrument store and jokingly introduced himself as the English Lord's mastermaster, who instructed him to choose a piano for music. Robert outplayed all the expensive instruments in the cabin, amusing himself with onlookers and buyers. As a result, Schumann said that in two days he would give the salon owner an answer about the purchase, and he, as if nothing had happened, left for another city on his own business.
But in the 30s. I had to say goodbye to the career of a pianist, and the young man devoted himself entirely to the creation of musical works. Just at this period, the heyday of his composer's work came to a head.
Music features
Schumann worked in the era of romanticism and, of course, this reflected in his work.
Robert Schumann, whose biography was, in a sense, filled with personal experiences, wrote psychological music that was far from folklore motifs. Schumann's works are something “personal”. His music is very changeable, which reflects the split personality that the composer gradually began to fall ill with. Schumann himself did not conceal that duality was peculiar to his nature.
The harmonious language of his works is more complex than that of his contemporaries. The rhythm of Schumann's creations is rather whimsical and capricious. But this did not prevent the composer from gaining fame during his lifetime.
Once, during a walk in the park, the composer whistled under his breath a theme from the Carnival. One of the passers-by made a remark to him: they say that if you have no hearing, it is better not to “spoil” the works of a respected composer.
Among the most famous works of the composer are the following:
- romance cycles "Poet's Love", "Circle of Songs";
- piano cycles "Butterflies", "Carnival", "Kreislerian", etc.
Musical newspaper
Schumann, whose brief biography would not have been complete without engaging in literature, did not give up his hobby, and applied his literary talent to journalism. With the support of his many friends connected with the world of music, Schumann founded the New Musical Newspaper in 1834. Over time, it turned into a periodical and quite influential publication. The composer wrote many articles for his own publication. He welcomed everything new in music, so he supported young composers. By the way, Schumann was one of the first to recognize Chopin's talent and wrote a separate article in his honor. Schumann also supported Liszt, Berlioz, Brahms and many other composers.
Often in his articles, the hero of our story had to repulse many music critics who were unflattering about his work. Schumann also “did” not in the spirit of the times, so he needed to defend his views on musical art.
Personal life
In 1840, closer to 30 years old, Robert Schumann married. His chosen one was the daughter of his teacher, Friedrich Vick.
Clara Wieck was a well-known and virtuoso pianist. She was also involved in composer art and supported her husband in all endeavors.
Schumann, whose short biography was rich in musical activity by the age of 30, had never been married, and it seemed that his personal life did not bother him much. But before the marriage, he honestly warned his future wife that his character was very complicated: he often acts contrary to close and dear people, for some reason it turns out that it hurts precisely those whom he loves.
But the bride was not very frightened by these shortcomings of the composer. The wedding took place, and Klara Wieck and Robert Schumann lived in marriage until the end of their days, left behind eight children and were buried in the same cemetery.
Health problems and death
Schumann's biography was full of various events, the composer left behind a rich musical and literary heritage. Such an obsession with his work and life could not pass without a trace. At about age 35, the composer began to show the first signs of a serious nervous breakdown. For two years he did not write anything.
And although the composer was given various honors, invited to serious posts, he could no longer return to his former life. His nerves finally shook.
At age 44, the composer, for the first time after an attack of protracted depression, attempted suicide by throwing himself from a bridge to the Rhine. They managed to save him, but there were no special changes in his state of health. Schumann spent two years in a psychiatric hospital and died at 46. For all this time, the composer has not created a single piece.
Interesting facts from the biography
Who knows how the life of a composer would have been if he had not injured his fingers on his hand and still became a pianist ... Perhaps Schumann, whose biography ended at 46, would have lived a longer life and not have lost his mind.
By the way, there is a version that the composer injured his fingers by creating a home-made simulator for them according to the type of instruments of Henry Hertz and Tiziano Poly. The essence of the simulators is that the middle finger was tied to a cord, which was attached to the ceiling. This tool was designed to train the stamina and amplitude of the fingers. But with inept use, you can also break tendons in this way.
There is another version according to which Schumann had to be treated for syphilis in a fashionable way at that time - to inhale mercury vapor, which caused a side effect in the form of finger paralysis. But Schumann's wife did not confirm any of these versions.
International Composer Competition
Schumann's biography and his work are so popular in the music world that personal competitions and awards are often organized in honor of the famous composer. Back in 1956, the first competition for performers of academic music, called Internationaler Robert-Schumann-Wettbewerb, was held in Berlin.
The first event was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the composer's death, and the first winners of the competition were the representative of the German Democratic Republic Annerose Schmidt in the nomination “Piano”, as well as representatives of the USSR: Alexander Vedernikov, Kira Izotova in the nomination “Vocal”. Subsequently, contestants from the USSR almost every year won prizes until 1985. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was only in 1996 that the representative from Russia, Mikhail Mordvinov, won the competition in the Piano nomination.
Robert Schuman Award
R. Schumann, whose biography and creative heritage became the pride of world art, gave his name and prizes, which are awarded to performers of academic music since 1964. The award was established by the administration of the composer's hometown - Zwickau. It is awarded only to those figures who promote the music of the composer and carry it to the masses. In 2003, the material component of the award amounted to 10,000 euros.
Until 1989, the names of Soviet artists often fell into the list of prize winners. The representative from Russia then appeared on the list of winners only in 2000. That year Olga Loseva became the laureate of the prize; since then the prize has not been awarded to immigrants from the CIS countries even once.