In 1823 he was appointed custodian of the university library at Breslau, a post which he held till 1838. His original intention was to study theology, but he soon devoted himself entirely to literature. The son of a merchant and mayor of his native city, he was educated at the classical schools of Helmstedt and Braunschweig, and afterwards at the universities of Göttingen and Bonn. Hoffmann was born in Fallersleben in Lower Saxony, then in the duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He is best known for writing "Das Lied der Deutschen", its third stanza now being the national anthem of Germany, and a number of popular children's songs, considered part of the Young Germany movement. To read the rest of the article, please click here.Īugust Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben was a German poet. Diagnosed with "psychotic melancholia", Schumann died two years later in 1856 without having recovered from his mental illness. After a suicide attempt in 1854, Schumann was admitted to amental asylum, at his own request, in Endenich near Bonn. Schumann suffered from a lifelong mental disorder, first manifesting itself in 1833 as a severe melancholic depressive episode, which recurred several times alternating with phases of ‘exaltation’ and increasingly also delusional ideas of being poisoned or threatened with metallic items. Clara also composed music and had a considerable concert career as a pianist, the earnings from which formed a substantial part of her father's fortune. In 1840, Schumann married Friedrich Wieck's daughter Clara, against the wishes of her father, following a long and acrimonious legal battle, which found in favor of Clara and Robert. His writings about music appeared mostly in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Journal for Music), a Leipzig-based publication which he jointly founded. Works such as Kinderszenen, Album für die Jugend, Blumenstück, the Sonatas and Albumblätter are among his most famous. Schumann's published compositions were written exclusively for the piano until 1840 he later composed works for piano and orchestra many Lieder (songs for voice and piano) four symphonies an opera and other orchestral, choral, and chamber works. Schumann then focused his musical energies on composing. He had been assured by his teacher Friedrich Wieck that he could become the finest pianist in Europe, but a hand injury ended this dream. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era.
Robert Schumann was a German composer and influential music critic.