Happy Birthday, Schumann!
- Jun 4
- 4 min read
Today, we celebrate the birth of the great composer, Robert Schumann. We will be performing Schumann's 4th Symphony on March 21st in our 3rd Concert of the 2026 Season, Germanfest. Tickets are now on sale from our website.
Join all of us at the Naples Community Orchestra in wishing German composer Robert Schumann a very happy 215th birthday!! Born in Zwickau, Germany, on June 8, 1810, Schumann shifted from his dreams of becoming a concert pianist to earning acclaim as a composer after suffering a debilitating hand injury.
His passionate relationship with Clara Wieck - a marriage resisted by Clara's father (who was also Robert's piano teacher!) - became a profound source of inspiration for much of his music. He also struggled with mental health issues, including periods of depression, which significantly impacted his life and career.
Despite his recurring bouts of melancholy and other health challenges, Schumann was remarkably prolific, composing over 150 works across a wide range of genres, including piano music, orchestral pieces, and more than 250 songs (lieder). He was also a distinguished music critic.
However, one of the most interesting facts about Schumann is that he is one of the 13 composers featured in the Naples Community Orchestra’s 2026 season: An International Feast! We will be performing Schumann's 4th Symphony at our Germanfest Concert on March 21st. He and others like Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Verdi will make it a season like none other.
Be sure to visit the Naples Community Orchestra website early and often for more details, tickets, and season passes. |
Schumann: Did you know?
Schumann's childhood was surrounded by books, sparking a love for both literature and music. He took piano, flute, and cello lessons, and even began composing at a young age.
In an attempt to strengthen his fingers and become a better pianist, Schumann devised a contraption that tied weights to his fingers. This experiment backfired, permanently injuring his hand and ending his hopes of a career as a concert pianist. (See below for a description of "contraptions" from the period.)
Schumann was one of the first composers to utilize the leitmotif technique, assigning specific meanings or characters to certain musical motifs
In the 1840s, Robert suffered from both depression and auditory hallucinations. Tinnitus was probably the cause of the constant ringing in his ears. He also experienced acute anxiety and worried about being poisoned by metal objects.
Schumann invented two contrasting alter egos, “Florestan” and “Eusebius,” to represent different sides of his personality—one impulsive and passionate, the other dreamy and introspective. He used these personas in both his music and his writings as a music critic, and sometimes signed his works "F." or "E." to indicate which persona was speaking or composing.
After his attempted suicide, Schumann was sent to a mental asylum in Endenich, where he spent the final two and a half years of his life, dying on July 29, 1856 at age 46.
Be sure to visit the Naples Community Orchestra website early and often for more details, tickets, and season passes.
Why not just practice more?
Schumann was not alone in trying to find a way to improve his piano technique. Throughout the 19th century, inventors and piano pedagogues developed a range of mechanical devices aimed at improving finger strength, independence, and hand position for pianists. These devices were often marketed to both amateur and professional players, reflecting the era’s fascination with virtuosity and technical perfection.
Chiroplast
Invented by John Bernard Logier in 1814, the Chiroplast was designed to guide the hands and fingers into the correct position over the keyboard, preventing bad habits and encouraging proper technique. It was widely used in England, India, and Germany, and endorsed by prominent musicians of the time.
Dactylion
Invented by Henri Herz in 1836, the dactylion featured rings for each finger attached to adjustable springs. The pianist placed their fingers in the rings, which provided resistance to strengthen the fingers and improve independence.
Digitorium
This device consisted of weighted keys that could be adjusted for resistance, allowing pianists to strengthen their fingers through repetitive pressing. Some versions also included wedges to stretch the fingers. The Digitorium was marketed primarily to amateur pianists in the mid- to late-19th century. Myer Marks invented the device and obtained a patent on November 23, 1866.
Hand-guide (Guide-mains)
Created by Friedrich Kalkbrenner in the 1810s after encountering the Chiroplast in London, this device was a bar placed above the keyboard to keep the wrists even and restrict unnecessary arm movement, forcing the pianist to rely on finger strength. It became very popular in Paris and was used by teachers such as Kalkbrenner and even a young Franz Liszt.
Chirogymnast
Developed in 1840, the Chirogymnast was a portable frame with multiple parts to train finger independence and flexibility. It allowed each finger to move more freely and stretch further apart, aiming to accelerate technical progress.
Join us in 2026 for another great Season of Classical Music!
We have 4 great concerts planned in 2026 -join the NCO Family and enjoy "The NCO Experience" next Season!
The NCO Experience!
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