The Life and Works of Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the fact that the two primary influences in Schumann's life were both women; his mother and later his wife, Clara. The paper traces Schumann's entry into and influence on the world of music and focuses on the type of compositions that he wrote at different stages in his life, from Lieder to symphonies to piano concertos. The paper also touches on the periods of depression that plagued Schumann's life.

From the Paper:

"Schumann's music is out of the Romantic period and expresses that era's dedication to personal expression and freedom from the strict rules of classical form. As noted, he had a literary inclination in his music and would hide names spelled in notes in his works. For instance, he wrote a collection of short piano pieces called Carnaval, and two of these pieces are named "Florestan" and "Eusebius." which were pseudonyms Schumann used when he wrote in his journal. Each name and each piece reflects a different aspect of his personality--"Florestan" is flamboyant "Eusebius" is more sedate. He also often made reference to literary works or characters in titles and in the music itself."

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