The first romantic composer, Schubert is one of the most tragic figures in world history. musical culture. His life, short and uneventful, was cut short when he was in the prime of his strength and talent. He did not hear most of his compositions. The fate of his music was also tragic in many ways. Priceless manuscripts, partly kept by friends, partly donated to someone, and sometimes simply lost in endless travels, could not be put together for a long time. It is known that the “Unfinished” Symphony waited for its performance for more than 40 years, and the C Major Symphony - 11 years. The paths that Schubert discovered in them remained unknown for a long time.
Schubert was a younger contemporary of Beethoven. Both of them lived in Vienna, their work coincides in time: “Margarita at the Spinning Wheel” and “The Forest King” are the same age as Beethoven’s 7th and 8th symphonies, and his 9th symphony appeared simultaneously with Schubert’s “Unfinished”. Only a year and a half separates the death of Schubert from the day of Beethoven's death. Nevertheless, Schubert is a representative of a completely new generation of artists. If Beethoven's work was formed under the influence of the ideas of the Great french revolution and embodied her heroism, then Schubert’s art was born in an atmosphere of disappointment and fatigue, in an atmosphere of the harshest political reaction. It started with " Congress of Vienna» 1814-15 Representatives of the states that won the war with Napoleon then united in the so-called. "Holy Alliance", the main goal of which was the suppression of revolutionary and national liberation movements. Leadership role in Holy Alliance"belonged to Austria, or more precisely to the head of the Austrian government, Chancellor Metternich. It was he, and not the passive, weak-willed Emperor Franz, who actually ruled the country. It was Metternich who was the true creator of the Austrian autocratic system, the essence of which was to suppress any manifestations of free thought in their infancy.
The fact that Schubert spent the entire period of his creative maturity in Metternich's Vienna greatly determined the nature of his art. In his work there are no works related to the struggle for a happy future for humanity. His music has little heroic mood. In Schubert's time there was no longer any talk about universal human problems, about the reorganization of the world. The fight for it all seemed pointless. The most important thing seemed to be to preserve honesty, spiritual purity, and the values of one’s spiritual world. Thus was born an artistic movement called « romanticism". This is an art in which for the first time the central place was occupied by an individual with his uniqueness, with his quests, doubts, and suffering. Schubert's work is the dawn of musical romanticism. His hero is a hero of modern times: not public figure, not a speaker, not an active transformer of reality. This is an unhappy, lonely person whose hopes for happiness are not allowed to come true.
The fundamental difference between Schubert and Beethoven was content his music, both vocal and instrumental. The ideological core of most of Schubert's works is the clash of the ideal and the real. Every time the collision of dreams and reality receives an individual interpretation, but, as a rule, the conflict does not find a final resolution. It is not the struggle in the name of establishing a positive ideal that is the focus of the composer’s attention, but the more or less clear exposure of contradictions. This is the main evidence of Schubert's belonging to romanticism. Its main topic was theme of deprivation, tragic hopelessness. This topic is not made up, it is taken from life, reflecting the fate of an entire generation, incl. and the fate of the composer himself. As already mentioned, its short creative path Schubert passed in tragic obscurity. He did not enjoy the success that was natural for a musician of this caliber.
Meanwhile, Schubert's creative legacy is enormous. In terms of the intensity of creativity and the artistic significance of the music, this composer can be compared with Mozart. His compositions include operas (10) and symphonies, chamber instrumental music and cantata-oratorio works. But no matter how outstanding Schubert’s contribution to the development of various musical genres was, in the history of music his name is associated primarily with the genre songs- romance(German) Lied). The song was Schubert's element, in it he achieved something unprecedented. As Asafiev noted, “What Beethoven accomplished in the field of symphony, Schubert accomplished in the field of song-romance...” In the complete collection of Schubert's works, the song series is represented by a huge number - more than 600 works. But it’s not just a matter of quantity: a qualitative leap took place in Schubert’s work, allowing the song to take a completely new place among musical genres. The genre, which clearly played a secondary role in the art of the Viennese classics, became equal in importance to the opera, symphony, and sonata.
Schubert's instrumental work includes 9 symphonies, over 25 chamber instrumental works, 15 piano sonatas, and many pieces for piano for 2 and 4 hands. Growing up in an atmosphere of living exposure to the music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, which for him was not the past, but the present, Schubert surprisingly quickly - by the age of 17-18 - perfectly mastered the traditions of the Viennese classical school. In his first symphonic, quartet and sonata experiments, the echoes of Mozart, in particular the 40th symphony (the favorite composition of the young Schubert), are especially noticeable. Schubert is closely related to Mozart clearly expressed lyrical way of thinking. At the same time, in many ways he acted as an heir to Haydn’s traditions, as evidenced by his closeness to Austro-German folk music. He adopted from the classics the composition of the cycle, its parts, and the basic principles of organizing the material. However, Schubert subordinated the experience of the Viennese classics to new tasks.
Romantic and classical traditions form a single fusion in his art. Schubert's dramaturgy is a consequence of a special plan in which lyrical orientation and songfulness, like main principle development. Schubert's sonata-symphonic themes are related to songs - both in their intonation structure and in their methods of presentation and development. Viennese classics, especially Haydn, often also created themes based on song melody. However, the impact of songfulness on instrumental dramaturgy as a whole was limited - developmental development among the classics is purely instrumental in nature. Schubert emphasizes in every possible way the song nature of the themes:
The combination of what seemed incompatible - miniature with large-scale, song with symphonic - gave a completely new type sonata-symphonic cycle - lyrical-romantic.
In Vienna with family school teacher.
Schubert's exceptional musical abilities were evident in early childhood. From the age of seven he studied playing several instruments, singing, and theoretical disciplines.
At the age of 11, Schubert attended a boarding school for soloists of the court chapel, where, in addition to singing, he studied playing many instruments and music theory under the guidance of Antonio Salieri.
While studying at the chapel in 1810-1813, he wrote many works: an opera, a symphony, piano pieces and songs.
In 1813 he entered the teachers' seminary, and in 1814 he began teaching at the school where his father served. In his spare time, Schubert composed his first mass and set Johann Goethe's poem "Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel" to music.
His numerous songs date back to 1815, including “The Forest King” to words by Johann Goethe, the 2nd and 3rd symphonies, three masses and four singspiels (a comic opera with spoken dialogue).
In 1816, the composer completed the 4th and 5th symphonies and wrote more than 100 songs.
Wanting to devote himself entirely to music, Schubert left his job at school (this led to a break in relations with his father).
In Zheliz, summer residence Count Johann Esterhazy, he served as a music teacher.
At the same time, the young composer became close to the famous Viennese singer Johann Vogl (1768-1840), who became a promoter of Schubert's vocal creativity. During the second half of the 1810s, numerous new songs came from Schubert's pen, including the popular "The Wanderer", "Ganymede", "Forellen", and the 6th Symphony. His singspiel "The Twin Brothers", written in 1820 for Vogl and staged at the Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna, was not particularly successful, but brought Schubert fame. A more serious achievement was the melodrama "The Magic Harp", staged a few months later at the Theater an der Wien.
He enjoyed the patronage of aristocratic families. Schubert's friends published 20 of his songs by private subscription, but the opera Alfonso and Estrella with a libretto by Franz von Schober, which Schubert considered his great success, was rejected.
In the 1820s, the composer created instrumental works: the lyrical-dramatic “Unfinished” symphony (1822) and the epic, life-affirming C major (the last, ninth in a row).
In 1823, he wrote the vocal cycle “The Beautiful Miller's Wife” based on the words of the German poet Wilhelm Müller, the opera “Fiebras”, and the singspiel “The Conspirators”.
In 1824, Schubert created string quartets A-moll and D-moll (its second part is variations on the theme of Schubert's earlier song "Death and the Maiden") and a six-part Octet for winds and strings.
In the summer of 1825, in Gmunden near Vienna, Schubert made sketches of his last symphony, the so-called “Bolshoi”.
In the second half of the 1820s, Schubert enjoyed a very high reputation in Vienna - his concerts with Vogl attracted large audiences, and publishers willingly published the composer's new songs, as well as plays and sonatas for piano. Among Schubert's works of 1825-1826, the piano sonatas, the last string quartet and some songs, including "The Young Nun" and Ave Maria, stand out.
Schubert's work was actively covered in the press, he was elected a member of the Vienna Society of Friends of Music. On March 26, 1828, the composer gave an author’s concert in the society’s hall with great success.
The vocal cycle "from this period" winter journey" (24 songs with words by Müller), two notebooks of impromptu piano, two piano trios and masterpieces of the last months of Schubert's life - Mass in Es major, three last piano sonatas, String Quintet and 14 songs published after Schubert's death in the form of a collection entitled "Swan Song".
On November 19, 1828, Franz Schubert died in Vienna of typhus at the age of 31. He was buried in Waring Cemetery (now Schubert Park) in north-west Vienna next to the composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who had died a year earlier. On January 22, 1888, Schubert's ashes were reburied in the Vienna Central Cemetery.
Before late XIX century, a significant part of the composer's extensive legacy remained unpublished. The manuscript of the "Grand" symphony was discovered by composer Robert Schumann in the late 1830s - it was first performed in 1839 in Leipzig under the baton of the German composer and conductor Felix Mendelssohn. The first performance of the String Quintet took place in 1850, and the first performance of the Unfinished Symphony in 1865. The catalog of Schubert's works includes about one thousand items - six masses, eight symphonies, about 160 vocal ensembles, over 20 completed and unfinished piano sonatas and over 600 songs for voice and piano.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Which is known to all figures of musical art, was born on January 31, 1797 in the suburbs of the Austrian capital Vienna. He was the fourth son of a schoolteacher and cellist. All the teachers of the future musician noted his talent and diligence, with which he easily mastered knowledge in the field of music.
Success and excellent mastery of his voice helped Schubert enter the Imperial Chapel, and then one of best schools Vienna - Konvikt. At the age of thirteen, he began to write his first compositions: songs, piano pieces, symphonies and operas. In 1812, Franz met the famous Salieri, who became interested in the talented young man. For five years they collaborated on creating compositions.
The composer Franz Schubert was formed precisely during his studies with Salieri - from 1812 to 1817. In 1813, he became a student at the teachers' seminary, and a year later he became a teacher at the school where his father once worked. It was then that he composed one of his first masses and set Goethe's poems to music.
In 1815-1816, Franz Schubert, whose biography is today studied in schools during music lessons, was quite productive. During this period he composed more than 250 songs, four symphonies, three masses and several operettas and string quartets. It was then that songs were created that spread throughout the world - “Forest King” and “Wanderer”.
But despite all this, Franz Schubert, whose works are today considered classics of world music, was as poor as a church rat. With the help of his friend J. von Spaun, the composer met the poet F. von Schober, who, in turn, was able to organize a meeting between Schubert and the then popular baritone M. Vogl.
Franz continued to work at the school, but in the summer of 1818 he decided to leave his service and went to the estate of Count Esterhazy, where he worked as a music teacher for several months. In 1819, Schubert completed the famous Sixth Symphony, and then composed several variations on a French song, which he dedicated to Beethoven.
Returning to Vienna, Franz Schubert, whose biography turned out to be too short, created the opera “The Twin Brothers” upon request. It was first staged in the summer of 1820 at the Kärtnertortheater. Schubert spent the summer of 1819 together with the baritone Vogl, and it was then that he managed to compose “Trout” (A major) - a popular quintet for piano.
The following years turned out to be quite difficult for the composer, since he was not equipped to seek the patronage of influential officials and figures in the art world. In 1823, he was quite seriously ill and was in a state of despondency. Nobody wanted to stage his operas, but Franz pulled himself together and wrote a vocal cycle called “The Beautiful Miller's Wife.”
In 1825, Franz Schubert, whose biography is familiar to many classical music lovers, managed to restore his health. His new opuses for piano were born. Until 1828, the composer worked hard to create his
At the beginning of 1828, Schubert's health began to fail. Apparently, the composer had a presentiment of his imminent death, so he tried to write at a feverish pace. It was in 1828 that he created a huge number of masterpieces, which gained popularity after the death of the author. Franz Schubert died on November 19, 1828 from typhus.
Franz Schubert is a famous Austrian composer. His life was quite short, he lived only 31 years, from 1797 to 1828. But during this short period he made a huge contribution to the development of world musical culture. You can verify this by studying the biography and work of Schubert. This outstanding composer is considered one of the most prominent founders of the romantic movement in musical art. Having familiarized yourself with the most important events in Schubert's biography, you can better understand his work.
The biography of Franz Schubert begins on January 31, 1797. He was born in poor family in Lichtenthal, a suburb of Vienna. His father, who came from a peasant family, was a school teacher. He was distinguished by his hard work and integrity. He raised his children, instilling in them that work is the basis of existence. Mother was the daughter of a mechanic. There were fourteen children in the family, but nine of them died in infancy.
Schubert's biography summary demonstrates the important role of family in the development of a young musician. She was very musical. Father played the cello, and little Franz’s brothers played others musical instruments. Often musical evenings were held in their house, and sometimes all the amateur musicians they knew would gather at them.
From the short biography of Franz Schubert it is known that his unique musical abilities appeared very early. Having discovered them, his father and older brother Ignatz began classes with him. Ignatz taught him to play the piano, and his father taught him the violin. After some time, the boy became a full-fledged member of the family string quartet, in which he confidently performed the viola part. It soon became clear that Franz needed more professional music studies. Therefore, musical lessons with the gifted boy were entrusted to the regent of the Lichtenthal Church, Michael Holzer. The teacher admired the extraordinary musical abilities of his student. In addition, Franz had a wonderful voice. By the age of eleven, he performed difficult solo parts in the church choir, and also played the violin part, including solo, in the church orchestra. The father was very pleased with his son's success.
When Franz was eleven years old, he took part in a competition to select singers for the imperial royal court singing chapel. Having successfully passed all the tests, Franz Schubert becomes a singer. He is enrolled in Konvikt, a free boarding school for gifted children from low-income families. The younger Schubert now has the opportunity to receive general and musical education for free, which becomes a benefit for his family. The boy lives in a boarding school and comes home only for the holidays.
Studying short biography Schubert, one can understand that the situation that developed in this educational institution, contributed to the development of the musical abilities of a gifted boy. Here Franz daily practices singing, playing the violin and piano, and theoretical disciplines. A student orchestra was organized at the school, in which Schubert played first violin. The conductor of the orchestra, Wenzel Ruzicka, noticing the extraordinary talent of his student, often entrusted him with the duties of conductor. The orchestra performed a wide variety of music. Thus, the future composer became acquainted with orchestral music of various genres. He was especially impressed by the music of the Viennese classics: Mozart's Symphony No. 40, as well as Beethoven's musical masterpieces.
While studying in convict, Franz began to compose. Schubert's biography states that he was thirteen years old at the time. He writes music with great passion, often to the detriment of his schoolwork. Among his first compositions are a number of songs and a fantasy for piano. Demonstrating outstanding musical abilities, the boy attracted the attention of the famous court composer Antonio Salieri. He begins classes with Schubert, during which he teaches him counterpoint and composition. Teacher and student are connected not only by musical lessons, but also by warm relationships. These classes continued after Schubert left the convict.
Observing the rapid development of his son's musical talent, his father began to worry about his future. Understanding the hardship of existence for musicians, even the most famous and recognized ones, his father tries to protect Franz from such a fate. He dreamed of seeing his son become a school teacher. As a punishment for his excessive passion for music, he forbids his son to be at home on weekends and holidays. However, the bans did not help. Schubert Jr. could not give up music.
Having not completed his training in convict, Schubert, at the age of thirteen, decides to leave it. This was facilitated by a number of circumstances, which are described in the biography of F. Schubert. First, a voice mutation that no longer allowed Franz to sing in the choir. Secondly, his excessive passion for music left his interest in other sciences far behind. He was scheduled for a re-examination, but Schubert did not take advantage of this opportunity and left his training in convict.
Franz still had to return to school. In 1813 he entered regular school St. Anne, graduated from it and received a certificate of education.
Schubert's biography tells that for the next four years he works as an assistant school teacher at the school where his father also works. Franz teaches children literacy and other subjects. The wages were extremely low, which forced the young Schubert to constantly seek additional income in the form of private lessons. Thus, he has practically no time left to compose music. But the passion for music does not go away. It's only getting stronger. Franz received enormous help and support from his friends, who organized concerts and useful contacts for him, and supplied him with music paper, which he always lacked.
During this period (1814-1816), his famous songs “The Forest King” and “Margarita at the Spinning Wheel” with words by Goethe, over 250 songs, singspiels, 3 symphonies and many other works appeared.
Franz Schubert is a romantic in spirit. He placed the life of the soul and heart at the basis of all existence. His heroes are simple people with a rich inner world. The theme of social inequality appears in his work. The composer often draws attention to how unfair society is to an ordinary modest person who does not have material wealth, but is spiritually rich.
Nature in its various states becomes a favorite theme of Schubert’s chamber vocal work.
After getting acquainted (briefly) with Schubert’s biography, the most important event seems to be his acquaintance with the outstanding Viennese opera singer Johann Michael Vogl. It happened in 1817 through the efforts of the composer’s friends. This acquaintance was of great importance in the life of Franz. In him he acquired a devoted friend and performer of his songs. Subsequently, Vogl played a huge role in promoting the chamber and vocal creativity of the young composer.
Over time, a circle of creative youth formed around Franz, consisting of poets, playwrights, artists, and composers. Schubert's biography mentions that meetings were often dedicated to his work. In such cases they were called "Schubertiads". Meetings were held in the home of one of the circle members or in the Vienna Crown coffee shop. All members of the circle were united by an interest in art, passion for music and poetry.
The composer lived in Vienna, rarely leaving it. All the trips he made were related to concerts or teaching. Schubert's biography briefly mentions that during summer period In 1818 and 1824, Schubert lived on the estate of Count Esterhazy Zeliz. The composer was invited there to teach music to the young countesses.
In 1819, 1823 and 1825, Schubert and Vogl traveled around Upper Austria and toured at the same time. Such joint concerts are a huge success among the public. Vogl strives to introduce listeners to the work of his composer friend, to make his works known and loved outside of Vienna. Gradually, Schubert's fame is growing; people talk about him more and more often not only in professional circles, but also among ordinary listeners.
Schubert's biography contains facts about the beginning of publications of the young composer's works. In 1921, thanks to the care of F. Schubert’s friends, “The Forest King” was published. After the first edition, other Schubert works began to be published. His music becomes famous not only in Austria, but also far beyond its borders. In 1825, songs, piano works and chamber opuses began to be performed in Russia.
Schubert's songs and piano works are gaining great popularity. His works were highly appreciated by Beethoven, the composer's idol. But, along with the fame that Schubert gains thanks to Vogl’s propaganda activities, disappointments remain. The composer's symphonies were never performed, operas and singspiels are practically never staged. To this day, 5 operas and 11 singspiels by Schubert are in oblivion. A similar fate befell many other works that are rarely performed in concerts.
In the 20s, Schubert appeared in the song cycles “The Beautiful Miller’s Wife” and “Winter Reise” with words by W. Müller, chamber ensembles, sonatas for piano, fantasy “The Wanderer” for piano, as well as symphonies – “Unfinished” No. 8 and “ Big" No. 9.
In the spring of 1828, the composer's friends organized a concert of Schubert's works, which took place in the hall of the Society of Music Lovers. The composer used the money received from the concert to purchase the first piano of his life.
In the autumn of 1828, Schubert unexpectedly became seriously ill. His torment lasted three weeks. On November 19, 18128, Franz Schubert passed away.
Only a year and a half has passed since Schubert took part in the funeral of his idol - the last Viennese classic L. Beethoven. Now he too was buried in this cemetery.
Having become familiar with summary biography of Schubert, one can understand the meaning of the inscription that was carved on his tombstone. It tells that a rich treasure is buried in the grave, but even more wonderful hopes.
When talking about the creative heritage of this wonderful composer, we usually always highlight his song genre. Schubert wrote a huge number of songs - about 600. This is no coincidence, since vocal miniature is becoming one of the most popular genres of romantic composers. It was here that Schubert was able to fully reveal the main theme of the romantic movement in art - the rich inner world the hero with his feelings and experiences. The first song masterpieces were created by the young composer at the age of seventeen. Each of Schubert's songs is an inimitable artistic image, born from the fusion of music and poetry. The content of the songs is conveyed not only by the text, but also by the music, which precisely follows it, emphasizing the originality of the artistic image and creating a special emotional background.
In his chamber vocal work, Schubert used both the texts of the famous poets Schiller and Goethe, and the poetry of his contemporaries, the names of many of whom became known thanks to the composer’s songs. In their poetry they reflected spiritual world, inherent in representatives of the romantic movement in art, which was close and understandable to the young Schubert. During the composer's lifetime, only a few of his songs were published.
