THE VIRTUOSO PIANIST AS COMPOSER: AN ANALYSIS OF CLARA WIECK-SCHUMANN’S COMPOSITIONS AS INFLUENCED BY HER CONCERT REPERTOIRE

Abstract

Clara Schumann, born Wieck (1819-1896), demonstrated exceptional promise as a pioneering nineteenth-century pianist and composer. Trained by her father, Friedrich Wieck, she became a distinguished pianist of the Romantic era and gained public admiration for her compositions. The dissertation divides her musical life into three periods: early, middle, and late, analyzing her concert repertoire and compositions during each phase. It explores the correlation between her performances and contemporary compositions, revealing shifts in style and focus. It also contextualizes her within the broader history of women composers, highlighting her impact on classical music.The document investigates Clara’s unique position as a woman pianist and composer in the nineteenth century, especially as the wife of Robert Schumann. It explores the intertwining of her personal history with her artistic expression, shedding light on the challenges she faced in a male-dominated profession. The varied nature of her concert repertoire across all three periods is examined, providing insights into representative works and their significance. Examples from her programs are discussed in relation to her period and connections to her husband's compositions and those of other contemporaneous artists. Furthermore, the dissertation addresses the absence of published piano compositions in her later period, focusing on transcriptions and collaborations. In conclusion, the dissertation contributes to a greater understanding of her legacy, acknowledging her rightful place in the history of Western classical music and advocating for the continued recognition of women's contributions in the field. Accompanied by written document, I performed two recitals on May 6, 2022, at Seoul Arts Center and May 30, 2023, at Youngsan Arts Center in Seoul, South Korea. These recital programs include piano compositions not covered in this dissertation, aiming to introduce more of her repertoire. Both live recordings of these recitals can be found in the Digital Repository (DRUM) at the University of Maryland.