Schumann has long been a favourite composer, from learning Traumeri (Kinderscenen) and first hearing Vladimir Horowitz's performance of it on the 'Horowitz in Moscow' CD. Over the years I've enjoyed adding a lot of his music to my repertoire, Kreisleriana being a particular highlight. That's such a colourful and eccentric work, and especially enjoyable to perform for an audience. It encapsulates everything that makes Schumann such a wonderful composer. It isn't an easy play and requires regular revision, but it repays in abundance.

Eric Frederick Jensen's study of Schumann (OUP, 2012) has long been on my bookshelf and I'm finally reading it, listening to some favourite recordings of his music as I do so. Listening to the 'Zwickau' symphony with more knowledge of his early years was very enlightening, echoing his discovery of Schubert in 1828 ahead of Schumann developing his own particularly schizophrenic musical personality. I'll write again about this book on completing it.