Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was among the first of the Romantics, and the composer who, more than any other, brought the art song (lied) to artistic maturity. During his short but prolific career, he produced masterpieces in nearly every genre, all characterized by rich harmonies, an expansive treatment of classical forms, and a seemingly endless gift for melody.
Schubert began his earliest musical training studying with his father and brothers. Having passed an audition, Schubert enrolled at the Stadtkonvikt that trained young vocalists to eventually sing at the chapel of The Imperial Court. Schubert began to explore composition and wrote a song that came to the attention of the institution's director, Antonio Salieri, who along with the school's professor of harmony, hailed young Schubert as a genius. In 1813, after Schubert's voice broke, he returned to live with his father, who directed him to follow in his footsteps and become a schoolteacher. Schubert begrudgingly complied and worked miserably in that capacity by day, while composing prolifically by night. He had written more than 100 songs as well as numerous symphonic, operatic, and chamber music scores, before he reached the age of 20.
Schubert finally left his teaching position to dedicate himself completely to musical pursuits. During the summer of 1818, the young composer worked as a private music teacher to the aristocratic Esterházy family. When he left that post in the fall, Schubert lived a somewhat bohemian lifestyle, composing and spending time with a group of friends that acted as his personal support system. In 1820, Schubert was commissioned by two opera houses, the Karthnerthor Theatre and Theatre-an-der-Wein, to compose a pair of operas. He wrote Die Zwillingsbrüder, and Zauberharfe, both of which were unenthusiastically received. Schubert failed to secure a contract with a publisher, as none were willing to take a chance on a relatively unknown composer who wrote harmonically untraditional music. Schubert, along with the support of his artistic friends, published his own work for a collection of roughly 100 subscribers. These efforts, however, were financially unrewarding, and Schubert struggled to sustain himself. His work garnered little attention and contemporary composers dismissed his music as presumptuous and immature.
In 1823, Schubert was elected to the Musikverein of Graz, as an honorary member. Though this brought no financial reward and was an inconsequential appointment, Schubert relished its slight recognition, and to show his gratitude, composed his famous Unfinished Symphony. Five years later, Schubert's music was featured at a concert at Vienna's Musikverein. His work was received quite enthusiastically, and to much critical acclaim. This marked the only time during the composer's life that he enjoyed such success. This seemed to provide Schubert with a renewed sense of optimism, and despite illness, the composer continued to produce at an incredible rate. He began to organize a scheme to increase his artistic popularity, by continuing to evaluate his work and progress as a musician, perhaps even planning to study harmony privately. Schubert's health did not improve, and he soon found himself at death's door. During the composer's last moments, he instructed his brother Ferdinand to ensure that he would be buried alongside Ludwig van Beethoven's grave. Schubert revered the legendary composer, and was grateful to him, as Beethoven had praised his work after hearing a selection of songs. Schubert also highly regarded the work of both Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Franz Schubert died of syphilis.
Despite his short life, Schubert produced a wealth of symphonies, operas, masses, chamber music pieces, and piano sonatas, most of which are considered standard repertoire. He is known primarily for composing hundreds of songs including Gretchen am Spinnrade, and Erlkonig. He pioneered the song cycle with such works as Die Schöne Müllerin, and Winterreise, and greatly affected the vocal writing of both Robert Schumann and Gustav Mahler.
© David Brensilver /TiVo
-
Schubert - Symphony Nº 8 "Unfinished"
Slovak Chamber Orchestra, Hamburg Symphonic Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei ClassicalPirosDigital am 11.07.2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Franz Schubert: Winterreise [Winter Journey] (1942)
Oper - Erschienen bei Classical Moments am 26.03.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Shubert: Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished) in B Minor, Op. Posthumous
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Symphonieorchester - Erschienen bei MVE am 12.02.2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Impromptu Op. 142, No.2
Franz Schubert, Martèn LeGrand
Klassik - Erschienen bei Piano and Classics am 16.06.2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Franz Schubert: Complete Piano Works Vol. 10
Michel Dalberto, Franz Schubert
Klassik - Erschienen bei Denon am 01.01.1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert - Sonata para Piano
Orquesta Lírica de Barcelona, Elisabeth Leonskaja
Klassik - Erschienen bei Piros Comercial Digital am 20.03.2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert & Schumann: Grenzen der Menschheit
Hilko Dumno, Johannes Martin Kranzle
Klassik - Erschienen bei Challenge Classics am 31.05.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Leise flehen meine Lieder
Klassik - Erschienen bei History am 01.09.2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ave Maria
Marc Reift, Barbora Perna, Philharmonic Wind Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Marcophon am 05.12.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Clásica-Schubert
Klassik - Erschienen bei Digital Natives am 01.07.2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Songs for Voice and Guitar
Klassik - Erschienen bei Quartz Music Ltd am 01.01.2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
An Evening of Classical: Schubert
Klassik - Erschienen bei UME - Global Clearing House am 30.09.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Musica Diabolica
Luigi Boccherini, Franz Schubert, Christian Lindberg, Per Egland
Klassik - Erschienen bei EUROPEAN GRAMOPHONE am 15.11.2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
SCHUBERT: Symphony no 5
Franz Schubert, Christian Lindberg, Israel NK orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei EUROPEAN GRAMOPHONE am 09.08.2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Essential Schubert
Franz Schubert, Christian Lindberg, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Roland Pöntinen
Klassik - Erschienen bei EUROPEAN GRAMOPHONE am 10.02.2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Voice of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Vokalmusik (weltlich und geistlich) - Erschienen bei Heritage Records am 25.07.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Four hand piano music
Leo van Doeselaar, Wyneke Jordans
Klassik - Erschienen bei Globe am 01.01.1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Three Sonatas For Violin And Piano
Klassik - Erschienen bei Analekta am 01.01.1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Classical Romance with Franz Schubert
Lounge - Erschienen bei PMI Collins Classics am 01.02.2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: All Time Greatest Moments
Academy Of St. Christopher Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Big Eye am 01.01.2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Franz Schubert: String Quartet No. 13 in A minor, D. 804 "Rosamunda" / String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D. 810 "Death and the Maiden"
Klassik - Erschienen bei Zeroh am 05.07.2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo