That the Düsseldorf Schumann House is named as such and not Robert Schumann House like in his birthplace Zwickau is a subtle distinction. In the house on Bilker Straße, which they inhabited from 1850 to 1854, both Schumanns are to be honored: Robert, one of the most famous composers of the Romantic era, and Clara, one of the great concert pianists of her time and also a composer.
For 7.7 million euros, the city of Düsseldorf renovated and transformed the former residence of the couple, creating a truly wonderfully entertaining museum with an interactive exhibition. The process of turning it into a museum can be sensed during a 3D tour on the large table display in the arrival area. There, the condition before the renovation can be seen: Until 2016, the house was normally inhabited and had worn floorboards, walls with many layers of paint, falling stucco, worn doors, and peeling window frames.
With restorative finesse, the workers restored the original stucco and the original color of the floorboards. They also ensured accessibility through an extension with an elevator. This extension also houses the arrival room, which is already an interesting museum in itself and sweetens the wait more than if the Schumann apartment is too crowded. On the wall, there are timelines that connect the life dates of Robert and Clara Schumann with historical events and curiosities from world history and Düsseldorf. A curiosity, for example, is the first sentence transmitted via the newly invented telephone on October 26, 1861: "The horse does not eat cucumber salad."
By 1861, Robert was no longer alive. He died in 1856 at the age of only 46 in a mental health facility near Bonn. His increasingly severe mental illness had already become evident during his time in Düsseldorf and reached a tragic climax with a suicide attempt: On February 27, 1854, he threw his wedding ring into the Rhine from a pontoon bridge in Oberkassel and then jumped in himself – but he was able to be rescued.
In the Schumann apartment, visitors get a sense of the fact that the relationship between the composer and Düsseldorf, where he was appointed as music director, quickly became conflict-laden. The curators surrounding the director of the Heinrich Heine Institute, Sabine Brenner-Wilczek, have set up a "kitchen of rumors" in a small chamber of the apartment, which could also be called a "gossip chamber." In a sound installation, comments from people in the city can be heard: "He appeared so distracted!", "His conducting style is a torture for people!"
In addition to such curiosities, however, 100 high-quality exhibits are presented – from a collection that includes over 1000 objects. All are originals from their time, such as handwritten scores and letters from the Schumanns. This way, visitors can return again and again to discover new things, as sometimes the exhibits are changed. The objects come from the renowned Schumann collection of the state capital and are often presented interactively.
In Robert Schumann's study, there is a desk that is modeled after his original piece of furniture and can be opened in all conceivable places. Even in editions of books from the 19th century that the composer read, you are allowed to leaf through them.
Robert Schumann apparently composed during every free second in his time as a controversial music director on the Rhine. He created a third of his works in Düsseldorf. A part of it can be explored in the house - and according to the motto: No note without its sound. When handwritten manuscripts of the famous Piano Concerto in A Minor or his 3rd Symphony (the "Rheinische") are on display, there is always a headphone next to it or the appropriate sound example resonates immediately from speakers installed in the room.
In this way, one can also discover Clara Schumann and her work in a space dedicated to her, including her Romance in D Major for Piano and Violin. For people who want to delve deeper into the history of interpretation, there is a possibility on a chaise longue to compare three different artistic interpretations of a Violin Sonata by Robert Schumann using a tablet and headphones: The approaches that the curators have labeled "balanced," "warm," and "expressive" could not be more different and show how strong the individual expression of the performers can be in classical-romantic works.
Perhaps precisely because the museum concept does not allow for views from the apartment and the light is rather subdued, one eventually feels quite cozy in the Schumann House, wanting to stay and continually discover more. In a wonderful spatial installation, one can browse through various books that illuminate the relationship network of the Schumanns from their perspective or the perspective of artist friends like Johannes Brahms or Joseph Joachim. Depending on which character in the book is currently opened, their portrait is projected onto the wall.
But eventually, one must say goodbye and leaves the museum through the last room, which is again dedicated to Clara. After her husband's admission to the mental health facility, she remained alone with the children in the apartment for some time. Here one can find her widow's veil, the famous Lenbach portrait of the aged pianist, and also her will. Despite feelings of sadness, one resolves that this is certainly not the last visit.
Text: Max Florian Kühlem
