A young Robert Schumann (1810-1856) wanted going to be a lawyer. I’ll bet the “Mom, Dad, I’m switching to music” conversation was awkward. The legal training did come in handy when he had to challenge Ms. Clara Wieck’s father (his piano teacher) in court to obtain Clara’s hand in marriage. Clara Schumann (1819-1896) was Robert’s equal in both piano performance and composition. They were quite a team. Too bad he died so much earlier than she. And too bad about his combination mullet-comb-over hairdo.
Robert invented a finger-strengthening machine and proceeded to ruin has right index and middle fingers. That’s the story most people tell. But he also had other health problems, for which mercury was the oldy-timey treatment. It’s possible the mercury caused the paralysis. He continued to write, though, and we’re thankful.
Soldier’s March, from Album For The Young, Op. 68 No. 2