Bob Draper writes:

>Remember also that the sight of Robert Schumann going mad could not have
>been too inspiring!

Agreed.  Robert Schumann really had issues that he needed to work out.
I think one of the first signs of mental illness was when he tried to fix
his fingers so he could perform better at the piano. He ended up ruining
his finger for good and he would never be able to establish a career as a
concert pianist.  If it weren't for his mental illness he maybe would have
become a greater composer.  He already wrote some good music and he was one
of the composers that didn't have perfect pitch.  He wrote great lieder as
well.  He and his wife would've made a great team.

Jeremey