Schumann - who is he? A failed pianist, a brilliant composer or a sharp music critic? Lecture-concert "Robert Schumann and children's music" Robert Schumann emphasis

SCHUMANN (Schumann) Robert (1810-56), German composer and music critic. Exponent of aesthetics German romanticism. Founder and editor of Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New music magazine", 1834). Creator of program piano cycles ("Butterflies", 1831; "Carnival", 1835; "Fantastic Pieces", 1837; "Kreisleriana", 1838), lyrical-dramatic vocal cycles ("The Poet's Love", "Circle of Songs" ", "Love and Life of a Woman", all 1840); contributed to the development of romantic piano sonata and variations ("Symphonic Etudes", 2nd edition 1852). Opera "Genoveva" (1848), oratorio "Paradise and Peri" (1843), 4 symphonies, concert for piano and orchestra (1845), chamber and choral works, music for the dramatic poem "Manfred" by J. (1849).

SCHUMANN (Schumann) Robert ( full name Robert Alexander) (June 8, 1810, Zwickau - July 29, 1856, Endenich, a suburb of Bonn), German composer.

The love of music won

Born into the family of a bookseller and publisher. Early on he discovered his abilities as a pianist and composer, as well as a literary gift (before mature age retained his youthful passion for the work of the German romantic writer Jean Paul, in whose work lyricism is intricately intertwined with the grotesque and irony). In 1828 he went to Leipzig to study law, but devoted a significant part of his time to literary studies and playing music; took piano lessons from the prominent teacher Friedrich Wieck (1785-1873), wrote several piano pieces and songs. From Leipzig, Schumann moved to Heidelberg, where, instead of jurisprudence, he studied music mainly. He soon managed to convince his family that a career as a pianist was more in line with his inclinations, and in 1830 he returned to Leipzig, where he settled in Wieck's house. He soon injured his hand (possibly due to the use of a homemade mechanism for training his fingers) and was forced to abandon his intention to become a concert pianist. Nevertheless, he continued to compose music for the piano; in 1830 his opus 1 appeared - “Variations on the name ABEGG” (the surname of the composer’s then girlfriend is encrypted in the theme of these variations).

David's brotherhood

In 1834, Schumann founded the periodical Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik ("New Music Magazine") in Leipzig and remained its editor-in-chief and author until 1844. He proved himself to be a brilliant, insightful music critic, a supporter of advanced trends in art, and a discoverer of young talents. Schumann often signed his articles with the pseudonyms Eusebius and Florestan, the first of which personified the lyrical-contemplative, the second the impulsive, ardent side of his personality. These heroes, along with F., F. Liszt, N. Paganini and Schumann’s future wife, pianist Clara Wieck, became part of the fantastic “Brotherhood of David” (Davidsbund), invented by Schumann, opposing philistine views on art. For the musical embodiment of your penchant for fantasizing in literary images the young Schumann chose the form of a piano cycle consisting of various moods and textures character plays. During the 1830s, the cycles “Butterflies”, “Carnival” (featuring musical “portraits” of members of the Brotherhood of David - the Davidsbündlers), “Dancing of the Davidsbündlers”, “Children’s Scenes”, “Kreisleriana” (based on the prose of E. T. A. Hoffmann), "Vienna Carnival", a collection of miniatures "Fantastic Plays". The “Florestan” and “Eusebius” principles are whimsically combined in multi-movement non-program works of the same period - three sonatas (the third of them includes the charming “Variations on a Theme of Clara Wieck”), a large-scale three-part Fantasia, “Symphonic Etudes” (in the form of variations on a theme F. Vika), "Humoresque".

Love

Matters of the heart always played an important role in Schumann's life, influencing his work. In the mid-1830s, Schumann began an affair with Clara, Wieck's daughter, who tried in every possible way to prevent their marriage. Vic's opposition was overcome only by a court decision, which in 1840 recognized Clara's right to marry without paternal consent. The period of struggle for Clara and forced separation from her was marked in the composer’s life by deep depressions. The marriage of Schumann and Clara took place in September 1840. Biographers of the composer often call this year the “year of songs.” In a single creative impulse, Schumann created over 100 songs for voice and piano, including vocal loops“The Love and Life of a Woman” (to the words of A. Chamisso, in 8 parts) and “The Love of a Poet” (to the words of G. Heine, in 16 parts). The songs that make up each of the cycles form a coherent plot with a tragic ending; both cycles end with large piano “epilogues”, nostalgically recreating the serene atmosphere of the initial song (in “Love and Life of a Woman”) or one of the central parts (in “The Love of a Poet”). A piano accompaniment replete with details, rich in subtexts - distinguishing feature most of Schumann's best vocal miniatures, including from the collection "Myrtles" (26 songs with words different poets) and notebooks on words by Heine (Op. 24) and J. von Eichendorff (Op. 39).

Mature Schumann

In 1841 Schumann wrote mainly orchestral music. From his pen came, in particular, the 1st symphony, the first edition of the 4th symphony and the poetic Fantasia for piano and orchestra intended for Clara, which later became the first movement Piano concert in A minor (finished in 1845). In 1842, while Clara was on a long concert tour, Schumann, who did not like to be in the shadow of his wife and therefore preferred to stay at home, wrote several major chamber instrumental opuses, including the popular Quintet for piano and strings. By this time Schumann's style, in to a large extent having lost his former impulsiveness and spontaneity, he became more balanced; the multi-layered, richly decorated (“arabesque”) texture characteristic of the works of the 1830s was replaced by more economical and traditional forms of presentation. The next year, 1843, was marked by the creation of a large symphonic cantata(essentially a secular oratorio) “Paradise and Peri” (based on the poem by T. Moore) and the beginning of work on music for soloists, choir and orchestra for individual scenes of “Faust I.V.”; the music for final scene tragedies are one of the most majestic and harmonious creations of the composer.

Difficult years

At the same time, Schumann took the position of professor at the newly opened Leipzig Conservatory, headed by his friend F. Very soon it was discovered that Schumann was completely incapable of teaching; his attempts to take up conducting also led to very modest results. In 1844, Schumann moved with his family to Dresden, where he continued to be haunted by depression, which seriously hampered his work. Only in 1847-48 the composer experienced a relative creative upsurge, composing several chamber opuses, a number of songs and choruses, and the opera Genoveva (its premiere in Leipzig was without much success). In 1848 Schumann founded and headed the Dresden Society choral singing, whose efforts in 1849 were the first to perform excerpts from his music for Faust.

In 1850, Schumann took the post of city music director in Düsseldorf. At first, he felt happy and experienced a surge of inspiration, as evidenced by the charming Cello Concerto and the 3rd Symphony, the so-called “Rhenish” (one of its parts was inspired by impressions of the famous Cologne Cathedral). However, Schumann's capabilities as a conductor turned out to be too limited to work as music director the whole big city; in 1852-53 his physical and state of mind worsened and he realized that he would no longer be able to perform his duties. Schumann's last major opuses (Fantasia for violin and orchestra, Sonata 3 for violin and piano, Concerto for violin and orchestra) indicate the decline of his inspiration. In 1854, Schumann began to hallucinate, and on February 27 he attempted suicide, after which he was placed in mental asylum, where he died two years later. Apparently, Schumann's mental illness was the result of syphilis, which he contracted in his youth. Before last day Clara and young J. Brahms took care of him.

Clara and Robert Schumann had eight children. Clara outlived her husband by 40 years. Until 1854 she composed music; her best works(Piano trio, some songs) are characterized by extraordinary imagination and skill. Contemporaries valued Schumann the pianist not only for her brilliant mastery of the latest repertoire (Chopin, Schumann, Brahms), but also for high culture interpretations and melodious tone. Until the end of her life she maintained a close relationship with Brahms.

Born on June 8, 1810 in the German city of Zwickau in the family of a bookseller. From a very early age, young Robert showed a brilliant talent for both music and literature. The boy learned to play the organ, improvised on the piano, created his first work - a Psalm for choir - at the age of thirteen, and in the gymnasium he did great success in the study of literature. Undoubtedly, if his life line had gone in this direction, then here too we would have had a bright and outstanding philologist and writer. But the music still won!

At the insistence of his mother, the young man studies law in Leipzig, then in Heidelberg, but this does not attract him at all. He dreamed of becoming a pianist and studied with Friedrich Wieck, but injured his fingers. Without thinking twice, he began writing music. Already his first published works - “Butterflies”, “Variations on a Theme of Abegg” - characterize him as a very original composer.

Schumann is a recognized and undoubted romantic, thanks to whom we now fully know this movement - romanticism. The composer's nature was entirely permeated with subtlety and dreaminess; it was as if he was always hovering above the ground and lost in his fantasies. All the contradictions of the surrounding reality are aggravated to the limit in this nervous and receptive nature, which leads to withdrawal into one’s own inner world. Even the fantastic images in Schumann’s work are not the fantasy of legends and traditions, like many other romantics, but the fantasy of their own visions. Close attention to every movement of the soul determines the attraction to the genre of piano miniatures, and such plays are combined into cycles (“Kreisleriana”, “Novelettes”, “Night Pieces”, “Forest Scenes”).

But at the same time, the world knows another Schumann - an energetic rebel. His literary talent also finds a “point of application” - he publishes the “New Music Magazine”. His articles take on various forms - dialogues, aphorisms, scenes - but they all glorify true art, which is not characterized by any blind imitation, nor virtuosity as an end in itself. Schumann sees such art in his works Viennese classics, Berlioz, Paganini. He often writes his publications on behalf of fictional characters- Florestan and Eusebius. These are members of the Davidsbund (Brotherhood of David), a union of musicians who oppose themselves to the philistine attitude towards art. And let this union exist only in the imagination of the creator - musical portraits its members are included in the piano cycles “Davidsbundlers” and “Carnival”. Among the Davidsbundlers, Schumann includes Paganini, and, and - under the name Chiarina - Clara Wieck, the daughter of his mentor, a pianist who began her performing career at the age of eleven.

Robert felt his affection for Clara Wieck already when she was a child. Over the years, his feeling grew with her - but Friedrich Wieck wanted a wealthier husband for his daughter. The lovers’ struggle for their happiness lasted for years - in order to prevent their meetings, the father planned many tours for the girl and forbade her to correspond with Robert. The desperate Schumann was engaged for some time to another, Ernestina von Fricken, who also became one of the Davidsbundlers under the name Estrella, and the name of the city in which she lived - Asch - is encrypted in the main theme of "Carnival" ... But he could not forget Clara , in 1839, Schumann and Clara Wieck went to court - and only in this way did they manage to get Wieck’s consent to the marriage.

The wedding took place in 1840. It is noteworthy that in that year Schumann wrote many songs based on the poems of Heinrich Heine, Robert Burns, George Gordon Byron and other poets. It was not only a happy marriage, but also musically fruitful. The couple traveled all over the world and performed in a wonderful duet - he composed, and she played his music, becoming the first performer of many of Robert's works. Until now, the world has not known such couples and will not know, apparently, for a long time...

The Schumanns had eight children. In 1848, on his birthday eldest daughter the composer creates several piano pieces. Later, other plays appeared, combined into a collection called “Album for Youth.” The very idea of ​​​​creating light piano pieces for children's music playing was not new, but Schumann was the first to fill such a collection with specific images that were close and understandable to a child - “The Brave Rider”, “Echoes of the Theater”, “The Cheerful Peasant”.

From 1844 the Schumanns lived in Dresden. At the same time, the composer experienced an exacerbation of a nervous disorder, the first signs of which appeared back in 1833. He was able to return to composing music only in 1846.

In the 1850s. Schumann creates quite a lot of works, including symphonies, chamber ensembles, program overtures, teaches at the Leipzig Conservatory, acts as a conductor, leads the choir in Dresden and then in Düsseldorf.

Schumann paid great attention to young composers. His latest journalistic work is the article “New Paths”, where he predicts a great future.

In 1854, after an exacerbation of mental illness that led to an attempt at suicide, Schumann was admitted to a psychiatric hospital and died on July 29, 1856.

Musical Seasons

Name: Robert Shuman

Age: 46 years old

Place of Birth: Zwickau, Germany

A place of death: Bonn, Germany

Activity: German composer, teacher

Family status: was married

Robert Schumann - biography

A composer whose works were popular not only in Germany, but throughout the world. Schumann found the era of romanticism in music, which he aspired to when he became a musician, but fate decreed otherwise.

Childhood years, musician's family

A boy, Robert, was born into the family of a far from poor book publisher and writer. The father gave his son a decent education. Very early, the child showed a talent for literature and music, and his father hired a teacher for him, who was a local organist. Already at the age of ten, the boy was composing compositions for choir and orchestra. Like all children, little Schumann studied at the gymnasium, loved the works of George Byron, who belonged to romantic direction in literature.

It was difficult to predict what the boy's biography would be like. After all for a long time Robert wrote articles that were published in encyclopedias. These scientific books were published by Schumann the Elder. The boy was passionate about philology, and therefore doubted his future choice of profession. Poems, comedies and dramas coming from his pen were highly praised by specialists.

Education

Robert first studied at the University of Leipzig, then in Heidelberg. His mother insisted on acquiring the profession of a lawyer, and the young man himself was very fond of music. He played the piano beautifully and dreamed of giving concerts while playing the piano. Mother finally gave in and gave her permission to study music. Back in hometown, the future composer takes piano lessons. To the great regret of his parents and himself, Robert suffered paralysis on two fingers of his hand. The cause of the paralysis is unknown, but the biography of the pianist and touring musician had to be forgotten.

The young man’s character changed dramatically: he became silent, stopped joking, and became vulnerable. Now writing takes up all of Schumann's free time. In the composer's plays, not only the plot line can be traced, but also the psychologism of the situation. Robert Schumann is a follower of the work of F. Schubert, to create his vocal works uses the poems of the great G. Heine. The composer only sometimes brings his music closer to German folk songs.

Schumann's old dream

Robert Schumann dreamed of opera for a long time, but the author never succeeded in this genre. When the opera "Genoveva" was completed, it could not find its audience and fans. The composer continues to create overtures, concerts, and symphonies. All music is full of drama, lyricism and cheerfulness. Schumann is appreciated for the contributions he made to music criticism.

The composer's views were shared by Franz Liszt. He also supported their work, writing articles in the New Musical Newspaper, which he founded. The composer has many works, but the most significant in his work are the cycles of romances “The Circle of Songs” and “The Poet’s Love.” Schumann composed the piano cycles “Butterflies”, “Kreisleriana” and “Carnival”.

Robert Schumann - biography of personal life

Robert got married at almost thirty, taking his teacher's daughter as his wife. Clara Wieck understood her husband, since she herself played the piano beautifully and had already become famous in the performing arts. The marriage was the only one, and, despite all the complexity of Robert’s character, it was happy. Eight children continued the family of the great composer. The love of Robert and Clara blossomed as, before the composer’s eyes, first a nine-year-old girl grew up and blossomed, then a teenager at 15 years old. Then Schumann confessed to Clara for the first time. But the girl's father was categorically against their relationship.

Three years later, after Clara came of age, the young people came to court for permission to marry. Schumann began to have health problems very early. At age 35, he began to show signs of a mental disorder. nervous soil. He was haunted by sounds, notes, orchestral cacophony. Sometimes everything was clothed in music, but more often than not it drove the composer crazy. He left the profession for two years. Gradually returning to his previous duties, writing and raising children, he again plunges into depression.

At the age of 44, Robert attempts suicide by jumping into the Rhine River from a bridge. He was rescued, but was placed in a hospital for mentally ill people, where he remained for two years. In his life, his closest friend was Johann Brahms, who most often saw the composer and reported on all changes in Schumann’s well-being. During this period, Clara gave concerts and earned money to feed her children. Death occurred at the age of 46. The biography of the great composer ended too early. How is the rating calculated?
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Biography, life story of Schumann Robert Alexander

Robert Schumann (1810-56), German composer and music critic. An exponent of the aesthetics of German romanticism. Founder and editor of Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Musical Journal, 1834). Creator of program piano cycles (“Butterflies”, 1831; “Carnival”, 1835; “Fantastic Pieces”, 1837; “Kreisleriana”, 1838), lyric-dramatic vocal cycles (“Love of the Poet”, “Circle of Songs”, “Love and a woman’s life”, all 1840); contributed to the development of the romantic piano sonata and variations (“Symphonic Etudes”, 2nd edition 1852). The opera “Genoveva” (1848), the oratorio “Paradise and Peri” (1843), 4 symphonies, a concert for piano and orchestra (1845), chamber and choral works, music for the dramatic poem “Manfred” by J. Byron (1849).

SCHUMANN Robert (full name Robert Alexander) (June 8, 1810, Zwickau - July 29, 1856, Endenich, a suburb of Bonn), German composer.

The love of music won
Born into the family of a bookseller and publisher. Early on he discovered his abilities as a pianist and composer, as well as a literary gift (until adulthood he retained his youthful passion for the work of the German romantic writer Jean Paul, in whose work lyricism is intricately intertwined with the grotesque and irony). In 1828 he went to Leipzig to study law, but devoted a significant part of his time to literary studies and playing music; took piano lessons from the prominent teacher Friedrich Wieck (1785-1873), wrote several piano pieces and songs. From Leipzig, Schumann moved to Heidelberg, where, instead of jurisprudence, he studied music mainly. He soon managed to convince his family that a career as a pianist was more in line with his inclinations, and in 1830 he returned to Leipzig, where he settled in Wieck's house. He soon injured his hand (possibly due to the use of a homemade mechanism for training his fingers) and was forced to abandon his intention to become a concert pianist. Nevertheless, he continued to compose music for the piano; in 1830, his opus 1 appeared - “Variations on the name ABEGG” (the surname of the composer’s then girlfriend is encrypted in the theme of these variations).

CONTINUED BELOW

David's brotherhood
In 1834, Schumann founded the periodical Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik (“New Music Magazine”) in Leipzig and remained its editor-in-chief and author until 1844. He proved himself to be a brilliant, insightful music critic, a supporter of advanced trends in art, and a discoverer of young talents. Schumann often signed his articles with the pseudonyms Eusebius and Florestan, the first of which personified the lyrical-contemplative, the second the impulsive, ardent side of his personality. These heroes, along with F. Chopin, F. Liszt, N. Paganini and Schumann’s future wife, pianist Clara Wieck, became part of the fantastic “Brotherhood of David” (Davidsbund), invented by Schumann, opposing philistine views on art. To musically embody his penchant for fantasy in literary images, the young Schumann chose the form of a piano cycle, consisting of characteristic pieces of various moods and textures. During the 1830s, the cycles “Butterflies”, “Carnival” (featuring musical “portraits” of members of the Brotherhood of David - the Davidsbündlers), “Dancing of the Davidsbündlers”, “Children’s Scenes”, “Kreisleriana” (based on the prose of E. T. A. Hoffmann), “Vienna Carnival”, collection of miniatures “Fantastic Plays”. The “Florestan” and “Eusebius” principles are whimsically combined in multi-movement non-program works of the same period - three sonatas (the third of them includes the charming “Variations on a Theme of Clara Wieck”), a large-scale three-part Fantasia, “Symphonic Etudes” (in the form of variations on a theme F. Vika), "Humoresque".

Love
Matters of the heart always played an important role in Schumann's life, influencing his work. In the mid-1830s, Schumann began an affair with Clara, Wieck's daughter, who tried in every possible way to prevent their marriage. Vic's opposition was overcome only by a court decision, which in 1840 recognized Clara's right to marry without paternal consent. The period of struggle for Clara and forced separation from her was marked in the composer’s life by deep depressions. The marriage of Schumann and Clara took place in September 1840. Biographers of the composer often call this year the “year of songs.” In a single creative impulse, Schumann created over 100 songs for voice and piano, including the vocal cycles “Love and the Life of a Woman” (with words by A. Chamisso, in 8 parts) and “The Love of a Poet” (with words by G. Heine, in 16 parts). The songs that make up each of the cycles form a coherent plot with a tragic ending; both cycles end with large piano “epilogues”, nostalgically recreating the serene atmosphere of the initial song (in “The Love and Life of a Woman”) or one of the central parts (in “The Love of a Poet”). Replete with details, rich with subtexts, the piano accompaniment is a distinctive feature of most of Schumann’s best vocal miniatures, including those from the collection “Myrtles” (26 songs with words by various poets) and notebooks with words by Heine (Op. 24) and J. von Eichendorff (Op. 39).

Mature Schumann
In 1841 Schumann wrote mainly orchestral music. From his pen came, in particular, the 1st Symphony, the first edition of the 4th Symphony and the poetic Fantasy for piano and orchestra intended for Clara, which later became the first part of the Piano Concerto in A minor (completed in 1845). In 1842, while Clara was on a long concert tour, Schumann, who did not like to be in the shadow of his wife and therefore preferred to stay at home, wrote several major chamber instrumental opuses, including the popular Quintet for piano and strings. By this time, Schumann's style, having largely lost its former impulsiveness and spontaneity, became more balanced; the multi-layered, richly decorated (“arabesque”) texture characteristic of the works of the 1830s was replaced by more economical and traditional forms of presentation. The next year, 1843, was marked by the creation of a large symphonic cantata (essentially a secular oratorio) “Paradise and Peri” (based on the poem by T. Moore) and the beginning of work on music for soloists, choir and orchestra for individual scenes of “Faust by J. V. Goethe ; The music for the final scene of the tragedy was the first to be written - one of the composer's most majestic and harmonious creations.

Difficult years
At the same time, Schumann took the position of professor at the newly opened Leipzig Conservatory, headed by his friend F. Mendelssohn. Very soon it was discovered that Schumann was completely incapable of teaching; his attempts to take up conducting also led to very modest results. In 1844, Schumann moved with his family to Dresden, where he continued to be haunted by depression, which seriously hampered his work. Only in 1847-48 the composer experienced a relative creative upsurge, composing several chamber opuses, a number of songs and choruses, and the opera Genoveva (its premiere in Leipzig was without much success). In 1848, Schumann founded and headed the Dresden Choral Society, which in 1849 first performed excerpts from his music for Faust.
In 1850, Schumann took the post of city music director in Düsseldorf. At first, he felt happy and experienced a surge of inspiration, as evidenced by the charming Cello Concerto and the 3rd Symphony, the so-called “Rhenish” (one of its parts was inspired by impressions of the famous Cologne Cathedral). However, Schumann's capabilities as a conductor turned out to be too limited to work as the musical director of an entire large city; in 1852-53 his physical and mental condition deteriorated and he realized that he could no longer carry out his duties. Schumann's last major opuses (Fantasia for violin and orchestra, Sonata 3 for violin and piano, Concerto for violin and orchestra) indicate the decline of his inspiration. In 1854, Schumann began to hallucinate, and on February 27 he attempted suicide, after which he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where he died two years later. Apparently, Schumann's mental illness was the result of syphilis, which he contracted in his youth. Until his last day, Clara and young J. Brahms took care of him.
Clara and Robert Schumann had eight children. Clara outlived her husband by 40 years. Until 1854 she composed music; her best works (Piano Trio, some songs) are characterized by extraordinary imagination and skill. Contemporaries valued Schumann the pianist not only for her brilliant mastery of the latest repertoire (Chopin, Schumann, Brahms), but also for her high culture of interpretation and melodious tone. Until the end of her life she maintained a close relationship with Brahms.

They are rightly called the greatest composers of the 19th century. But the phrase Schumann period is more often heard; this is the name given to the era of romanticism in the world of music.

Childhood and youth

German composer and music critic Robert Schumann was born on June 8, 1810 in Saxony (Germany) to a loving couple, Friedrich August and Johanna Christiana. Because of his love for Johanna, whose parents opposed marriage to Friedrich due to poverty, the father of the future musician, after a year of working as an assistant in a bookstore, earned money to marry a girl and open his own business.

Robert Schumann grew up in a family of five children. The boy grew up mischievous and cheerful, similar to his mother, and was very different from his father, a reserved and silent person.

Robert Schumann began school at the age of six and was distinguished by his leadership qualities and creative abilities. A year later my parents noticed musical talent child and sent him to learn to play the piano. He soon developed an ability to compose orchestral music.

The young man could not make a choice for a long time future profession- take up music or go into literature, as my father wanted and insisted. But the concert of the pianist and conductor Moscheles, which Robert Schumann attended, left no chance for literature. The composer's mother had plans to make her son a lawyer, but in 1830 he finally received his parents' blessing to devote his life to music.

Music

Having moved to Leipzig, Robert Schumann began attending piano lessons from Friedrich Wieck, who promised him a career as a famous pianist. But life makes its own adjustments. Schumann developed paralysis right hand– the problem forced the young man to give up his dream of becoming a pianist, and he joined the ranks of composers.

There are two very strange versions of the reasons why the composer began to develop the disease. One of them is a simulator made by the musician himself to warm up his fingers, the second story is even more mysterious. There were rumors that the composer tried to remove tendons from his hand in order to achieve piano virtuosity.

But none of the versions has been proven; they are refuted in the diaries of his wife Clara, whom Robert Schumann knew, so to speak, from childhood. With the support of a mentor, Robert Schumann founded the publication “New music newspaper" Published in the newspaper, he criticized and ridiculed indifference to creativity and art under fictitious names.

The composer challenged the depressive and wretched Germany of that time, putting harmony, color and romanticism into his works. For example, in one of the most famous piano cycles “Carnival” there are simultaneously female images, colorful scenes, carnival masks. In parallel, the composer developed in vocal creativity, a genre of lyrical song.

The narrative about the creation and the work itself, “Album for Youth,” deserves special attention. On the day when Robert Schumann’s eldest daughter turned 7 years old, the girl received a notebook with the title “Album for Youth” as a gift. The notebook consisted of works by famous composers and 8 of them were written by Robert Schumann.

The composer attached importance to this work not because he loved his children and wanted to please him, he was disgusted by the artistic level music education– songs and music that children studied at school. The album includes the plays “Spring Song”, “Santa Claus”, “The Cheerful Peasant”, “Winter”, which, in the author’s opinion, are easy and understandable for children’s perception.

During the period of creative growth, the composer wrote 4 symphonies. The main part of the works for piano consists of cycles with a lyrical mood, which are connected by one storyline.

During his lifetime, the music written by Robert Schumann was not perceived by his contemporaries. Romantic, sophisticated, harmonious, touching delicate strings human soul. It would seem that Europe, shrouded in a series of changes and revolutions, was unable to appreciate the style of a composer who kept pace with the times, who fought all his life to face the new without fear.

Colleagues “in the shop” also did not perceive his contemporary - he refused to understand the music of a rebel and rebel, Franz Liszt, being sensitive and romantic, included in concert program only the work “Carnival”. The music of Robert Schumann accompanies modern cinema: “House”, “Grandfather” prostitute», « Misterious story Benjamin Button."

Personal life

The composer met his future wife Clara Josephine Wieck in at a young age in the house of a piano teacher - the girl turned out to be the daughter of Friedrich Wieck. In 1840, the wedding of the young people took place. This year is considered the most fruitful for the musician - 140 songs were written, and the year was also notable for the awarding of a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Leipzig.

Clara was famous as a famous pianist; she traveled to concerts in which her husband accompanied his beloved. The couple had 8 children, the first years life together were like a fairy tale about love with a happy continuation. After 4 years, Robert Schumann begins to experience acute attacks of nervous disorder. Critics suggest that the reason for this is the composer's wife.

Before the wedding, the musician fought for the right to become the husband of the famous pianist, mostly with the girl’s father, who categorically did not approve of Schumann’s intentions. Despite the obstacles created by the future father-in-law (it came to legal proceedings), Robert Schumann married for love.

After the marriage, I had to struggle with my wife’s popularity and recognition. And although Robert Schumann was a recognized and famous composer, the feeling that the musician was hiding in the shadow of Clara’s fame did not leave. As a result of emotional distress, Robert Schumann took a two-year break from his work.

Love story about romantic relationships creative couple Clara and Robert Schumann is embodied in the film “Song of Love,” which was released in America in 1947.

Death

In 1853 famous composer and the pianist set off to travel around Holland, where the couple was received with honors, but after some time the symptoms of the disease worsened sharply. The composer attempted suicide by jumping into the Rhine River, but the musician was rescued.

After this incident he was placed in psychiatric clinic near Bonn, meetings with his wife were rarely allowed. July 29, 1856 at age 46 great composer died. According to the autopsy results, the cause of illness and death was early age– congested blood vessels and damage to the brain.

Works

• 1831 – “Butterflies”
• 1834 – “Carnival”
• 1837 – “Fantastic passages”
• 1838 – “Children’s Scenes”
• 1840 – “The Poet’s Love”
• 1848 – “Album for Youth”