On This Day!

[Joy]

July 29, 1856 -- Death of Robert Schumann at age 46, in an insane asylum in Endenich, Germany, where he had been confined for more than two years.

I know this has been asked here before, but what exactly did he die from?

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Peter]

Tertiary syphilis was the likely cause, but for the last few weeks he virtually starved himself to death. Tragic indeed.

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'Man know thyself'

[Joy]

Thank you, now I remember! He certainly had suicidal tendencies(starving yourself, not a pleasant means) as he tried to commit suicide before if I recall.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Nightklavier]

I can't help but recall a Seinfeld episode where George has a musical tune stuck in his head and Jerry tells him about "Schumann the composer" who couldn't get the A note out of his head; it kept repeating over and over and made him insane. I'm not all too knowledgeable about Schumann's life. Did he actually have the A note stuck in his head or is that just a myth or joke?

[Peter]

Originally posted by Nightklavier:
I can't help but recall a Seinfeld episode where George has a musical tune stuck in his head and Jerry tells him about "Schumann the composer" who couldn't get the A note out of his head; it kept repeating over and over and made him insane. I'm not all too knowledgeable about Schumann's life. Did he actually have the A note stuck in his head or is that just a myth or joke?

Clara Schumann recalls in her diary that he had terrible sounds in his ear, a continuous drone on one note. He had many other symptoms leading up to his breakdown such as hearing angels who then turned into devils dictating music!



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'Man know thyself'

[Joy]

What a tortured soul! I also read where they think he was bi-polar (manic depression disorder).

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[This message has been edited by Joy (edited 07-30-2005).]

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Peter:
Clara Schumann recalls in her diary that he had terrible sounds in his ear, a continuous drone on one note. He had many other symptoms leading up to his breakdown such as hearing angels who then turned into devils dictating music!

He also wrecked his hands by trying to exercize them with a mechanical device.

[Rutradelusasa]

Originally posted by Sorrano:

He also wrecked his hands by trying to exercize them with a mechanical device.

I heard that he had tied his fourth finger (right hand I guess) to the ceiling and then went practising. That ruined this finger for him.


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"Wer ein holdes weib errungen..."

[Sorrano]

Whatever the device was that he used was of his own concept. Pity.

[Peter]

Originally posted by Sorrano:
Whatever the device was that he used was of his own concept. Pity.

Yes and this apparently explained his difficulty in holding a baton and his dreadful hand-writing. Interestingly it also barred him from military service - according to the medical report the 3rd and index fingers of his right hand were effected by paralysis. Friedrich Wieck dissociating himself from a school of piano teachers (who set great store by mechanical aids such as the Chiroplast) referred to a 'famous pupil' who had wrecked his hands by such means.

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'Man know thyself'