Before overcome by manic depression and ending up in an asylum, probably brought on by the syphilis he suffered from his whole life, Robert Schumann (1810-56) wrote a lot of wonderful music. As a general rule, his small-scale lyrical pieces are much better than his grand scale pieces. Hence we can forget his four symphonies, his cello concerto, and the three piano sonatas (which are really awful in parts). The piano concerto is however fantastic, and the piano quintet in E flat is also wonderful (the whole thing, but especially the hauntingly beautiful slow movement). The piano quartet is very similar, but doesn’t quite catch the magic. Some string quarters are also very rewarding like Op41 #3 if you have time.
Above all the the two bodies of works he should be remembered for are:
Schumann’s piano works
There are some wonderful collections – Carnaval (especially played by Rachmaninov!), the enchanting and playable Kinderszenen, Widmung – quoted in many dramas due to its sheer romantic beauty, the Arabesque Op18, Papillons. I also very much like the Fantasiestüke collection (including the wistful “Des Abend: sehr inneg zu spielen” and “Warum?”). On the virtuoso side, there’s the great Toccata Op7 and the three movements of Fantasie in C major. There are some other collections I like less – Davidsbündlertänze (but even here there are some beauties like book II ‘Frisch’ and ‘Wie aus der Ferne’), études symphoniques (these are just virtuoso and nothing else to say about them), and Kreisleriana Op16. The delightful album für die Jugend Op68 is a staple for beginner pianists. Schumann actually wrote some pieces for organ (or pedal piano), and if interested to know what Schumann organ sounds like you can try the pleasant “Studies in Canon Form for Organ”, Op 56
Schumann’s Lieder!
There are plenty of nice ones, especially from the 1840 song cycles “Dichterliebe” (the Poet’s love) and “Frauenliebe und Leben”. 1840 was the year Schumann was finally allowed to marry Clara Wieck. The crème de la crème of these are “Widmung” (which sounds too fast when you’re used to the Liszt piano version), “Schneeglöckchen”, “Der Nüssbaum”, “Er, der Herrlichste von allen” and “Du Ring an meinem Finger”
Clara Schumann
Clara was a celebrated virtuoso concert pianist and composer in her own right. She usually played Schumann (whose music she championed, being less famous when he was young), Mendelssohn whom she knew well, Beethoven and Chopin, as well as her own compositions. She was a central musical personality of the time who knew everyone, including Brahms who adored her, and Liszt whom she came to detest for the vulgarity and superficiality of his compositions (according to her). She composed throughout her life – a piano concerto, a piano sonata and various small piano pieces, songs and chamber works, most of which was suffused with melancholy. A good selection to try would be the 6 “soirees musicales” for piano and the sonata in G, the 3 romances for violin and piano, and 6 lieder Op13.