Like Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert is considered to be an influential
transitional composer between the Classical era and Romantic era of music. Like
Beethoven, Schubert's music is at times more classical than romantic and at times
Beethoven, Schubert's music is at times more classical than romantic and at times
more romantic than classical. Recognizing this in his music is a goal of this course.
Franz Schubert was born in 1797 (when Beethoven was 26 years old) and died at
age 31 in 1828, one year after Beethoven died. He lived his whole life in Vienna.
Schubert's musical talent was evident from a young age. He received from Antonio
Salieri at age 8. In his teens he composed numerous works of very good music. He
especially excelled at lieder, writing "Gretchen Am Spinnrade" (Gretchen at the
Spinning Wheel) in 1814, and "Erlkönig" (Elf King) in 1815. But Schubert's talent
greatly matured around ages 22 to 23 and most of his greatest works were written
between then and his death.
Schubert was very short (5'1"), pudgy, and wore spectacles. He had a group of close
friends who were also in the arts whom he talked and partied with and who supported
his music. His friends gave him the nickname "schwammerl" ("little mushroom" or
"tubby").
Schubert was the first famous composer to earn a living by only composing (he was not
a performer, conductor or teacher) and without support from the aristocracy. But he never
made any large amount of money. He usually lived with friends, rarely having his own
apartment. He also seldom had his own piano. He visited friends who had a piano when
he needed one.
Schubert was little known outside of Austria. But in Vienna his lieder (German art songs)
were very popular with the upper middle class. He wrote over 600 songs and is considered
the first master of the genre.
Schubert's piano, chamber, and orchestra works were largely ignored until the very end of
his life. In his final year, Schubert gave the first public concert of his works (on the first
anniversary of Beethoven's death) to very enthusiastic reviews. Many of his greatest works
were never performed or published in is lifetime.
Although his works were championed by the Early Romantic composers Franz Liszt, Robert
Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, and others, Schubert's music was not widely popular until
decades after his death.
Besides his lieder, today Schubert is considered a masterful composer of orchestra, piano,
and chamber works. His operas and other stage works mostly failed during his life. This
is usually blamed on the poor librettos (story lines), not Schubert's music. Only a couple
of his stage works occasionally get performed today.
His death was probably due to typhoid or syphilis (which he contracted in 1822 and gave
him long bouts of debilitating illness). Because of this suffering, much of his music has a
Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, and others, Schubert's music was not widely popular until
decades after his death.
Besides his lieder, today Schubert is considered a masterful composer of orchestra, piano,
and chamber works. His operas and other stage works mostly failed during his life. This
is usually blamed on the poor librettos (story lines), not Schubert's music. Only a couple
of his stage works occasionally get performed today.
His death was probably due to typhoid or syphilis (which he contracted in 1822 and gave
him long bouts of debilitating illness). Because of this suffering, much of his music has a
sense of melancholy, despair, and even death.
Schubert failed to finish many pieces of music. His famous "Unfinished" Symphony is
one of the few of those that regularly get performed today. Many of his complete pieces,
including numerous masterpieces, were not published during his lifetime and many
were not found for many years. Because of this his earliest compilers numbered his works
differently than we number them today (for example, his last completed symphony "The
Great C major" was originally Symphony No. 7, but today is Symphony No. 9 (at least in
English catalogues). It is usually better to refer to his works by their "D" number (e.g.
Symphony No. 9, D. 944). (The "D" is from the catalog by Austrian musicologist Otto
one of the few of those that regularly get performed today. Many of his complete pieces,
including numerous masterpieces, were not published during his lifetime and many
were not found for many years. Because of this his earliest compilers numbered his works
differently than we number them today (for example, his last completed symphony "The
Great C major" was originally Symphony No. 7, but today is Symphony No. 9 (at least in
English catalogues). It is usually better to refer to his works by their "D" number (e.g.
Symphony No. 9, D. 944). (The "D" is from the catalog by Austrian musicologist Otto
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