Robert Schumann was born on 8 June 1810 in Zwickau, Saxony, into an affluent middle-class family. His father, August Schumann, was a bookseller and a lexicographer, which allowed Robert access to a rich literary environment. He began studying music at a young age, taking piano lessons from Johann Gottfried Kuntsch and later from Friedrich Wieck. Schumann initially pursued law at the universities of Leipzig and Heidelberg but ultimately decided to focus on music after a hand injury hindered his aspirations as a virtuoso pianist.In the 1830s, Schumann began to establish himself as a composer, producing significant works for piano, including Carnaval, Davidsbündlertänze, and Kinderszenen. He co-founded the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik in 1834, where he served as editor and expressed his dual personality through the alter egos 'Florestan' and 'Eusebius.' Schumann married Clara Wieck, his teacher's daughter, in 1840 after a protracted legal battle for her hand. Their marriage marked a prolific period for Schumann, during which he composed many songs and song cycles, including Frauenliebe und Leben and Dichterliebe.In 1841, Schumann turned to orchestral music, completing his First Symphony, known as 'The Spring.' He continued to compose chamber music, including string quartets and piano quintets, and faced challenges with mental health throughout the 1840s. His only opera, Genoveva, premiered in 1850 but did not achieve success. Schumann's appointment as director of music in Düsseldorf in 1850 was marred by his mental instability, leading to his resignation in 1853.In 1853, Schumann met the young composer Johannes Brahms, whom he praised in his writings. However, his mental health deteriorated significantly in 1854, culminating in a suicide attempt. He was admitted to a sanatorium, where he remained until his death on 29 July 1856 at the age of 46. Schumann's music, particularly his piano works and songs, gained recognition during his lifetime, though his later compositions were often viewed as less inspired. His influence extended to many composers in the 19th and 20th centuries, including Brahms, Mahler, and Tchaikovsky, and he is now regarded as a key figure in the Romantic music tradition.