Schumann

Schumann, ROBERT ALEXANDER (1810-56), musician, was born in Saxony, and in 1829 entered Leipzig University. Intended for the law, but with a strong predilection for musical studies, he finally gave himself up to his favourite art, and began to practise the pianoforte under Wieck and Dorn, composing a little and editing after a year or two a musical journal, which had a long and successful career. His leading compositions of this period are his Etudes Symphoniques, Kreisleriana, and other pieces less known. In 1840 he married Clara, the daughter of his teacher Wieck, and she did much to extend his fame by her performance of his works-

Tbe same year saw his admission to the degree of doctor of philosophy at Jena University, and he then turned his attention to lyrical pieces, in which probably only Beethoven and Schubert surpassed him. He set most of Heine's songs to music. He commenced to write for the orchestra, and brought out some very beautiful symphonies and other chamber-music, as well as an opera Genevieve (1848), and a cantata entitled Paradise and the Peri, besides some overtures. He had been for many years suffering from mental disease, and on one occasion, whilst a young man, attempted to commit suicide. In 1854 he again tried to kill himself, and two years later died in a private asylum. At first he was somewhat derided but later opinion has placed him on one of the highest pinnacles of modern musical genius. His compositions are often most entrancing, and there is no question now of his place in musical history. His works are becoming more and more popular in England as people are given more opportunities of judging. His life has been written several times by competent authorities. He was choir master at Dusseldorf towards the end of his career.