Sept 13
Virtuoso Pianist and Composer Clara Wieck-Schumann, and wife of composer Robert Schumann
Clara Wieck-Schumann, from an 1835 Impression
Clara Josephine Wieck was born on September 13, 1819 in Lepizig, Germany. She was a gifted and talented pianist, and wife of Robert Schumann. They were married a day before her birth day, Sept 12 (1840.)
Clara Wieck- Schumann was one of the leading pianists of the Romantic period. She was also a composer, although this side of her has never been explored by biographers.
From an early age, Clara Schumann was trained by her father, the well-known piano teacher Friedrich Wieck. She had a brilliant career as a pianist from the age of thirteen up to her marriage. Her marriage to Schumann was strongly opposed by her father, however, even after marriage, she continued to perform and compose. The couple had eight children.
In the various tours on which she accompanied her husband, she extended her own reputation farther than the outskirts of Germany. Thanks to her efforts, Robert Schumann’s compositions became generally known in Europe.
Johannes Brahms, at the age of twenty, met the couple in 1853 and their friendship lasted until Clara Schumann’s death.
Violinist Joseph Joachim, who she met later, became one of her frequent performance partners.
Aside from those of Robert Schumann and Brahms, Clara Schumann is credited with refining the tastes of audiences through her presentation of works by earlier composers including the compositions of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven.
Clara Schumann took charge of the finances and general house keeping aside her musical endeavours due to Robert’s inclination to depression and instability. Part of her responsibility included making money, which she did by performing — often, Robert’s music. She continued to play the piano not only for the financial stability, but alongside because of her own virtuosity as a painist. She grew up performing and desired to continue performing.
Robert, while admiring her talent, wanted a traditional wife to bear children and make a happy home, which in his eyes and the eyes of society were in direct conflict. Furthermore, while she loved touring, Robert hated it and preferred to sit at his piano and compose.
After the death of her husband, Robert, she mainly devoted herself to the interpretation of his works. In 1878, she was appointed teacher of the piano at the Hoch Conservatorium at Frankfurt am Main, a post she held until 1892. Clara Schumann greatly contributed greatly to the improvement of modern piano playing technique.
As an artist she will be remembered, together with Joachim, as one of the first pianists who really played like composers. Besides being remembered for her eminence as a performer of nearly all kinds of pianoforte music, at a time when such technical ability was considerably rarer than in the present day, she was an impressive composer in her own right.
Clara Schumann was the authoritative editor of her husband’s works for the publishing firm of Breitkopf & Härtel. She died May 20, 1896, and was buried at Bonn at Alter Friedhof/old cemetery.
Photo credit: Julius Giere (1807-1880), wikimedia Commons
Note: Incidentally, Clara Schumann shares the same birthday as Arnold Schoenberg.
