Tuesday, April 21, 2020

COMPOSER OF THE WEEK: 7. Franz Schubert



Born: January 31, 1797; Himmelpfortgrund, Vienna, Austria
Died: November 19, 1828; Vienna, Austria
Nationality: Austria

Franz Schubert, born on January 31, 1797, and died on November 19, 1828, was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He is considered one of the greatest composers in Western classical music history. 

The house in which Schubert was born

Despite his short life, Schubert left a vast amount of work, including over 600 vocal works (mainly lieder), 7 complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music, and piano and chamber music. His major works include the Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667 (“Trout”), the Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759 (Unfinished Symphony), the ”Great” Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944, the three last piano sonatas (D. 958–960), the opera “Fierrabras” (D. 796), the incidental music to the play “Rosamunde” (D. 797), and the song cycles “Die schöne Müllerin” (D. 795) and “Winterreise” (D. 911).

Portrait of Franz Schubert, Franz Eybl (1827)

Born in the Himmelpfortgrund suburb of Vienna, Schubert showed a rare musical talent from an early age. His father was his first violin teacher and his older brother was his first piano teacher, but Schubert soon surpassed the capabilities of the two. 

Schubert's glasses

In 1808, at the age of 11, Schubert, who entered the Stadtkonvikt School, became acquainted with the orchestral music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Subsequently, at the end of 1813, Schubert, who graduated from Stadtkonvikt School, returned home and began studying to become a school teacher. While studying, he continued to study the works of Antonio Salieri and composed prolifically. 

Schubert at the Piano, Gustav Klimt (1899)

In 1821, Schubert was admitted to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde as a performing member, which helped establish his name among the citizens of Vienna. In March 1828, Schubert held the only concert that he performed with his works to critical acclaim during his musical career. He died at the age of 31, eight months after the performance. 

The site of Schubert's first tomb, Währing

During his lifetime, since Schubert had few public concerts, the chances of directly listening to his music were very few, but interest in his work increased greatly after his death. Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms and other 19th-century composers discovered and supported his works.

Thank you.

The Schubert statue

Memorial at the Kalvarienberg Church, Hernals

Austrian 50 Schilling silver coin for the 150th anniversary of his death (1978)


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