Educational Media Reviews Online

Schumann's Lost Romance offers an original approach to historical biography. Popular contemporary cellist Steven Isserlis takes an impassioned journey to Germany to uncover the truth about the relationship between Robert Schumann and his wife Clara, and to understand the fate of five romances for cello and piano. As some of his last works, these five romances were composed by Robert Schumann in an asylum, and ultimately destroyed by Clara Schumann.

Mr. Isserlis's personal bias regarding the importance of these particular musical compositions, as well as his admiration for Robert Schumann and contempt for Clara Schumann, are all quite apparent throughout the majority of the program. The viewer has the opportunity to visit a number of historic sights relating to Schumann's world. More importantly, a variety of beautiful samples of his work are performed. Mr. Isserlis talks with biographers, musicologists, and musicians to uncover the mysteries of Schumann's last years, which were filled with mental illness and great creativity. He even has an opportunity to "converse" with Clara Schumann, providing a unique twist to a very interesting story. Ultimately, Steven Isserlis softens his negative opinion of Clara Schumann to a certain degree, while providing the viewer with an introduction to Robert Schumann, his life, and his work.

The production qualities of the video are impeccable. All the visuals are well-planned, and videotaped precisely. The audio quality is excellent, which of course is particularly important in a program with a musical topic. While at times a little overly critical of Clara Schumann, Steven Isserlis is a charming and informative presenter who offers his personal bias as a starting point for this quest to uncover the truth.

Because of the relatively narrow focus of the video, the program is recommended for academic libraries. And with the price of $250, it may also be necessary that the purchase be made with specific curriculum support in mind.