Schumannfest.
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Photo: Schumannfest |
Following the great success of this event in 2008 the dates for 2010 have been announced.
The Robert Schumann Festival will run from 28 May until 14 June 2010. This is one of the best festivals attributed to Robert Schumann and is not only very popular but is an important part of the German and Dusseldorf’s cultural history.
Robert Schumann is said to be one of the most romantic music composers of the 19th century. He wrote beautiful songs and musical essays such as Paradise and the Peri, Carnaval, Kreisleriana, and Piano Quintett, most of which centred around the relationship between him and his wife. The German born composer, who moved to Dusseldorf in 1850, was once described by Elgar as ‘my ideal’. Although, he originally had aspirations to be a pianist, damage to his right hand meant that he instead had to concentrate on composing.
By the age of 14, with the help of his father, Schumann had written his first musical composition for the piano. However, later his life was hindered by frequent attacks of mental illness and sadly, after 3 years as the Dusseldorf Music Director, he tried to commit suicide as he flung himself from one of the Rhine bridges and was taken to a mental hospital in Bonn.
Although mental illness, which some described by some as Bi-Polar disorder, scarred particularly the last 2 years of his life, Schumann is remembered solely for his contributions to music which influenced many other famous music composers including Elgar.
On the official German website you can book tickets online and preview the programme for this musical spectacular and tribute to one of the most famous composers of our time.