Franz Peter Schubert is a musical genius of the 19th century. Illustrated Biographical Encyclopedic Dictionary Schubert's last work

Franz Schubert entered the history of music as the first of the great Romantic composers. In that "epoch of disillusionment" that followed French Revolution, it seemed so natural to pay attention to an individual person with his passions, sorrows and joys - and this “song human soul” received a brilliant embodiment in the works of Schubert, which remained “song” even in large forms.

The birthplace of Franz Schubert is Lichtental, a suburb of Vienna, the European musical capital. AT large family the teachers of the parish school appreciated music: his father owned the cello and violin, and Franz's older brother played the piano, and they became the first mentors of the talented boy. From the age of seven, he learned to play the organ with the church bandmaster and singing with the regent. A beautiful voice allowed him to become at the age of eleven a student of Konvikt, a boarding school that trained choristers for the court chapel. Here one of his mentors was Antonio Salieri. Playing in the school orchestra, where he eventually became trusted to perform the duties of a conductor, Schubert became acquainted with many symphonic masterpieces, and symphonies especially shocked him.

In Konvikt, Schubert created his first works, including. It was dedicated to the director Konvikt, but the young composer did not feel much sympathy either for this person or for the educational institution he headed: Schubert was burdened by the strictest discipline, and mind-draining cramming, and far from best relationship with mentors - giving all his strength to music, he did not pay much attention to other academic disciplines. Schubert was not expelled for academic failure just because he left Konvikt on time without permission.

Even at the time of teaching, Schubert had conflicts with his father: dissatisfied with the success of his son, Schubert Sr. forbade him to be at home on weekends (an exception was made only on the day of his mother's funeral). Even more serious conflict arose when the question of choice arose life path: for all his interest in music, Schubert's father did not consider the profession of a musician a worthy occupation. He wanted his son to choose a more respected profession of a teacher, guaranteeing a salary, at least a small but reliable one, and besides, he would exempt him from military service. The young man had to obey. He worked at school for four years, but this did not prevent him from creating a lot of music - operas, symphonies, masses, sonatas, many songs. But if Schubert's operas are now forgotten, and in instrumental works of those years, the influence is strong enough Viennese classicism then in songs personality traits creative image of the composer manifested itself in all its glory. Among the works of these years are such masterpieces as "", "Rose", "".

At the same time, Schubert suffered one of the most significant disappointments of his life. His beloved Teresa Coffin was forced to submit to her mother, who did not want to see her son-in-law as a teacher with a penny salary. With tears in her eyes, the girl went down the aisle with another and lived a long, prosperous life as the wife of a wealthy burgher. How happy she was, one can only guess, but Schubert never found personal happiness in marriage.

Boring school duties, distracting from the creation of music, increasingly burdened Schubert, and in 1817 he left school. After that, the father did not want to hear about his son. In Vienna, the composer lives now with one friend, then with another - these artists, poets and musicians were not much richer than himself. Schubert often did not even have money for music paper - he wrote down his musical thoughts on scraps of newspapers. But poverty did not make him gloomy and gloomy - he always remained cheerful and sociable.

It was not easy for the composer to make his way into music world Vienna - he was not a virtuoso performer, moreover, he was distinguished by extreme modesty, Schubert's sonatas and symphonies did not gain popularity during the author's lifetime, but they found a lively understanding among friends. At friendly meetings, the soul of which was Schubert (they were even called “Schubertiades”), discussions were held about art, politics and philosophy, but dancing was an integral part of such evenings. Schubert improvised dance music, and he recorded the most successful finds - this is how Schubert waltzes, landlers and ecossaises were born. One of the participants in the Schubertiades, Michael Vogl, often performed Schubert's songs on the concert stage, becoming a promoter of his work.

The 1820s became the time of creative flourishing for the composer. Then he created the last two symphonies - and, sonatas, chamber ensembles, as well as musical moments and impromptu. In 1823, one of his best creations was born - vocal cycle"", a kind of "novel in songs." In spite of tragic denouement, the cycle does not leave a feeling of hopelessness.

But tragic motives sound more and more clearly in Schubert's music. Their focus is the second vocal cycle "" (the composer himself called it "terrible"). He often refers to the work of Heinrich Heine - along with songs based on poems by other poets, works based on his poems were published posthumously in the form of a collection "".

In 1828, the composer's friends organized a concert of his works, which brought great joy to Schubert. Unfortunately, the first concert turned out to be the last one that took place during his lifetime: in the same year, the composer died of an illness. Schubert's tombstone is inscribed with the words: "Music has buried rich treasures here, but even finer hopes."

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The biography of Schubert is very interesting to study. He was born on January 31, 1797 in a suburb of Vienna. His father worked as a school teacher, was a very hardworking and decent person. The eldest sons chose their father's path, the same path was prepared for Franz. However, music was also loved in their house. So, a brief biography of Schubert ...

His father taught Franz to play the violin, his brother taught him the clavier, church regent taught him theory and taught him how to play the organ. It soon became clear to the household that Franz was unusually gifted, so at the age of 11 he began to study at a church singing school. There was an orchestra in which the students played. Soon, Franz was already playing the first violin part and even conducting.

In 1810, the guy writes his first composition, and it becomes clear that Schubert is a composer. His biography says that the passion for music in him intensified so much that over time it supplanted other interests. The young man dropped out of school after five years, angering his father. Schubert's biography tells that, yielding to his father, he enters the teacher's seminary, and then works as a teacher's assistant. However, all the father's hopes to make Franz a man with a good and reliable income were in vain.

Biography of Schubert in the period from 1814 to 1817 is one of the most active phases of his work. At the end of this time, he is already the author of 7 sonatas, 5 symphonies and about 300 songs that are on everyone's lips. It would seem that a little more - and success is guaranteed. Franz leaves the service. The father becomes furious, leaves him penniless and breaks off all relations.

Schubert's biography tells that he had to live with friends. Among them were poets and artists. It was during this period that the famous "Schubertiads" are held, that is, evenings dedicated to the music of Franz. Among friends, he played the piano, composing music on the go. However, these were difficult years. Schubert lived in unheated rooms and gave hateful lessons so as not to starve to death. Due to poverty, Franz could not get married - his girlfriend preferred a wealthy confectioner to him.

Schubert's biography testifies that in 1822 he wrote one of his best creations - "The Unfinished Symphony", and then the cycle of works "The Beautiful Miller's Woman". For some time, Franz returned to the family, but two years later he left again. Naive and gullible, he was not adapted to independent living. Schubert was often deceived by his publishers, who frankly profited from him. The author of a huge and wonderful collection of songs that were very popular among the burghers during his lifetime, barely

Schubert was not a virtuoso musician, like Beethoven or Mozart, and could only act as an accompanist to his melodies. The symphonies were never performed during the composer's lifetime. The Schubertiada circle broke up, friends started families. He did not know how to ask, and did not want to humiliate himself in front of influential personalities.

Franz was completely desperate and believed that, perhaps, in old age he would have to beg, but he was wrong. The composer did not know that he would not have old age. But, despite all this, his creative activity does not weaken, and even vice versa: Schubert's biography claims that his music becomes deeper, more expressive and large-scale. In 1828, friends organized a concert at which the orchestra played only his songs. He was a very big success. After that, Schubert was again filled with grandiose plans and began to work on new compositions with redoubled energy. However, a few months later he fell ill with typhus and died in November 1828.

Name: Franz Schubert

Age: 31 year

Growth: 156

Activity: composer, one of the founders of romanticism in music

Family status: was not married

Franz Schubert: biography

Woland from the novel said: “Never ask for anything! Never and nothing, and especially for those who are stronger than you. They will offer and give everything themselves!

This quote from immortal work"Master and Margarita" characterizes the life of the Austrian composer Franz Schubert, familiar to most of the song "Ave Maria" ("Ellen's Third Song").

During his lifetime, he did not strive for fame. Although the works of the Austrian were distributed from all the salons of Vienna, Schubert lived extremely poorly. Once the writer hung out his frock coat on the balcony with the pockets turned inside out. This gesture was addressed to creditors and meant that there was nothing more to take from Schubert. Knowing the sweetness of glory only fleetingly, Franz died at the age of 31. But centuries later this musical genius became recognized not only at home, but throughout the world: creative heritage Schubert is immense, he composed about a thousand works: songs, waltzes, sonatas, serenades and other compositions.

Childhood and youth

Franz Peter Schubert was born in Austria, not far from the picturesque city of Vienna. The gifted boy grew up in an ordinary poor family: his father, the school teacher Franz Theodor, came from a peasant family, and his mother, the cook Elisabeth (née Fitz), was the daughter of a repairman from Silesia. In addition to Franz, the couple raised four more children (out of 14 children born, 9 died in infancy).

It is not surprising that the future maestro showed a love for notes early, because music constantly “flowed” in his house: Schubert Sr. loved to play the violin and cello like an amateur, and Franz's brother was fond of piano and clavier. Franz Jr. was surrounded by a delightful world of melodies, as the hospitable Schubert family often received guests, arranging musical evenings.

Noticing the talent of their son, who at the age of seven played music on the keys without learning the notes, the parents identified Franz in the church parochial school Lichtental, where the boy tried to master the organ, and M. Holzer taught the young Schubert vocal art, which he mastered to fame.

When the future composer was 11 years old, he was accepted as a chorister in the court chapel, located in Vienna, and also enrolled in a school with a boarding house Konvikt, where he acquired best friends. AT educational institution Schubert zealously comprehended the basics of music, but mathematics and Latin language were bad for the boy.

It is worth saying that no one doubted the talent of the young Austrian. Wenzel Ruzicka, who taught Franz the bass voice of a polyphonic musical composition, once stated:

“I have nothing to teach him! He already knows everything from the Lord God.

And in 1808, to the delight of his parents, Schubert was accepted into the imperial choir. When the boy was 13 years old, he independently wrote his first serious musical composition, and after 2 years, the recognized composer Antonio Salieri began to work with the young man, who did not even take a monetary reward from the young Franz.

Music

When the sonorous boyish voice of Schubert began to break down, the young composer, for obvious reasons, was forced to leave Konvikt. Franz's father dreamed that he would enter the teacher's seminary and follow in his footsteps. Schubert could not resist the will of his parent, so after graduation he began to work at a school where he taught the alphabet junior classes.

In 1814 he wrote the opera Satan's Pleasure Castle and a Mass in F major. And by the age of 20, Schubert had become the author of at least five symphonies, seven sonatas and three hundred songs. Music did not leave Schubert's thoughts for a minute: the talented writer woke up even in the middle of the night in order to have time to write down the melody that sounded in a dream.

In his free time, the Austrian arranged musical evenings: acquaintances and close friends appeared in the house of Schubert, who did not leave the piano and often improvised.

In the spring of 1816, Franz tried to get a job as a leader choir chapel However, his plans were not destined to come true. Soon Schubert, thanks to friends, met the famous Austrian baritone Johann Fogal.

It was this performer of romances that helped Schubert to establish himself in life: he performed songs to the accompaniment of Franz in the music salons of Vienna.

But it cannot be said that the Austrian owned keyboard instrument as masterly as, for example, Beethoven. He did not always make the right impression on the listening public, so Fogal got the attention of the audience at the performances.

In 1817, Franz became the author of music for the song "Trout" to the words of his namesake Christian Schubert. The composer also became famous thanks to the music for the famous ballad German writer"The Forest King", and in the winter of 1818 Franz's "Erlafsee" was published by a publishing house, although before Schubert's fame, the editors constantly found an excuse to refuse a young performer.

It is worth noting that during the peak years of popularity, Franz acquired profitable acquaintances. So, his comrades (the writer Bauernfeld, the composer Huttenbrenner, the artist Schwind and other friends) helped the musician with money.

When Schubert was finally convinced of his vocation, in 1818 he left work at the school. But his father did not like his son's spontaneous decision, so he deprived his adult child of material assistance. Because of this, Franz had to ask friends for a place to sleep.

Fortune in the life of the composer was very changeable. The opera Alfonso e Estrella based on a composition by Schober, which Franz considered his success, was rejected. In this regard, Schubert's financial situation worsened. Also in 1822, the composer contracted an illness that undermined his health. In mid-summer, Franz moved to Zelize, where he settled on the estate of Count Johann Esterházy. There, Schubert taught music lessons to his children.

In 1823, Schubert became an honorary member of the Styrian and Linz musical unions. In the same year, the musician composes the song cycle "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" to the words of the romantic poet Wilhelm Müller. These songs tell about a young man who went in search of happiness.

But happiness young man was love: when he saw the miller's daughter, Cupid's arrow rushed into his heart. But the beloved drew attention to his rival, the young hunter, so the joyful and sublime feeling of the traveler soon grew into desperate grief.

After the tremendous success of The Beautiful Miller's Girl in the winter and autumn of 1827, Schubert worked on another cycle called The Winter Journey. The music, written to the words of Muller, is distinguished by pessimism. Franz himself called his brainchild "a wreath of creepy songs." It is noteworthy that such gloomy compositions about unrequited love Schubert wrote shortly before his own death.

Franz's biography indicates that sometimes he had to live in dilapidated attics, where, with the light of a burning torch, he composed great works on scraps of greasy paper. The composer was extremely poor, but he did not want to exist on the financial assistance of his friends.

“What will happen to me…,” Schubert wrote, “I will probably have to go from door to door and beg for bread in my old age, like Goethe’s harpist.”

But Franz could not even imagine that he would not have old age. When the musician was on the verge of despair, the goddess of fate smiled at him again: in 1828, Schubert was elected a member of the Vienna Society of Friends of Music, and on March 26, the composer gave his first concerto. The performance was triumphant, and the hall was torn from loud applause. On this day, Franz on the first and last time In my life, I learned what real success is.

Personal life

In life great composer was very timid and shy. Therefore, many of the writer's entourage profited from his gullibility. Financial situation Franz became a stumbling block on the path to happiness, because his beloved chose a rich groom.

Schubert's love was called Teresa the Hump. Franz met this special person while in the church choir. It is worth noting that the fair-haired girl was not known as a beauty, but, on the contrary, had an ordinary appearance: her pale face was “adorned” with smallpox marks, and sparse and white eyelashes “flaunted” on her eyelids.

But it was not appearance that attracted Schubert in choosing a lady of the heart. He was flattered that Teresa listened to music with awe and inspiration, and at these moments her face took on a ruddy look, and happiness shone in her eyes.

But, since the girl was brought up without a father, her mother insisted that she choose the latter between love and money. Therefore, Gorb married a wealthy confectioner.

The rest of the information about Schubert's personal life is very scarce. According to rumors, the composer was infected with syphilis in 1822 - at that time incurable disease. Based on this, it can be assumed that Franz did not disdain visiting brothels.

Death

In the autumn of 1828, Franz Schubert was tormented by a two-week fever caused by an infectious intestinal disease - typhoid fever. On November 19, at the age of 32, the great composer died.

The Austrian (according to his last wish) was buried at the Waering cemetery next to the grave of his idol, Beethoven.

• Franz Schubert bought a grand piano with the proceeds from the triumphant concert in 1828.
• In the autumn of 1822, the composer wrote "Symphony No. 8", which went down in history as " Unfinished symphony". The fact is that at first Franz created this work in the form of a sketch, and then in the score. But for some unknown reason, Schubert never finished work on the brainchild. According to rumors, the remaining parts of the manuscript were lost and were kept by friends of the Austrian.

• Some mistakenly attribute to Schubert the authorship of the title of the impromptu play. But the phrase "Musical moment" was coined by the publisher Leidesdorf.
• Schubert adored Goethe. The musician dreamed of getting to know this famous writer However, his dream was not destined to come true.
• Schubert's great C major symphony was found 10 years after his death.

• An asteroid discovered in 1904 was named after Franz's play Rosamund.
• After the death of the composer, a mass of unpublished manuscripts remained. For a long time people did not know what was composed by Schubert.

Discography

Songs (over 600 in total)

• Cycle "The Beautiful Miller" (1823)
• Cycle "Winter Way" (1827)
• Collection "Swan Song" (1827-1828, posthumous)
• About 70 songs to texts by Goethe
• About 50 songs to texts by Schiller

Symphonies

• First D-dur (1813)
• Second B-dur (1815)
• Third D-dur (1815)
• Fourth c-moll "Tragic" (1816)
• Fifth B major (1816)
• Sixth C-dur (1818)

Quartets (total 22)

• Quartet B-dur op. 168 (1814)
• G minor quartet (1815)
• A minor quartet op. 29 (1824)
• Quartet in d-moll (1824-1826)
• Quartet G-dur op. 161 (1826)

Franz Peter Schubert was born on January 31, 1797 in a suburb of Vienna. His musical ability appeared early enough. He received his first music lessons at home. He was taught to play the violin by his father, and the piano by his older brother.

At the age of six, Franz Peter entered the Lichtental parish school. The future composer had an amazing beautiful voice. Thanks to this, at the age of 11 he was accepted as a "singing boy" in the capital's court chapel.

Until 1816, Schubert studied for free with A. Salieri. He learned the basics of composition and counterpoint.

Composer talent manifested itself already in adolescence. Studying the biography of Franz Schubert , you should know that in the period from 1810 to 1813. he composed several songs, piano pieces, a symphony and an opera.

mature years

The path to art began with Schubert's acquaintance with the baritone I.M. Fogle. He performed several songs by the novice composer, and they quickly gained popularity. The first serious success for the young composer was brought by Goethe's ballad "The Forest King", which he set to music.

January 1818 was marked by the publication of the first composition of the musician.

short biography the composer was rich in events. He met and became friends with A. Huttenbrenner, I. Mayrhofer, A. Milder-Hauptmann. Being devoted fans of the musician's work, they often helped him with money.

In July 1818 Schubert left for Zeliz. Teaching experience allowed him to get a job as a music teacher to Count I. Esterhazy. In the second half of November the musician returned to Vienna.

Features of creativity

Getting acquainted with a short biography of Schubert , you should know that he was primarily known as a songwriter. Music collections to the verses of W. Muller have great value in vocal literature.

Songs from the composer's latest collection, Swan Song, have gained fame all over the world. An analysis of Schubert's work shows that he was bold and original musician. He did not follow the path blazed by Beethoven, but chose his own path. This is especially noticeable in the Trout Quintet for piano, as well as in the B-minor Unfinished Symphony.

Schubert left many church writings. Of these, Mass No. 6 in E-flat major has gained the most popularity.

Illness and death

1823 was marked by the election of Schubert as an honorary member of the musical unions in Linz and Styria. AT summary the biography of the musician says that he applied for the position of court fitse-kapellmeister. But J. Weigl got it.

Schubert's only public concert took place on March 26, 1828. It was a huge success and brought him a small fee. Works for pianoforte and songs of the composer were published.

Schubert died of typhoid fever in November 1828. He was less than 32 years old. For my short life the musician was able to do the most important thing – realize your amazing gift.

Chronological table

Other biography options

Franz Schubert (1797-1828), Austrian composer.

Born January 31, 1797 in Lichtental near Vienna in the family of a school teacher. Franz was taught violin and piano by his father and older brothers.

From 1814, Schubert taught at his father's school, although he did not feel any particular inclination to do so. In 1818, he left teaching and devoted himself entirely to creativity. Already during his short work at the school, Schubert created about 250 songs, including the masterpiece of world vocal lyrics “The Forest King” (1814; to the verses by J. V. Goethe).

Like-minded people, admirers and propagandists of his work united around the composer. It was thanks to their efforts that fame and recognition came to Schubert. He himself was distinguished by impracticality in life.

The basis of Schubert's work was the song. In total, he wrote more than 600 works of this genre. Among them is the vocal cycle "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" (1823; to the verses of W. Muller) - a simple and touching love story of a modest apprentice and the daughter of the owner of the mill. This is one of the first vocal cycles in the history of music.

In 1823, Schubert became an honorary member of the Styrian and Linz musical unions. In 1827, he wrote another vocal cycle based on Muller's poems - "The Winter Road". Already posthumously, in 1829, the last vocal collection of the composer, Swan Song, was released.

In addition to vocal compositions, Schubert wrote a lot for the piano: 23 sonatas (of which 6 were unfinished), the Wanderer fantasy (1822), Impromptu, Musical Moments, etc. In the period from 1814 to 1828, 7 masses were written and The German Requiem (1818) are Schubert's major works for soloists, choir and orchestra.

For chamber ensemble composer created 16 string quartets, 2 strings and 2 piano trios, etc. He also wrote operas (Alfonso and Estrella, 1822; Fiera Bras, 1823).

P.S. Visitor on the estate Elena L added a short, capacious, wonderful comment. I quote in full and subscribe to every word. Elena, thank you very much!
Hello! Regarding Schubert: why not remind the reader of his masterpiece “The Third Song of Ellen”, better known to the general public as “Ave Maria”? And be sure to say that this immortal music was written by a boy of 30 years old ...
P.P.S. I don't post my own comment to avoid repetition.