Robert Schumann, a composer known for piano music and songs, was afflicted throughout his adulthood by severe manic depression, experiencing both devastating lows and blazingly creative highs.
Composition History
Robert Schumann's Symphony No. 2, Op. 61, was initially drafted in less than a week in December 1845, following one of his psychotic episodes.
Composer Biography
Johannes Brahms spent over 15 years working on his Symphony No. 1 due to deep-rooted anxiety about the looming presence of Beethoven.
Compositional Technique
Robert Schumann was a pioneer of 'cyclic' works, where themes reappear throughout different movements, as seen in his Symphony No. 2 with a recurring trumpet leitmotif.
Album & Artwork
This album is the second of a four-album cycle exploring the intertwined personal and artistic connections between Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms.
Cultural Impact
Clara Schumann's image was featured on the 100 Deutsche Mark note from 1989 until 2002, with her grand piano on the reverse side.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The album's vision, crafted with Clara Schumann scholar Julie Pedneault-Deslauriers, combines symphonies by Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms with pieces by Clara Schumann to provide insight into their intertwined lives and works.
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