12/27/2023 0 Comments Shubert compositions![]() Schubert had been ill for much of his life – musicologists are quite certain that the cause was syphilis, contracted during a visit to the Esterhazy Palace in western Hungary. He presided at his first major concert in March of 1828, a mere eight months before he died. There were occasional recital tours with his friend, the baritone Michael Vogl, but widespread public successes were rare. These gatherings, which became known as “Schubertiades,” were held in spacious Viennese homes, and attracted an enthusiastic gathering of friends and admirers. The world of chamber music appealed to him, largely because of the intimate parties he hosted, which featured his songs, piano sonatas and quartets. He contributed incidental music to a new play titled Rosamunde, but the failure of this melodramatic work discouraged Schubert from pursuing theatrical projects (though his contributions would become a popular concert attraction). He tried his hand at opera and operetta, with mixed results. Undaunted, Schubert continued to write music at a dizzying pace, sometimes producing five songs in a single day. His musical career, however, never achieved the recognition it deserved, mainly because of the young composer's shyness and the simple fact that musical life in Vienna revolved around the imposing Beethoven. This increasingly popular art form, known as lieder, brought Schubert some early success, notably with such songs as Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel and The Erlking. By the time he was a teenager, Schubert was already composing all types of music, finding most of his success in converting contemporary poems into songs for one singer with piano accompaniment. It was there that he met and studied with the respected composer/teacher Antonio Salieri, who recognized the boy's talent – labeling him a genius, in fact. ![]() His parents encouraged his musical training, and enrolled Franz in the choir of Vienna's Imperial Court. The son of a schoolmaster, Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was encouraged to follow in his father's footsteps – and, in fact, the young man did spend many years as a teacher. In this Active Minds presentation, we'll learn about Schubert's short but productive life, while sampling some of his heavenly music, from such familiar works as the “Unfinished” Symphony and “Ave Maria” to equally lovely, lesser known pieces. And yet, the music continued to flow – one gorgeous piece after another, most of them heard by a mere handful of his devoted friends. As if life wasn't tough enough trying to make it as a composer in Vienna in the years when Beethoven ruled the roost, Schubert was constantly plagued with illness and an unending struggle to make ends meet. In his tragically short 31 years, Franz Schubert gave the world nearly 1,000 pieces of glorious music, including more than 600 songs.
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