By common consent the best of his songs, certain of his chamber works
and a few for the orchestra are regarded as the strongest utterances
in their respective classes in the period following Beethoven and Schubert.
In the terse form of the song, including some works for chorus,
his genius was thoroughly at home. Here and in writing for the chamber
ensemble, he loved to fill every detail with meaning, so that the entire
structure is vital and animated. In consequence, his practice prefigured
the most modern type of polyphony—far removed from the old strictness,
but for its purposes fully as legitimate. His mastery of orchestral
technique and of the conditions of dramatic effect was not complete, yet
the wealth of idea, the richness of total conception and the splendor of
color in many movements cannot be denied.
Schumann left hardly any who can be called direct disciples
except, perhaps, his wife, though there were several young artists
who were closely attached to him and derived much from
him. As critic and to some extent as composer he commanded
respect, but his peculiarities prevented his moulding pupils after
himself, and many of his works acquired standing only gradually.
Hence the full impress of his art was not immediate. In
bringing to light his real significance no one was more efficient
than Madame Schumann, who, as one of the foremost pianists
of the period, was able to force public attention to him.
Clara (Wieck) Schumann (d. 1896) was almost ten years her husband's
junior, being born at Leipsic in 1819. From her father she received such
able training that at 9 she made her début, at 11 appeared at the Gewandhaus,
at 13 began touring and at 17 received court-honors at Vienna, soon
after also winning great applause at Paris. At 21 (1840) she became Schumann's
wife, and during the following years was his devoted companion and
inspirer. After 1856 she lived for a time at Berlin and from 1863 at Wiesbaden,
finally, to support herself and her children, resuming public work and
in 1878-92 teaching at the Hoch conservatory in Frankfort. Besides her
gifts as executant and interpreter, which were widely known in Germany and
England, she was talented as a piano-composer and made a deep impression
as a noble and forceful artist.
Prominent names usually associated with Schumann are the following:—
Robert Volkmann (d. 1893), born in Saxony in 1815, came to Leipsic in 1836 and learned much from K.F. Becker and Schumann. From 1839 he taught at Prague, and from 1842, except for a sojourn in 1854-8 at Vienna, lived at Pesth, becoming professor of theory at the National Academy and acquiring a considerable Hungarian flavor in his style. His many works, illustrating a strong romanticism, include 2 symphonies, 2 overtures, 3 string-serenades, abundant chamber music, many piano-pieces in various forms, including transcriptions, 2 masses for male voices, considerable other church music, dramatic scenas, songs, etc.
