Clara Schumann

Clara Wieck (1819-1896) grew up in Leipzig, Germany and was internationally known as a child prodigy pianist. Her father (and teacher) Friedrich Wieck opposed Clara’s marriage to his former student, composer Robert Schumann, and the couple eventually petitioned the court to obtain permission to wed without Wieck’s consent.  Following their marriage in 1840, Robert and Clara Schumann became a musical "power couple," balancing their performing and composing work with a growing family.  However, Robert's increasingly unstable health eventually led to a two-year stay in a sanatorium which only ended with his death in 1856; during that time, the Schumanns' young friend Johannes Brahms became an indispensable part of the household, allowing Clara to resume a demanding performance schedule to support her seven surviving children and husband.  Clara was also a talented composer, publishing and performing her own works during her lifetime.  Although Robert encouraged her to compose, her body of works is much smaller than his because she chose to focus primarily on her performance career and family.