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Publisher: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007, £50/$90 (hardback); £19.99/$29.99 (paperback).
ISBN: 978 0 521 78341 5 (hardback); 978 0 521 78950 9 (paperback). Cambridge Companions to Music
As with others in this series, this book is principally for scholars, despite its claim to be not only a textbook for music students but also suitable for both the connoisseur and music lover. It is, however, mostly very readable for the amateur, but those wanting a general life of Schumann might prefer something less meaty.
The opening account of Schumann's life by the editor distils a lot of the fact and myth that has grown over the 150 years since his death. It is readable yet scholarly, drawing together all the threads of this short but complex life. We learn of the self-inflicted hand injury which ended Schumann's career as a concert pianist but allowed him freedom to concentrate on composing and to see performance made possible through the piano skills of his wife Clara. Perrey offers new insight into the reasons for Schumann to act the way he did over his finger "strengthening" as well as in his actions in so many other areas...