Starred review from October 1, 2018
Chernaik (The Lyrics of Shelley) vividly brings to life German composer Robert Schumann (1810–1856). Using Schumann’s personal diaries, letters, and other key archival sources, Chernaik puts Schumann’s life in a new light while providing an overview of Romanticism in 19th-century Europe, which included composers , Frédéric Chopin and Felix Mendelssohn. During this time, Schumann created narratives around fictional characters, such as Johannes Kreisler (taken from the works of poet E.T.A. Hoffmann) in his composition Kreisleriana. Chernaik skillfully puts Schumann’s compositions in the context of the events in his life when he was writing them—the death of his sister Fanny in 1847, for example, cast him into depression and inspired him to compose his F-sharp minor string quartet. Chernaik details Schumann’s romance with pianist Clara Wieck, who would become his wife, as well as Schumann’s mental illness, suicide attempt, and death. Using the previously unavailable full medical diary of Endenich Asylum in Germany, Chernaik suggests that Schumann suffered from late-stage syphilis, which caused paralysis and psychosis, and ultimately killed him. Fast-paced and informative, this biography wonderfully explores the life of a great and troubled composer.