Against a backcloth of early 19th century Europe in cultural and political turmoil, this vivid account of the love of the composer Robert Schumann for pianist Clara Wieck unfolds. Drawing on his protagonists' letters and journals, JD Landis spins a compelling tale of Robert and Clara's passion, enforced separation, marriage and the eventual love triangle created by the devotion to Clara of Schumann's pupil Johannes Brahms. With a supporting cast that includes Chopin, Liszt, Goethe, Mendelssohn, Kierkegaard, Paganini and Hans Christian Andersen, he builds a rich narrative of musical genius, desire, obsession and madness. Longing is a powerful romantic tale played out amidst the flowering of German romanticism, combining the anatomy of a lifelong love affair with a journey through one of Europe's most vital periods of artistic creativity.