NOVEMBER COMPOSERS OF THE MONTH-THE SCHUMANNS

Robert and Clara Shumann, two famous composers that were married during the romantic period of music. Robert said his marriage to Clara was the turning point in his artistic career. His wife was his greatest inspiration in writing music in their early years of marriage. He wrote many touching songs expressing his great love for Clara. They had 8 children! Robert wrote his own children a collage of 43 pieces called the Album for the Young. Schumann's music is imaginative, whimsical, youthful, fresh and lively. Clara was a concert pianist, performing many of Robert's compositions. Her father was a famous piano teacher named Friedrich Weich, who taught Robert how to play. He also started teaching Clara at age 5. She played in public the first time at age 12 being a child prodigy. She was an outstanding pianist and also composer. One of her most famous compositions was Sonata in G, Variations on a Theme of Robert Shumann, Op. 20. She was an amazing woman, bearing and taking care of her 8 children with all her household responsibilities, giving concert tours, writing music, then taking care of Robert when he became mentally ill. Amazing!