Clara Schumann

This biographical study of Clara Schumann follows the glorious musical career which spanned 60 years and influenced the music of the 19th century. The first section of the book focuses on her early life: the strange domination exercised by Clara Schumann's father, the loss of her mother, her agonizing struggle for independence, the choices she was forced to make between family and career and, of course, her romance and subsequent marriage to composer Robert Schumann. The second half of the biography takes the reader through the 40 years of Clara's musical career that followed Robert Schumann's death. It explores her deep friendships with Brahms, Mendelssohn and Joachim, the disturbance caused by Liszt and her dislike of Wagner. Dr Reich traces the whole of Clara Schumann's career as a concert artist. Her musical compositions are described and analyzed, and excerpts from diaries and letters convey her success as a teacher and clear up misconceptions about her life and achievements.
 
This biographical study of Clara Schumann follows the glorious musical career which spanned 60 years and influenced the music of the 19th century. The first section of the book focuses on her early life: the strange domination exercised by Clara Schumann's father, the loss of her mother, her agonizing struggle for independence, the choices she was forced to make between family and career and, of course, her romance and subsequent marriage to composer Robert Schumann. The second half of the biography takes the reader through the 40 years of Clara's musical career that followed Robert Schumann's death. It explores her deep friendships with Brahms, Mendelssohn and Joachim, the disturbance caused by Liszt and her dislike of Wagner. Dr Reich traces the whole of Clara Schumann's career as a concert artist. Her musical compositions are described and analyzed, and excerpts from diaries and letters convey her success as a teacher and clear up misconceptions about her life and achievements.