Robert Schumann (June 8, 1810 - July 29, 1856) was a German composer and music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law to return to music, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist, but a hand injury ended this dream. Schumann then focused his musical energies on composing. In 1840, against her father's wishes, Schumann married pianist Clara Wieck (September 13, 1819 - May 20, 1896), daughter of his former teacher. Clara also composed music, had a considerable concert career and was a German musician and composer, considered one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era. Schumann's compositions were written exclusively for the piano until 1840; he later composed works for piano and orchestra, Lieder (German songs for voice and piano), symphonies, an opera and other orchestral, choral, and chamber works. For the last two years of his life, after an attempted suicide, Schumann was confined to a mental institution, at his own request. Diagnosed with "psychotic melancholia", he died two years later in 1856, at the age of 46, without having recovered from his mental illness.