The Fantasy in C major, composed between 1836 and 1838, is arguably the most monumental work from Schumann's early creative period, which, as is well known, was (almost) entirely devoted to the piano. Like most of his early works, the piece is imbued with a wealth of poetic and musical references. Christof Rüger's introduction is quoted here: "The Fantasy in C major is closely related, both in content and form, to the piano sonatas, especially the one in F-sharp minor. In its final version, it is dedicated to Franz Liszt, who responded by dedicating his Sonata in B minor to Schumann. The genesis of the work is multifaceted."