Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Best remembered for his songs and piano music, and some of his symphonic and chamber works. Schumann made significant contributions to all the musical genres of his day and cultivated a number of new ones as well. His dual interest in music and literature led him to develop a historically informed music criticism and a compositional style deeply indebted to literary models. A leading exponent of musical Romanticism, he had a powerful impact on succeeding generations of European composers.

Schumann intended to be a pianist before a composer. Piano preludes, interludes and postludes are extremely important in his songs. The relationship between the singer and pianist is that of a duet more than that of a soloist with an accompanist.

A list of some of Schumann’s song sets and cycles:

Op. 24 Liederkreis (H. Heine), 1840; 9 songs

Op. 25 Myrthenlieder, 1840; 25 songs

Op. 27 Lieder und Gesänge, 1840; 5 songs

Op. 29 Drei Gedichte (E. Geibel), 1840; 3 songs

Op. 30 Drei Gedichte (Geibel), 1840; 3 songs

Op. 31 Drei Gesänge, 1840; 3 songs

Op. 34 Vier Duette, 1840; 4 duets for soprano and tenor

Op. 35 Zwölf Gedichte (Kerner) 1840

Op. 36 Sechs Gedichte (Reinick) 1840

Op. 37 Zwölf Gedichte aus F. Rückerts, 1840

Op. 39 Liederkreis (Eichendorff) 1840

Op. 40 Fünf Lieder, 1840

Op. 41 Frauenliebe und –leben, (Chamisso) 1840

Op. 43 Drei zweistimmige Lieder, 1840

Op. 45 Romanzen und Balladen, 1840

Op. 48 Dichterliebe (Heine) 1840

Op. 48 Romanzen und Balladen 1840; 3 songs

Only a few isolated songs composed between 1840 and 1849. It is generally thought that, with some exceptions, those songs composed 1849 and after do not compare to those composed in 1840. Quotes from our text: concerning op. 98a, “ambitious but very uneven in quality.” Concerning op. 135, “dull and colorless.”

Op. 74 Spanisches Liederspiel (Geibel, after Spanish poets) 1849; 10 songs for

quartet and piano

Op. 79 Lieder-Album für die Jugend, 1849; 28 songs

Op. 83 Drei Gesänge,1850

Op. 89 Sechs Gesänge, (W. von der Neun) 1850

Op. 90 Sechs Gedichte von N. Lenau und Requiem (N. Lenau) 1850

Op. 95 Drei Gesänge (Byron) Hebrew Melodies, trans. Körner (1849)

Op. 96 Lieder und Gesänge (1850); 5 songs

Op. 98a Lieder und Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister (Goethe) (1849); 9 songs

Op. 101 Minnespiel (Rückert) 1849; 10 songs for quartet and piano

Op. 103 Mädchenlieder (E. Kulmann) (1851), 4 songs for Sop.

Op. 104 Sieben Lieder (Kulmann) (1851)

Op. 106 Schön Hedwig, declamation (Hebbel) (1849)

Op. 107 Sechs Gesänge (1851); 7 songs

Op. 114 Drei Lieder (1853), 3 female voices

Op. 117 Vier Husarenlieder (Lenau) 1851), 4 songs for Baritone

Op. 119 Drei Gedichte (G. Pfarrius) (1851)

Op. 122 Zwei Balladen, declamations (1852–3)

Op. 125 Fünf heitere Gesänge (1850–51)

Op. 127 Fünf Lieder und Gesänge (1854)

Op. 135 Gedichte der Königin Maria Stuart (trans. G. Vincke) 1852; 5 songs

Op. 138 Spanische Liebeslieder (Geibel) 1849, quartet, piano four hands