Schumann's music by genre

How many symphonies did Schumann compose? And how much of his music was orchestral? Discover Schumann's compositions grouped by musical category, and listen to some of his most famous music.

Orchestral – 14%
Schumann was not an instinctive orchestrator, yet his output includes such treasurable scores as the four symphonies, Piano Concerto and the Overture, Scherzo and Finale.

Chamber – 15%
Schumann’s chamber music has made a welcome comeback in recent years; small wonder given the quality of his trios, quartets and sonatas. 

Solo Piano – 26%
The most groundbreaking of Schumann genres, his piano music ranges from dramatic sonatas to spellbinding opuses Carnaval, Kreisleriana and Kinderszenen. 

Choral – 18%
This still neglected area of Schumann’s music contains a number of gems, including the Scenes from Goethe’s Faust and the Requiem für Mignon.

Songs – 22%
For many music lovers Schumann surpassed even the mighty Schubert as a songwriter. His 400-plus settings sustain an amazingly high standard.

Stage – 5%
Despite the fertility of his imagination, Schumann wasn’t really a man of the theatre, but his one opera (Genoveva) and incidental score (Manfred) are both treasurable.