5 Things You Should Know About Clara Schumann

Clara Schumann (nee Wieck, 1819-1896), was a German pianist and composer at a time when women were most commonly neither. She remains one of the most well-known female composers and pianists from that era. Here are five things you should, but may not, know about Clara Schumann:

1. She was a child prodigy.
Clara began her piano studies at age 5, taught by her father, Friedrich Wieck, a well-known German piano teacher. She practiced for at least two hours each day, including theory, composition, piano, and violin. She performed publicly for the first time at the age of nine, and made her formal debut at age 11. By the age of 16, she had established a reputation around Europe as a child prodigy.

2. She had a successful career composing and teaching, even after her marriage.
She married childhood friend and fellow musician Robert Schumann in 1840, but she continued to perform, compose, and teach after they were married, which was highly unusual for the time. Even after eight children, and the societal demand to put Robert's career first, Clara enjoyed a successful tenure at the Leipzig Conservatory. Robert also helped to secure publishers for her music, and she helped to edit collections of his work. She arranged and performed many of his pieces, and in turn he quoted her work in his compositions.

3. Johannes Brahms may have been in love with her.
It is often speculated that there was a love triangle between Robert, Clara, and Brahms. Later in his life, Robert Schumann exhibited signed of deteriorating mental health, and after an unsuccessful suicide attempt, he was committed to an asylum. Brahms stepped in to help Clara and the children, and stayed with them in the family home. Clara also became a champion of Brahms' work, and Brahms was supportive of Clara's performing career. She was the first person to publicly perform any of Brahms' work, the "Andante" and "Scherzo" from Sonata in F Minor, in Leipzig on October 23, 1854.

4. She was the primary breadwinner for the family.
Thanks to Clara's popularity as a performer, composer, and teacher, she became the primary breadwinner for the Schumann family, which was highly unusual for the time. Even after Robert's death in 1856, she was able to continue providing for her family (seven of her eight children reached adulthood, and she went on to have six grandchildren), through her rigorous touring and teaching schedule. She stopped composing her own music when she was 36, but she continued to edit collections of Robert's works.

5. She was one of the first pianists to play from memory.
She began performing from memory at the age of 13, making her one of the first pianists to do so. It is a practice that is nearly ubiquitous today among professional pianists.