Clara
Shumann
Clara Shumann was born in Germany in 1819. She was tremendously talented and pushed toward a concert career as her father did before her. Her mother was a professional musician who performed at the Leipzig Gewandhaus. Clara's parents divorced when she was five. She made herself known at 11, at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, in Paris at 12 and in Vienna at 18. She had a highly successful concert career for more than 60 years. She married Robert Schumann against her father's wishes and they had numerous children, while she continued to compose, teach and give concerts. After Robert's death, Clara moved her children to Berlin. She supported her family with concert tours as a piano virtuoso. She wrote many kinds of music. Her "Piano Trio" is probably considered her major work. Johannes Brahms wanted to marry Clara after Robert's death. They were never married, however. She died in 1896 at the age of 75.
