The Boston Globe Previews Concert for Clara Schumann's Bicentennial
The Boston Globe's Zoë Madonna previews this weekend's concert in honor of Clara Schumann, illuminating historical details about Schumann's life.
In the long run, Clara Schumann’s reputation as a concert pianist, creative muse for her husband, and (maybe?) vertex on a love triangle with Romantic-era titan Johannes Brahms greatly overshadowed her work as a composer. However, with the recent renewal of interest in unearthing work by women composers who may have been relegated to the footnotes of history, her music has been rolled into a brighter spotlight.
Tatyana Dudochkin, founder and director of the Composer Anniversary Concert series at New England Conservatory, thinks this year, Clara’s bicentennial, is the perfect time to celebrate her work as a composer. While researching Clara’s life and music, Dudochkin said, “my heart was grabbed by a woman who was just an incredible genius.” The concert will take place on Oct. 13, one month to the day after Clara’s 200th birthday.