Spring Symphony [DVD]

I teach a piano literature course, and in my research I learned of this movie. I watched it and found that the writers did a good job of following the facts. It made the lives of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck truly come to life, and easier to understand. I liked that they used period instruments, and the sound track is largely Schumann's own music. The story of the movie stops at the marriage of Robert & Clara, so their lives as a married couple, and later Schumann's insanity and attempted suicide are not part of this. It is a FOREIGN LANGUAGE film, and it doesn't say that anywhere on the cover, so be sure to know this in advance. If you don't speak German, you will need to turn on the subtitle function using your DVD player menu (there's no menu provided on the DVD itself to activate this function). It's also not rated. I think if it were an American film, it would probably be PG-13, or even R because of nude or nearly nude excerpts.

The writer and director of this film is Peter Schamoni, not Alfred Hirschmeier as reported in another customer review, and he took most of the dialogue from the correspondence and other documentation of Robert,Clara and Friedrich Wieck. Anyone with knowledge of Schumann's correspondence, his love of poetry and dramatic narrative and the world of 19th century German romanticism will recognize the accuracy and faithfulness of the dialogue used throughout this wonderful film.The look and sound of the pianofortes used is another example of the care lavished on presenting Robert and Clara's world as accurately as possible.Good performances, excellent photography and glorious music. No complaints from this Schumann fanatic. Highly recommended.

An interesting, compelling portrayal of a complex relationship.

I am a Schumannite - he is one of my 2 favorite composers and I was REALLY looking forward to this movie. However, the best thing I can say about the movie was that the sets, dress and pianos all seemed to be authentic. I am told that the movie is also accurate historically - the conversations, dialog and events are also accurate. Swell. Beyond that it was dismal. Boring. The acting was competent at best. The screen play was abysmal. And forget cinematography - there isn't any.The movie centers on the courtship between Robert and Clara but is almost totally lacking in convincing passion and there is nearly zero chemistry between the two alleged lovers. The viewer is left to wonder: why are these two going on like this? The only convincing portrayal is delivered by Herr Wieck - he is realistically unlikeable.Finally, Robert & Clara marry and then we should get to see how inspired Robert is. Historically speaking he churned out a ton of his best work in the first year of the marriage, but there is only one scene where Robert barks at Clara while composing. Then the movie ends! It's as if the production company ran out of money! Just one scene of the first performance of Symphony #1 and zero mention of any other symphony. We hear a few strains from the first movement of the piano concerto, but never a word mentioning if. Not a single scene that shows Robert's mental illness. And no mention of the asylum he is sent to or his death. I was utterly disappointed. Robert Schumann deserves a FAR better biopic than this.

Unadulterated rubbish,I should have given money to Oxfam,instead.Dull dull dull dull dull

Peter Schamoni's 1983 German film "Spring Symphony" is an intimate, accurate portrayal of the relationship between two composers- Robert Schumann and Clara. It is a wonderful film, with fine acting by the leads Herbert Gronemeyer and Natassia Kinksi, who had been a model and would enjoy further success after this movie. The time is early 19th century (1830-1850)during the Romantic Era craze in classical music. Beethoven opened the gates to the new wave of music, which would be followed by Chopin and Franz Liszt, all mentioned in this film. Robert Schumann is portrayed here as a struggling artist, an idealist who lives from hand to mouth, more along the lines of Mozart. He gets romantically involved with the more wealthier and polished Clara Wieck whose father opposes their love. Even like this, Robert and Clara, who had become lovers through working together as composers, continue to defiantly engage in their relationship. Clara's father is brought to trial but in the end Clara and Robert are married. The film is accurate, and not highly dramatized or romanticized far from the truth. Filmed in Germany, Austria and France, the film follows the career of Schumann quite truthfully - i.e: the fact he was injured and his fingers were paralized and even as such played the piano quite well, his publication of a music magazine under the pen names of Eusebius and Florestan. Eusebius is his practical, balanced side while Florestan is passionate and free-spirited. A beautiful film. Natassia Kinksi plays a fine Clara, strong, independent, refined, romantic, soulful. The costumes and attention to detail are precise, captivating us and hooking us into a new world of historical romance.My favorite scenes are those romantic moments between Clara and Robert, the opening scene with Paganini playing a violin concerto with lightning speed, all the chamber music scenes and recitals Clara has and the finale in which finally, Clara and Robert have married and decide to open their own concert hall..Robert says "I hope this institution is big enough for two instruments" and I think he was referring to their marriage. The music is heaven. Conductor Wolgfang Sawallisch leads his orchestra in brilliant music by both Robert Schumann and Clara.

What happens when Westerners get to shoot a film behind the Iron Curtain? A very nice romantic bio pic of one the greatest classical composers. However, don't watch it around the kids, and take the "history" with a spoonful of salt. The film indulges in all sorts of liberties that will leave the history buff steaming mad. Clara's the saint, and Robert's something else. In addition, watching it brought back memories of  Amadeus - Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition) . Friedrich Wieck must be the new Antonio Salieri.

A film I have been hoping to watch for 29 years, finally found one with English subtitle and it is a great movie, however the subtitles are not well placed and too large.