The painful perils of a pair of pianists: the chronic pain of Clara Schumann and Sergei Rachmaninov.

Clara Wieck Schumann (1819-1896) and Sergei Vassilievich Rachmaninov (1873-1943) were two of the greatest pianists that ever lived. They had full lives composing and performing music. Each also had more than his or her fair share of hardships. In addition to all the pressures that are part of a performer's life, both Clara Schumann and Sergei Rachmaninov also suffered from chronic pain. This article discusses the pain syndromes that plagued these great musicians and the effect of chronic illness on their music.