The Schuman circle
I wonder for how long and why the music of Bach was not regularly performed until Mendlesohn “revived” it. It seems that most of the composer/ pianists of the time were praised chiefly for their improvisatory skills. (It worries me that I have none!) I recently saw a video on Youtube of Hororvitz improvising before recording a Mozart sonata. When asked what the composition was he merely said: It is improvisation…I am a pianist but still a musician.” I imagine Clara Schuman and others who thought so highly of Mendlesohn playing must have referred to his performance of his own works as well as as other compositions? I feel embarrassed to admit that I have never played the piano works of Mendelsohn. Is it possible to restrain own tears in his piano music? It seems like Beethoven and Mozart were mainly critiqued or remembered for their performance of their own works, as Chopin had developed fame for his particular style and performance of his own compositions. Even Liszt, who played works of several composer’s, and transcriptions, was better known for his own compositions and their performance. Could Mendlesohn be one of the true great composer/pianists who shifted to specializing in piano performance seeng that his skills at the piano is seen in the same light as many of the greatest pianist. (Even Thalberg!) Mendelsohn certainly seems to have been a good teacher and musician. I admire his dissatisfaction for irrelevant interpretation of a composer and his emphasis on vocal expression as a means of creating true feeling at the piano.
Schumann’s injury might have forced him to focus on composition I guess but if he could still play he might have developed his composition skills even further. I am not sure the injury could be seen as beneficial in any way. I find almost everything that Schumann writes to be of the greatest value and I feel every pianist should make a conscious effort to read and understand what he writes.

I would like to make a copy of page 206 and 207 and put it in my practice room. Some of the points I like most are "rest from your musical studies by reading poetry", "often take exercise out in the open", "never miss the oppertunity of hearing a good opera" and "it is better to rest than to practice without joy or freshness."