Clara - Janice Galloway

[Jacey1973]

Ok, i know this has been discussed before but.......

I just finished reading it and i wanted to discuss it with someone!!!!

I thought it was such a good read - i couldn't put it down.

The thing i wondered - i believe most of it was based on fact - from what Galloway found in letters/Clara and Robert's "Marriage Diaries" (i really want to get hold of these - they sound fascinating - anyone know where the original diaries/letters of Robert/Clara could be found?) but surely she must have embellished some of it? What do you reckon?

I must admit, i didnt realise how successful Clara was as a concert pianist - and she still had time to bring up 8 children!!! The romance between Robert and Clara was so sweet, i got so attached to the characters. The letters and music he composed for her was so romantic! And it was really interesting to see how Clara was trained by her father. I loved the appearances of Chopin, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Brams, Joachim, Paganini etc - as it made me visualise them as individuals. It is strange but when you're playing a bit of e.g "Chopin" or "Liszt" you forget they were actual people - do you know what i mean?

It made me angry that Clara wasn't allowed to see Robert in the last months of his life - was this based on fact? It was so sad that she only got to see him finally the day he died. I started crying on the last page - before i had even reached the end! Hehe, i had to read it again the next day because i'd been too upset to read it the first time!

I'd love to read more into the Schumanns' life - especially as to what happened to Clara after Robert died (which is where Galloway's novel ends) - and what happened between Brahms and Clara? I knew they were close, but did Brahms stick around after Robert's death?

It has inspired me to learn some Schumann on the piano over Christmas!

Bernhard - any comments (i believe you've read it from previous posts?) and anyone else?

[pianistimo]

thanks!  i found an interview with janice galloway that's kinda neat, too.

www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/bwriting/stories/s1052254.htm

scroll down to 'Ramona's interview with Janice Galloway'

*some of her encores longer than the program itself!  she didn't speak until the age of four - but to her, playing was speaking.

one review i read made me laugh.  they compared her book to a box of crispy creme donuts.  i happen to like those - so, i think i'll go buy the book.  even if some details are elaborated on in story telling style - i like that.  it's more interesting than bland textbook image.  she's a very good writer, imo. (i read the first few pages of the book on amazon).
she gets you into the period of history by giving details that aren't all music.

[Jacey1973]

Oh thankyou pianistimo! Listening to it now...