Robert Schumann

Born in Zwickau in 1810, he first planned to study law but turned fully to music instead. He became known not only as a composer but also as an influential critic, helping shape musical taste through the journal Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.

His best-loved works span many forms, including piano cycles such as Carnaval and Kinderszenen, the song cycle Dichterliebe, four symphonies, chamber music, and a piano concerto. His marriage to the pianist and composer Clara Wieck Schumann was central to his life and art, and their partnership remains one of the most celebrated in music history.

In his later years he struggled with severe mental illness. He died in 1856, but his music endures for its tenderness, intensity, and gift for turning inner feeling into unforgettable sound.