Robert Schumann, the German composer, aesthete and a renowned music critic was perhaps the most influential composer of the Romantic era. His works often incorporated autobiographical elements and usually had descriptive titles, texts, or programs. As a writer and a critic, he played a great role in popularizing some of the leading composers of his day. The most distinguishing feature of Robert Schumann's work is its links to literature. While several of his compositions depict characters or scenes from poems, novels, and plays, there are others that are like musical crossword puzzles with key signatures or musical themes that refer to people or places those were important to him. His songs are said to be among some of the best ever written. Apart from songs, he also wrote symphonies, concertos, and chamber music. He suffered from bouts of depression and often experienced shifts of mood that is evident in a lot of his music.
