Suffering, a condition for greatness

When he arrived at the bridge, he was asked to pay the toll to cross over.

But he had no money.

He had left home some 15 minutes earlier, wearing just a dressing gown with a silk scarf, and slippers. No place to put any coins.

So he gave his silver scarf to the tax collectors, and they decided to let him pass.

But suspicious due to his strange appearance, they asked a local fisherman to go keep an eye on him.

When that odd man, a genius named Robert Schumann, stopped in the middle of the bridge, the fisherman knew that something was probably going wrong.

He quickly pulled his boat towards the strange man.

Meanwhile, Schumann threw himself to the river without any hesitation.

The fisherman saved his life and earned a medal for it.

Schumann survived but was interned in a mental asylum for the next two years, dying there at age 46.

Schumann´s fantastic musical output can´t possibly be detached from his mental condition.

What a terrible price to pay to create some of the most beautiful music mankind has ever heard. It brings me to tears just to think about it.

I´ve added 4 of my favorite short pieces by Schumann to my Piano Inspiration list, click here to listen.

Wishing you a nice day.

Claudio.