Robert Schumann was a German composer born in 1810, known for his Romantic era styles and rapid mood changes. It is widely thought that he had bipolar disorder, which led to periods of mania and depression which can be seen throughout his compositions. In 1840, he married Clara Wieck (Schumann), a famous pianist and composer, leading to a prolific period of composition for Robert Schumann. In the winter of 1854, Schumann was institutionalized after throwing himself off a bridge and being rescued by fishermen. During this time, he was prevented from seeing his loved ones, including his beloved Clara, until two days before his death. He died in 1856 due to insanity related to latent syphilis.

Schumann was very fond of the title Fantasiestücke, using it for a number of his works. This work, written originally for clarinet and later cello, was composed over two days in February of 1849. Fantasiestücke shifts between slower, more reflective lines and bright, almost euphoric passages. The third movement includes echoes of the first two movements, see if you can hear them throughout the work!