Clara Schumann: A Brief Biography

The Romantic Era was an artistic time for musicians, but finding a female amongst them was rare. However, from this time Clara Schumann was born to be a renowned pianist and composer in Germany and across Europe. Clara was self conscious about her gender is the music business, but she didn’t let that stop her. As a child prodigy, Clara’s career took off at a young age and flourished for sixty years. Clara Schumann was born in Leipzig, Germany on September 13, 1819 to her mother, Marianne Wieck, and father, Friedrich Wieck. Her mom was a concert pianist and her dad was a piano teacher and music dealer; both had their minds set on her becoming a musician, and almost immediately enrolled her in piano, violin, singing, theory, harmony, composition, and counterpoint training. Schumann’s parents divorced when she was five, but she continued with her musical education while living with Friedrich. By the age of eight Clara began performing, and gave her first solo concert when she was only …show more content…
Life had been nothing but work for her, and as tragedies piled up Clara clung tighter to music as a safe haven from depressing days. After four of her children predeceased her, Schumann was left to raise many of her grandchildren without a husband’s assistance. However Clara still loved the life she led and performed a bittersweet ending to her lifelong career, her last concert was held in Frankfurt in 1891. After suffering a weakening stroke in March, Clara Schumann passed away on May 20, 1896 at the age of 76.
Composing over 23 pieces with opus numbers and 42 without, Clara spent every moment of her life doing what she loved and making musical history. She was given many awards, but her most prestigious is being named “Royal and Imperial Chamber Virtuoso,” Austria’s highest musical honor. Clara shattered gender normalities in the music industry, and was the inspiration for many future female