I never knew Clara Schumann had eight children. I am sure she could not practice or compose much during this time. Perhaps that is why her father opposed to the marriage at first.
I like reading that so many great pianists in this book, like Clara Schumann, are said to have an absence of personal display and strive most importantly to comprehend the meaning of the composer. One of Clara Schumann’s students mentioned that her playing was never in disregard to the score even when she performed from memory. I find that to really be an impressive quality to have, especially when you are a famous pianist of your time. I think of the many famous pianists of our day. One often hears true interpretation in several recordings but one can often hear an exaggeration of “personal display” by many famous pianists in live performances. A lot of times this is evident with more familiar repertoire that has become overplayed. Pianists try to interpret these works in unnatural ways, not being true to the score, and seem to perform them in merely for the sake of being different. I think even great masters such as Rubenstein can be “guilty’ of this. I think this is a phenomenon which did not exist until the 20th century with the development of recordings and an abundance of pianists being judged on their individual interpretation. I like the quote that Clara Schumann above all secured….”An interpretation of the composer’s work which as it once intelligible to the listener-this certainly formed an essential element of her playing, and it is worth while insisting on this, since the absence of that strict accuracy and perspicuity is too often mistaken for evidence of deep emotional intention.”
It certainly seems that Clara Schumann was the first female pianist to be reckoned with in the 19th century as she was frequently mentioned among great virtuoso such as Liszt, Thalberg and others. I wonder to which extent she had published her own compositions under Robert Schumann’s name. Was it truly exceptional for female composers to publish their work so late in the 19th century? I would be curious reading more recent scholarship regarding this.
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In another music history class, we've discussed about the lack of female composers and performers from this period. It has been suggested that without her firm male supports, Clara Schumann would most likely not have been published. Schumann herself even refers to her work as "pretty" and suggests that her work is ok for "only a woman". This is clearly a reflection of the closemindedness of the time.
ReplyDeleteAt that time, it was very conservative. So, it was rare woman played the piano and composed the works in front of the public. I think Clara Schumann was also very opened and braved, but her father was much more opened. There is an evidence for this. I found that Clara Schumann composed piano concerto in A minor which is the same to Robert Schumann's eventhough she composed her piano concerto before she met Robert Schumann. Actually, the piano concerto is very the masculine genre because piano leads whole orchestra and it is performed in front of the public.
ReplyDeleteI learned in a class that Clara was not allowed to practice when Robert was composing. It is amazing that she was able to have any time for piano or composing considering this restriction on top of her other obligations.
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