The Imagination of Robert Schumann, Part 1

The Virtual Piano Master Course is a series of videos from Steinway Artist Claire Wachter, the creator of the Virtual Piano Pedagogue. http://virtualpianopedagogue.com The third topic in the Virtual Piano Master Course is a six-video series titled The Imagination of Robert Schumann, with Claire Wachter as presenter and pianist. In this series, Claire explores the fascinating inner connections between Schumann's life and his compositions, which she calls the "biography" of Schumann's music. Video 1 The Imagination of Robert Schumann: Portrait of the composer as a young man. Schumann in his early 20's; love of music and literature; his literary favorites, Jean Paul and E.T.A. Hoffmann; law or music; decision for music; his virtuoso dreams abandoned; Schumann's first great compositions; Papillons; the character-cycle; the transformation of the waltz into a character piece; musical code; the marcato accent; Schumann's ideal of interpretation. About the Artist: Pianist Claire Wachter has performed in some of the world's most prestigious venues, including Steinway Hall in New York, the National Recital Hall in Taiwan and the Qingdao Grand Hall in China. She has given solo performances in the U.S., Canada, Spain, and Austria. She has presented recitals, lectures, and master classes in Chile, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, China, and South Korea. Claire's videos "The Art of the Phrase," "The Essence of Chopin" and "The Genius of Domenico Scarlatti" have been viewed throughout the United States and in more than 100 countries.