The Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54, was originally conceived as a one-movement Phantasy for piano and orchestra, completed in ten days in 1841.
Composition History
Clara Schumann, the composer's wife and a renowned pianist, encouraged him to write for orchestra, believing his imagination was too grand for only the piano.
Composer Biography
Schumann initially studied law at university, but after two years, he realized that music had to be his life.
Critical Reception
The Piano Concerto was a success at its 1845 premiere, praised for avoiding the usual monotony of the genre and for its beautiful alliance between piano and orchestra.
Compositional Technique
A recurring 'Clara' motif, characterized by descending notes, is abundantly used throughout Schumann's piano works and is fully apparent in the opening melody of the Piano Concerto.
Composer Biography
Robert Schumann, the composer, did not hear a symphony orchestra until he was seventeen years old, when he traveled to Dresden.
Composer Biography
Schumann suffered a hand injury, now believed to be repetitive strain injury, which ended his hopes of becoming a concert pianist in 1832.
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