Robert Alexander Schumann

Robert Schumann (1810–1856) was the quintessential romantic dreamer, creating the fictional alter egos Florestan (the passionate stormer) and Eusebius (the gentle contemplative) to express his dual nature. Abandoning law for music, a hand injury forced him to abandon concert piano performance, redirecting his volcanic energy into composition and groundbreaking music criticism as founder of the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.

Following a protracted legal battle to marry virtuoso pianist Clara Wieck in 1840, Schumann experienced his 'Liederjahr' (Year of Song), composing over 140 songs including Dichterliebe and Frauenliebe und -leben. His four symphonies (including the Rhenish), the Piano Concerto in A minor, and piano cycles like Carnaval (Op. 9) captured literature and psychological introspection in sound.