Remembering Clara Schumann, the world’s first renowned female concert pianist

The possessor of a famous name through marriage, she was a prodigious talent in her own right. One of the very first female concert pianists — certainly the first to become internationally renowned — she was a gifted composer too.

Born Clara Wieck in Leipzig in 1819, her parents separated when she was a child, and her father was granted custody.

Friedrich Wieck was well known as a top piano teacher. When he realised his daughter had talent, he made it his mission (a bit like Mozart’s father) to turn her into a star. Clara was giving her first recitals by the age of nine. She composed a piano concerto when she was 13.

Robert Schumann heard her play and was enchanted. He gave up his law studies. It would be music for him from now on. He enrolled as one of Friedrich Wieck’s students and took lodgings with him.

Robert was nine years older than Clara, and became her mentor. They fell in love. Her father was totally against the relationship. They had to go to court to get a judgment that allowed them to wed.

Robert was a struggling composer, Clara had a career. Financial pressures meant that she, the pianist, became the principal breadwinner.

There was an irony in this, for it was through Clara’s concerts that much of Robert’s music first reached an international audience.

In the background, Robert’s deteriorating mental health was adding pressure. He attempted suicide and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital where he died in 1856. She was left to look after their eight children. Clara wore black for the rest of her life. She did have support. Johannes Brahms had arrived at their door in Düsseldorf as a 20-year-old unknown, recommended by the great violin virtuoso of the day, Joseph Joachim (for whom Robert had been writing a concerto).

Brahms and the widow became close. How close, we will never know. Brahms insisted all of their correspondence be burned before he died.

Clara continued to perform, delighting audiences across Europe. She gave her last concert at the age of 71.

Her music lives on, not only in her own material, but also in the works of Johannes Brahms, who said that it was Clara who inspired the best of his tunes.

George Hamilton presents ‘The Hamilton Scores’ on RTÉ lyric fm from 10am each Saturday and Sunday