R. Schumann Piano Concerto

In January of 1839, Clara Wieck, Robert's future wife, wrote to
Robert, “Don’t take it amiss if I tell you that I’ve been seized
by the desire to encourage you to write for orchestra. Your
imagination and your spirit are too great for the weak piano.”
Clara knew that she would have struck a nerve with Robert, whose
history with the piano was full of trials and tribulations.
Robert had trained as a pianist, but a 3 year period of reckless
amounts of practicing as well as the exacerbating effects of
experimental devices meant to strengthen his fingers had
destroyed his ability to play professionally. But already from
the age of 17, in 1827, Robert had considered writing a piano
concerto, probably for himself to perform. He made 4 further
attempts to write a concerto, but it seems, like so many things
in Schumann’s life, that his marriage to Clara was the final
inspiration that he needed to get over the hump. It made sense,
as Clara Schumann was possibly the greatest pianist of her age,
and someone who was ceaselessly devoted to promoting her
husband’s works wherever she played. In 1841, one year after
their marriage, Robert finished a one movement piano concerto in
A minor, which he called a Phantasie. Clara reported adoring the
piece, but no publisher was interested in the work of a still
relatively unknown composer. They were especially uninterested in
a on movement concerto, and so Robert knew he needed to “finish”
the piece with two extra movements. It would take him 4 more
years to finally tack on those extra movements, and the first
performance would be given 4 years after that Phantasie had been
written, of course with Clara as soloist. This concerto has
remained popular practically ever since it was written, and there
are so many reasons for it, from its arresting opening, to its
abundant lyricism, to its constant interplay with the orchestra,
something that Robert grappled with when writing this concerto.
This piece is one that doesn’t have a story behind it, or any
sort of narrative - it lives in the world as a sort of fantasy,
constantly evolving in its beauty throughout. We’re going to talk
about this piece in detail, from start to finish on this Patreon
Sponsored Episode. Join us!