What is Robert Schumann?
{{for|the former [[prime minister]] of [[France]]|Robert Schuman}} [[File:Robert Schumann.jpg|frame|Robert Schumann]] '''Robert Schumann''' (born [[Zwickau]] in [[Saxony]], June 8, 1810; died July 29, 1856) was a famous [[Germany|German]] [[composer]]. He lived in the time called the [[Romantic music|Romantic period]]. He had to give up his plans for being a concert [[pianist]] because he injured his hand. He published a [[music]] [[magazine]] and wrote a lot of [[music critic|articles about music]] that had just been composed. His music is full of things that are typical of Romantic music: it is full of emotion, the pieces often have titles that describe things, and they are often inspired by [[literature]]. He wrote a great deal of piano music. Some of this music is hard to play, but other pieces are quite easy. Many children learn to play some of the pieces in his ''Album for the Young''. His songs ([[Lied]]er) are among the best ever written. He also wrote larger works like [[symphony|symphonies]] and [[concerto]]s and [[chamber music]]. Sometimes he felt very happy but at other times he was very [[depression (illness)|depressed]]. These changes of mood can be heard in a lot of his music. == Life == Robert Schumann was the fifth and youngest child of a bookseller and [[publisher]]. As a boy he liked reading the books in his father’s shop. He began to compose when he was seven. At school he was extremely good at music and literature. He passed his school-leaving examination with very high marks. His family wanted him to be a [[lawyer]], so he went to [[Leipzig]] to study [[law]] but he hardly ever went to any [[lecture]]s. He was much more interested in music and literature, but also in women and drinking. He took piano lessons from a teacher called Friedrich Wieck. Wieck had a 9-year-old daughter [[Clara Schumann|Clara]]. Many years later she was to become his wife. Clara was a brilliant pianist. Her father took her on concert tours because she was a [[child prodigy|prodigy]]. Schumann started to compose s