An recital of music and readings reflecting on the journey through Switzerland and across the Alps made by the 19-year-old Robert Schumann.  

Portrait of Robert Schumann when 20 years old, reproduced by kind permission of Robert-Schumann-Haus, Zwickau

Still a law student with desires to become a poet when he left his native Germany, he was already showing his talent for improvisation at the piano, and on his return from Italy and Switzerland, he resolved to devote his life to music.

The origins of the programme

I studied Schumann’s diaries whilst living in Adliswil near Zurich and by chance stumbled upon a reference to a village called “Adtisschwyl”.  Had I been at home on the morning of 25th August 1829, I could surely have waved at this handsome lad as he walked past my house.

Intrigued, I went to Zurich library to find out more.  I was told to look at the NachtZedduls – a police record of all guests staying in Zurich.  Luckily the record for the night of 24th August 1829 has survived, and among the entries for the Hotel Raben is “Robert Schumann, Student, Zwickau”.   

I sought out the lovely letters Robert wrote in preparation for, and during, this journey to his mother, friends and relatives. 

From the diaries, faintly written in tiny pencil script, emerged a young Schumann full of humour, pranks and endless enthusiasm for wanting to communicate his innermost thoughts.

By interweaving this material with his piano music, I hope to convey a sense of how Schumann’s youthful experiences contributed to his development into the most poetic of musicians.