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Undo revision 123856 by Special:Contributions/Backoncemore (User talk:Backoncemore)
'''Robert Schumann''' was a German composer and music critic who lived during the 19th century and composed in the Romantic style. He is well-known for his originality in harmony, rhythm, and form, although he is often criticized for his perceived inability to handle large-scale works such as symphony and opera. Schuman is best known for the periods of insanity that he exhibited near the end of his life, as can be seen in the increased use of unequal and parallel fifths as well as melodic tritones in some of his later works, for example the song "Am Leuchtenden Sommermorgen", from the ''Dichterliebe'' Op. 48. After finding out that his wife, Clara, was having an affair with the composer Johannes Brahmmes (in revenge for Schuman's affair with Cosima, the daughter of composer/pianist Franz List), Schuman attempted to drown himself in the Rhine, but was rescued and committed to an asylum. He eventually died of symptoms indicating mercury poisoning, which was supposedly the result of a plot by Brahmmes.
Trivia:
Schuman's first composition was a set of variations for piano and orchestra on a theme from Mozart's opera ''The Magic Flute''. Upon hearing this work, fellow composer Frederic Chopin immediately proclaimed him a genius.
At one point of his career, Schuman was extremely well-known as a concert pianist; however, he injured his right hand performing finger-exercises on a machine of his own construction. As a result, Schuman became extremely depressed. He eventually visited Nikolai Dahl, an autosuggestive therapist in London, England, who restored his confidence. Schuman thus composed his famous Second Piano Concerto in C minor and dedicated it to Dr. Dahl.
Famous recordings of Schuman's works have been made by pianists Glenn Gould, Lang Lang, and [[Arlene Cole]].
[[category:composers]]