“In the evening we played Robert's E-flat major Quartet for the first time... and I was once again truly delighted at this beautiful and so youthful work,” enthused Clara Schumann in 1842. In preparation for this work Schumann had studied string quartets by the Viennese Classical composers. This is why all of the parts in the quartet are treated equally, forming a splendid ensemble. Our edition has an extensive critical commentary on account of the difficult source situation. The fold-out page in the cello part was designed with music practice in mind. The piano quartet and the piano quintet op. 44, referred to as “sister works”, were both composed in Schumann's “chamber music year”. For this reason we are publishing them both in the 2006 “Schumann Year”.