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Clara Schumann.

Clara Josephine Wieck

Clara Schumann — Academic
Born Leipzig, Germany
Died Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Citizenship Germany

5 min read

Reading time

858

Words

Published

6

Books

TL;DR

Clara Schumann 1819-1896 was a German composer and pianist whose works have been featured in films such as Management 2008, Ammonite 2020, and The Europeans 1979. She married fellow composer Robert Schumann and had eight children. Her image appeared on the German 100-Deutsche Mark banknote from 1991 until the introduction of the euro. She died of a stroke at age 76 in Frankfurt am Main.

Identity & family.

KIN · 15

Names, aliases, and relatives of Clara Schumann — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Birth Name Clara Josephine Wieck
Aliases Clara Wieck
PARENTS
Mariane Bargiel Friedrich Wieck
SPOUSES
Robert Schumann
CHILDREN
Eugenie Schumann Felix Schumann Julie Schumann Marie Schumann Ferdinand Schumann Elise Schumann Emil Schumann Ludwig Schumann
SIBLINGS
Marie Wieck Woldemar Bargiel Alwin Wieck Gustav Wieck

At a glance.

STATS

Clara Schumann by the numbers — life, work, and family.

76 Years lived
6 Books
1 Marriage
8 Children

Who was Clara Schumann?

BIOGRAPHY

Clara Schumann — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

On September 13, 1819 in Leipzig, Kingdom of Saxony, now Saxony, Germany, Mariane Bargiel and Friedrich Wieck named their daughter Clara Josephine Wieck. She grew up with four siblings: Marie Wieck, Woldemar Bargiel, Alwin Wieck, and Gustav Wieck.

Career

Clara Schumann composed piano works that later appeared in films such as Management 2008, Ammonite 2020, and the television series The Europeans 1979. Her portrait adorned the German 100-Deutsche Mark banknote from 1991 to 2002.

Personal life

Clara Schumann married composer Robert Schumann; the couple had eight children: Marie 1841, Elise 1843, Julie 1845, Emil 1846, Ludwig 1848, Ferdinand 1849, Eugenie 1851, and Felix 1854. Her son Ludwig suffered from mental illness, like his father, and spent 31 years in a mental hospital. She died of a stroke on May 20, 1896 in Frankfurt am Main.

Legacy

Performers and recording artists continue to play Clara Schumann’s compositions. The German 100-Deutsche Mark banknote carried her image from 1991 until the euro replaced it in 2002. Films such as Ammonite 2020 and The Europeans 1979 introduced her music to new audiences.

Bibliography.

BOOKS · 6

Clara Schumann's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

  1. Cover for Chamber Music of Robert Schumann

    Chamber Music of Robert Schumann

    by Clara Schumann

  2. Cover for Letters of Clara Schumann

    Letters of Clara Schumann

    by Clara Schumann

  3. Cover for Clara Schumann Piano Music

    Clara Schumann Piano Music

    by Clara Schumann

  4. Cover for Piano Music of Robert Schumann, Series II

    Piano Music of Robert Schumann, Series II

    by Clara Schumann

  5. Cover for Piano Music of Robert Schumann, Series I

    Piano Music of Robert Schumann, Series I

    by Clara Schumann

  6. Cover for Piano Music of Robert Schumann, Series III

    Piano Music of Robert Schumann, Series III

    by Clara Schumann

Did you know?

FACTS · 2

Little-known facts about Clara Schumann — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

  1. Clara Schumann was featured on the German 100-Deutsche Mark banknote from 1991 until the currency was replaced by the euro in 2002.

  2. She had eight children: Marie Schumann born September 1, 1841, Elise Schumann April 25, 1843, Julie Schumann March 11, 1845, Emil Schumann February 8, 1846, Ludwig Schumann January 20, 1848, Ferdinand Schumann July 16, 1849, Eugenie Schumann December 1, 1851, and Felix Schumann June 11, 1854. Like his father, Ludwig Schumann suffered from mental illness and spent 31 years in a mental hospital.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 25

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Clara Schumann.

Audited & updated by

Emma Richardson

Senior Editorial Director & Managing Editor

Emma has 8 years of editorial experience and a very clear idea of what a good biography looks like. At Famousy, she runs the editorial operation and decides what meets the bar and what doesn't. She's the kind of editor who remembers the profiles she pushed back on more clearly than the ones she approved. That's not a complaint. That's exactly why the site reads the way it does.

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