The musical world of Schubert. Biography of Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert is famous Austrian composer. His life was short enough, he lived only 31 years, from 1797 to 1828. But for this short peri...
By Masterweb
15.05.2018 02:00Franz Schubert is a famous Austrian composer. His life was short enough, he lived only 31 years, from 1797 to 1828. But over this short period, he made a huge contribution to the development of world musical culture. This can be seen by studying the biography and work of Schubert. This outstanding composer considered one of the most prominent founders romantic direction V musical art. Having familiarized yourself with the most important events in Schubert's biography, you can better understand his work.
Family
The biography of Franz Schubert begins on January 31, 1797. He was born into a poor family in Lichtental, a suburb of Vienna. His father, a native of a peasant family, was a school teacher. He was distinguished by diligence and integrity. He raised children, instilling in them that labor is the basis of existence. Mother was the daughter of a locksmith. The family had fourteen children, but nine of them died in infancy.
Biography of Schubert in the summary demonstrates the important role of the family in the development of a small 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 familiar amateur musicians gathered for them.
First music lessons
From a brief biography of Franz Schubert, it is known that his unique musical abilities manifested themselves very early. Having discovered them, his father and older brother Ignaz began classes with him. Ignaz taught him 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 lessons. That's why music lessons with a gifted boy, they entrusted the regent of the Lichtental Church, Michael Holzer. The teacher admired the extraordinary musical abilities of his student. In addition, Franz had beautiful 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 the success of his son.
convict
When Franz was eleven years old, he participates in the competition for the selection of singers in the imperial royal court singing chapel. Having successfully passed all the tests, Franz Schubert becomes a singer. He is enrolled in convict, a free boarding school for gifted children from low-income families. The younger Schubert now has the opportunity to receive general and musical education free of charge, which is a boon for his family. The boy lives in a boarding school, and comes home only for the holidays.
Studying a brief biography of Schubert, one can understand that the situation that prevailed in this educational institution contributed to the development musical ability gifted boy. Here, Franz is daily engaged in singing, playing the violin and piano, and theoretical disciplines. A student orchestra was organized at the school, in which Schubert played the first violins. Orchestra conductor Wenzel Ruzicka, noticing the extraordinary talent of his student, often instructed him to perform the duties of a conductor. The orchestra performed a variety of music. Thus, future composer met with orchestral music various genres. He was especially impressed by the music of the Viennese classics: Mozart's symphony No. 40, as well as musical masterpieces Beethoven.
First compositions
During his studies at the convict, Franz began to compose. Schubert's biography states that he was then thirteen years old. He writes music with great passion, often to the detriment of schoolwork. Among his first compositions are a number of songs and a fantasy for piano. Demonstrating outstanding musical abilities, the boy attracts 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 music lessons, but also by a warm relationship. These studies continued even after Schubert's departure from the convict.
Watching the rapid development of his son's musical talent, the father began to worry about his future. Understanding the severity of the existence of musicians, even the most famous and recognized, the father is trying to save Franz from such a fate. He dreamed of seeing his son as a school teacher. As 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.
Leaving the contract
Having not completed his studies in convict, Schubert at the age of thirteen decides to leave him. 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 far behind his interest in other sciences. He was assigned a re-examination, but Schubert did not take advantage of this opportunity and left his studies in convict.
Franz still had to return to school. In 1813 he entered regular school St. Anna, graduated from it and received a certificate of education.
The beginning of an independent life
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 to read and write and other subjects. The pay was extremely low, which forced the young Schubert to constantly look for additional income in the form of private lessons. Thus, he practically does not have time to compose music. But the passion for music does not go away. It only intensifies. Franz received great help and support from his friends, who organized concerts and useful contacts for him, supplied him with music paper, which he always lacked.
During this period (1814-1816), his famous songs"Forest King" and "Margarita at the Spinning Wheel" to the words of Goethe, over 250 songs, singspiel, 3 symphonies and many other works.
The figurative world of the composer
Franz Schubert is a romantic in spirit. He put 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.
The favorite theme of Schubert's chamber-vocal creativity is nature in its various states.
Acquaintance with Fogle
After reading a (brief) biography of Schubert, the most important event his acquaintance with the outstanding Viennese opera singer Johann Michael Vogl appears. It happened in 1817 through the efforts of the composer's friends. This acquaintance was of great importance in the life of Franz. In his face he acquired devoted friend and performer of his songs. Subsequently, Fogl played a huge role in promoting the chamber vocal work of the young composer.
"Schubertiads"
Around Franz, over time, a circle of creative youth is formed from among poets, playwrights, artists, composers. Schubert's biography mentions that meetings were often devoted to his work. In such cases they were called "Schubertiads". Meetings were held in the home of one of the members of the circle or in the Vienna Crown coffee shop. All members of the circle were united by an interest in art, passion for music and poetry.
Trip to Hungary
The composer lived in Vienna, rarely leaving it. All the trips that he made were related to concerts or teaching activities. Schubert's biography briefly mentions that during summer period In 1818 and 1824 Schubert lived on the estate of Count Esterhazy Zheliz. The composer was invited there to teach music to young countesses.
Joint concerts
In 1819, 1823 and 1825 Schubert and Vogl travel through Upper Austria and tour at the same time. With the public, such joint concerts are a huge success. Vogl seeks to acquaint listeners with the work of his friend-composer, to make his works known and loved outside of Vienna. Gradually, Schubert's fame is growing, more and more people talk about him not only in professional circles, but also among ordinary listeners.
First editions
Schubert's biography contains facts about the beginning of the publication of the works of the young composer. 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 are beginning to be performed in Russia.
Success or illusion?
Schubert's songs and piano works are gaining great popularity. His compositions were highly appreciated by Beethoven, the composer's idol. But, along with the fame that Schubert gains thanks to Vogl's propaganda activities, there are also disappointments. The composer's symphonies were never performed, operas and singspiel are practically not staged. To this day, 5 operas and 11 singspiel by Schubert are in oblivion. Such a fate befell many other works, rarely performed in concerts.
creative flourishing
In the 1920s, Schubert appeared the cycles of songs “The Beautiful Miller’s Woman” and “The Winter Road” to the words of W. Muller, chamber ensembles, sonatas for piano, the fantasy “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 spent the money received from the concert to purchase his first piano in his life.
Composer's death
In the autumn of 1828, Schubert suddenly fell seriously ill. His torment lasted three weeks. On November 19, 18128, Franz Schubert passed away.
Only a year and a half has passed since the time when Schubert took part in the funeral of his idol - the last Viennese classic L. Beethoven. Now he is also buried in this cemetery.
After reviewing the summary of Schubert's biography, one can understand the meaning of the inscription that was carved on his tombstone. She tells that a rich treasure is buried in the grave, but even more wonderful hopes.
Songs are the basis of Schubert's creative heritage
Speaking of creative heritage this wonderful composer, usually always highlight his song genre. Schubert wrote a huge number of songs - about 600. This is no coincidence, since one of the most popular genres of romantic composers is precisely the vocal miniature. It was here that Schubert was able to fully reveal the main theme of the romantic trend in art - the rich inner world of the hero with his feelings and experiences. The first song masterpieces were created by the young composer already 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 exactly follows it, emphasizing the originality of the artistic image and creating a special emotional background.
In his chamber vocal art 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 the representatives of the romantic trend in art, which was close and understandable to the young Schubert. Only a few of his songs were published during the composer's lifetime.
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Franz Peter Schubert was born on January 31, 1797 in a suburb of Vienna. His musical abilities showed up quite early. 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 amazingly 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. First major success young composer brought Goethe's ballad "The Forest King", which he had set to music.
January 1818 was marked by the publication of the first composition of the musician.
The short biography of 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 to know short biography Schubert , you should know that he was primarily known as a songwriter. Music collections based on W. Muller's verses are of great importance in vocal literature.
Songs from latest collection composer, "Swan Song", gained fame throughout the world. An analysis of Schubert's work shows that he was a 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. IN 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. In his short life, the musician was able to do the most important – realize your amazing gift.
Chronological table
Other biography options
- More for a long time after the death of the musician, no one could put together all his manuscripts. Some of them have been lost forever.
- One of interesting facts is that most of his writings began to be published only at the end of the 20th century. In terms of the number of works created, Schubert is often compared with
Franz Schubert (January 31, 1797 - November 19, 1828) was a famous Austrian composer and pianist. Founder of musical romanticism. In song cycles, Schubert embodied the spiritual world of a contemporary - "young human XIX c. "Wrote about 600 songs (to the words of F. Schiller, I.V. Goethe, G. Heine, etc.), including from the cycles" The Beautiful Miller's Woman "(1823)," The Winter Road "(1827, both to words by W. Müller); 9 symphonies (including "Unfinished", 1822), quartets, trios, piano quintet "Trout" (1819); piano sonatas (St. 20), impromptu, fantasies, waltzes, landlers and others. He also wrote works for the guitar.
There are many arrangements of Schubert's works for guitar (A. Diabelli, I.K. Mertz and others).
About Franz Schubert and his work
Valery Agababov
Musicians and music lovers will be interested to know that Franz Schubert, without having a piano at home for a number of years, used mainly the guitar in composing his works. His famous "Serenade" was marked "for guitar" in the manuscript. And if we listen more closely to the melodious and simple in its sincerity music of F. Schubert, we will be surprised to note that much of what he wrote in the song and dance genre has a pronounced "guitar" character.
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) is a great Austrian composer. Born in the family of a school teacher. He was brought up in the Viennese convent, where he studied bass general with V. Ruzicka, counterpoint and composition with A. Salieri.
From 1814 to 1818 he worked as an assistant teacher at his father's school. Around Schubert there was a circle of friends-admirers of his work (including the poets F. Schober and I. Mayrhofer, the artists M. Schwind and L. Kupilviser, the singer I. M. Fogl, who became a propagandist of his songs). These friendly meetings with Schubert went down in history under the name "Schubertiad". As a music teacher for the daughters of Count I. Esterhazy, Schubert traveled to Hungary, together with Vogl traveled to Upper Austria and Salzburg. In 1828, a few months before Schubert's death, his author's concert took place, which was a great success.
The most important place in the legacy of F. Schubert is occupied by songs for voice and piano (about 600 songs). One of the greatest melodists, Schubert reformed the song genre, endowing it with deep content. Schubert created new type songs of through development, as well as the first highly artistic samples of the vocal cycle ("The Beautiful Miller's Woman", "Winter Way"). Schubert's Peru owns operas, singspiel, masses, cantatas, oratorios, quartets for male and female voices (in men's choirs and op. 11 and 16 he used the guitar as an accompanying instrument).
IN instrumental music Schubert, based on the traditions of the composers of the Viennese classical school, great importance acquired the theme of a song type. He created 9 symphonies, 8 overtures. The apex examples of romantic symphonism are the lyrical-dramatic "Unfinished" symphony and the majestic heroic-epic "Big" symphony.
Piano music is an important area of Schubert's work. Influenced by Beethoven, Schubert established a tradition of free romantic interpretation of the piano sonata genre (23). The fantasy "Wanderer" anticipates the "poetic" forms of the Romantics (F. Liszt). Impromptu (11) and musical moments (6) by Schubert - the first romantic miniatures close to the works of F. Chopin and R. Schumann. Piano minuets, waltzes, "German dances", landlers, ecossesses, etc. reflected the composer's desire to poeticize dance genres. Schubert wrote more than 400 dances.
The work of F. Schubert is closely connected with the Austrian folk art, with the everyday music of Vienna, although he rarely used genuine folk themes in his compositions.
F. Schubert - the first major representative musical romanticism, which, according to Academician B.V. Asafiev, expressed "the joys and sorrows of life" in the way "as most people feel and would like to convey."
Magazine "Guitarist", №1, 2004
Schubert
The work of Franz Schubert is the dawn of the romantic direction in music.
In his magnificent works, he opposed worldly reality - wealth inner world little man. The most important area in his music is the song.
In his work, darkness and light all the time touch, I would like to show this by the example of 2 of his song cycles: “The Beautiful Miller’s Woman” and “Winter Way”.
"Etc. chalk." 1823 - the cycle was written to Muller's poems, which attracted the composer with their naivety and purity. Much of them coincided with the experiences and fate of Schubert himself. A simple story about the life, love and suffering of a young apprentice miller.
The cycle is framed by 2 songs - "On the Road" and "Lullaby of the Stream", which are an introduction and conclusion.
Between extreme points cycle is the story of the young man himself about his wanderings, about love for the daughter of the owner-miller.
The cycle seems to be divided into 2 phases:
1) out of 10 songs (before "Pause" No. 12) - these are the days of bright hopes
2) already other motives: doubt, jealousy, sadness
The development of the dramaturgy of the cycle:
1 exposition of images No. 1-3
2 string No. 4 "gratitude to the stream"
3 development of feelings No. 5-10
4 climax #11
5 dramaturgical fracture, the appearance of rival No. 14
6 junction №20
"Let's hit the road"- reveals the structure of thoughts and feelings of a young miller, just stepping on life's road. However, the hero in "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" is not alone. Next to him is another, no less important hero - a stream. He lives a turbulent, intensely changeable life. The feelings of the hero change, the stream also changes, for his soul is merged with the soul of the miller, and the song expresses everything that he experiences.
Musical means 1 songs are extremely simple and are closest to the methods of folk songwriting.
Climax number "My"- the concentration of all joyful feelings. This song closes 1 section of the cycle. With its juicy texture and cheerful mobility, the elasticity of the rhythm and the sweeping pattern of the melody, it is similar to the initial song “On the Road”.
In the songs of section 2, Schubert shows how pain and bitterness grows in the soul of a young miller, how it erupts in violent outbursts of jealousy and grief. The miller sees an opponent - a hunter.
No. 14 "Hunter", in the depiction of this character, the composer uses techniques familiar in the so-called. "hunting music": size 6/8, "empty" 4 and 5 - "golden horn move", depicting a hunting horn, as well as characteristic moves 63//63.
3 songs "Jealousy and Pride", "Favorite Color", "Miller and Stream" - make up the dramatic core of section 2. The growing anxiety results in confusion of all feelings and thoughts.
"Lullaby of the Brook"- the transfer of the very moods with which he ends his life path. Filled with a sense of quiet sadness and melancholy. Monatonic rhythmic swaying and tonicity of harmony, major mode, calm pattern of the song melody create the impression of peace, exemplification.
At the end of the cycle, Schubert returns us to major, giving it a bright color - this is a story about eternal peace, humility, but not death.
"Winter. Path" 1827 - also on Muller's poems, the cycle is contrasted by the fact that now the main hero from a joyful and cheerful young man has turned into a suffering, disappointed lonely person (now he is a wanderer abandoned by all)
He is forced to leave his beloved, because. poor. Unnecessarily, he sets out on his journey.
The theme of loneliness in the cycle is presented in many shades: from lyrical changes to philosophical reflections.
Differences from "Pr Mel" is also that there is no plot. The songs are united by a tragic theme.
The complexity of the images - the emphasis on the internal psychological side of life, caused the complication of the muses. Yaz. :
1) The 3-part form is dramatized (i.e., variational changes in each part appear in it, the expanded middle part and the reprise change compared to 1 part.
2) The melody is enriched with declamatory and speech turns (text in chant)
3) Harmony (sudden modulations, non-terzian chord structure, complex chord combinations)
There are 24 songs in the cycle: 2 parts of 12 songs.
In section 2 (13-24) - the theme of tragedy is presented more clearly, and the theme of loneliness is replaced by the theme of death.
First song of the cycle "Sleep well", just like "On the Road" performs the function of an introduction - this is a sad story about past hopes and love. Her melody is simple and sad. The melody is inactive. And only the rhythm and piano accompaniment convey the measured, monotonous movement of a lonely wandering person. His relentless pace. The melody is a movement from the top of the source (katabasis - downward movement) - sorrow, suffering. 4 verses are separated from each other by losses with intonations of detention - an exacerbation of drama.
In the subsequent songs of section 1, Schubert tends more and more to the minor key, to the use of dissonant and altered chords. The conclusion of all this: The beautiful is just an illusion of dreams - the typical mood of the composer in last years life.
In section 2, the theme of loneliness is replaced by the theme of death. The tragic mood grows more and more.
Schubert even introduces an image-harbinger of death No. 15 "Raven", with a dominating gloomy gloomy mood. Sad, full of aching melancholy, the introduction draws non-stop movement and measured wingbeats. A black raven in the snowy heights pursues its future victim - a traveler. Raven is patient and unhurried. He's waiting for prey. And wait for her.
Last #24 song "The organ grinder". She completes the cycle. And it doesn't look like twenty-three others at all. They painted the world as it seemed to the hero. This one depicts life as it is. In "The Organ Grinder" there is neither the excited tragedy, nor the romantic excitement, nor the bitter irony inherent in the rest of the songs. This is a realistic picture of life, sad and touching, instantly grasped and aptly captured. Everything in it is simple and unpretentious.
The composer here personifies himself with a destitute beggar musician, presented in the song, the cat is built on the alternation of vocal phrases and instrumental losses. The tonic organ item depicts the sound of a hurdy-gurdy or bagpipes, monotonous repetitions create a mood of melancholy and loneliness.
Of great importance in vocal literature are Schubert's collections of songs to the verses of Wilhelm Muller - "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" and "Winter Road", which are, as it were, a continuation of Beethoven's idea, expressed in the collection of songs "Beloved. In all these works one can see a remarkable melodic talent and big variety sentiments; greater value accompaniment, high artistic sense. Having discovered Muller's lyrics, which tells about the wanderings, sufferings, hopes and disappointments of a lonely romantic soul, Schubert created vocal cycles - in fact, the first large series of monologue songs in history connected by a single plot.
Schubert lived only thirty-one years. He died physically and mentally exhausted, exhausted by failures in life. None of the composer's nine symphonies was performed during his lifetime. Of the six hundred songs, about two hundred were printed, and of the two dozen piano sonatas, only three.
***
In your dissatisfaction surrounding life Schubert was not alone. This dissatisfaction and protest the best people societies are reflected in a new direction in art - in romanticism. Schubert was one of the first Romantic composers.
Franz Schubert was born in 1797 on the outskirts of Vienna - Lichtental. His father, a school teacher, came from a peasant family. Mother was the daughter of a locksmith. The family was very fond of music and constantly arranged musical evenings. My father played the cello, and the brothers played various instruments.
Having discovered musical abilities in little Franz, his father and older brother Ignaz began to teach him to play the violin and piano. Soon the boy was able to take part in the home performance of string quartets, playing the viola part. Franz had a wonderful voice. He sang in the church choir, performing difficult solo parts. The father was pleased with the success of his son.
When Franz was eleven years old, he was assigned to a convict - a school for the training of church choristers. Situation educational institution contributed to the development of the boy's musical abilities. In the school student orchestra, he played in the group of first violins, and sometimes even acted as a conductor. The orchestra's repertoire was varied. Schubert met with symphonic works various genres (symphonies, overtures), quartets, vocal compositions. He confessed to his friends that Mozart's symphony in G minor shocked him. Beethoven's music became a high model for him.
Already in those years, Schubert began to compose. His first works are a fantasy for piano, a series of songs. Young composer writes a lot, with great enthusiasm, often to the detriment of other school activities. The boy's outstanding abilities drew the attention of the famous court composer Salieri to him, with whom Schubert studied for a year.
Rapid development over time musical talent Franz began to cause alarm in his father. Knowing well how difficult the path of musicians, even world famous ones, was, the father wanted to save his son from a similar fate. As punishment for his excessive passion for music, he even forbade him to be at home on holidays. But no prohibitions could delay the development of the boy's talent.
Schubert decided to break with the convict. Throw away boring and unnecessary textbooks, forget about worthless, heart and mind draining cramming and go free. To surrender entirely to music, to live only for it and for its sake. On October 28, 1813, he completed his first symphony in D major. On last sheet Schubert wrote the score: "End and End". The end of the symphony and the end of the convict.
For three years he served as a teacher's assistant teaching children literacy and other starting subjects. But his attraction to music, the desire to compose is becoming stronger. One has only to marvel at the resilience of his creative nature. It was during these years of school hard labor from 1814 to 1817, when everything seemed to be against him, that he created an amazing number of works.
In 1815 alone, Schubert wrote 144 songs, 4 operas, 2 symphonies, 2 masses, 2 piano sonatas, string Quartet. Among the creations of this period, there are many that are illuminated by the unfading flame of genius. These are the Tragic and Fifth symphonies in B-flat major, as well as the songs "Rose", "Margarita at the Spinning Wheel", "Forest King", "Margarita at the Spinning Wheel" - a monodrama, a confession of the soul.
"Forest King" - a drama with several actors. They have their own characters, sharply different from each other, their actions, completely dissimilar, their aspirations, opposing and hostile, their feelings, incompatible and polar.
The history of this masterpiece is amazing. It arose in a fit of inspiration.” Once, - recalls Shpaun, a friend of the composer, - we went to Schubert, who was then living with his father. We found our friend in the greatest excitement. With a book in his hand, he paced up and down the room, reading aloud The Forest King. Suddenly he sat down at the table and began to write. When he got up, a magnificent ballad was ready.”
The father's desire to make his son a teacher with a small but reliable income failed. The young composer firmly decided to devote himself to music and left teaching at school. He was not afraid of a quarrel with his father. All further short life Schubert is a creative feat. Experiencing great material need and deprivation, he tirelessly created, creating one work after another.
Unfortunately, material hardships prevented him from marrying the girl he loved. Teresa Coffin sang in the church choir. From the very first rehearsals, Schubert noticed her, although she was inconspicuous. Fair-haired, with whitish eyebrows, as if faded in the sun, and a grainy face, like most dim blondes, she did not shine at all with beauty.Rather, on the contrary - at first glance it seemed ugly. Smallpox marks were clearly visible on her round face. But as soon as the music sounded, the colorless face was transformed. Only that it was extinct and therefore inanimate. Now illuminated inner light, it lived and shone.
No matter how accustomed Schubert to the callousness of fate, he did not imagine that fate would treat him so cruelly. “Happy is he who finds a true friend. Even happier is the one who finds it in his wife.” he wrote in his diary.
However, the dreams were shattered. Teresa's mother, who raised her without a father, intervened. Her father owned a small silk mill. When he died, he left the family a small fortune, and the widow turned all her worries to ensure that the already meager capital did not decrease.
Naturally, she linked her hopes for a better future with her daughter's marriage. And even more naturally, Schubert did not suit her. In addition to the penny salary of an assistant school teacher, he had music, and, as you know, it is not capital. You can live with music, but you can't live with it.
A submissive girl from the suburbs, brought up in submission to her elders, even in her thoughts did not allow disobedience. The only thing she allowed herself was tears. Having quietly wept until the wedding, Teresa with swollen eyes went down the aisle.
She became the wife of a confectioner and lived a long, monotonously prosperous gray life, dying at the age of seventy-eight. By the time she was taken to the cemetery, Schubert's ashes had long since decayed in the grave.
For several years (from 1817 to 1822) Schubert lived alternately with one or the other of his comrades. Some of them (Spaun and Stadler) were friends of the composer during the contract. Later they were joined by the multi-talented in the field of art Schober, the artist Schwind, the poet Mayrhofer, the singer Vogl and others. Schubert was the soul of this circle.
Small in stature, stocky, stocky, very short-sighted, Schubert had great charm. Especially good were his radiant eyes, in which, as in a mirror, kindness, shyness and gentleness of character were reflected. And the delicate, changeable complexion and curly brown hair gave him appearance special attraction.
During meetings, friends got acquainted with fiction, poetry of the past and present. They argued heatedly, discussing the issues that arose, and criticized the existing social order. But sometimes such meetings were devoted exclusively to the music of Schubert, they even received the name "Schubertiad".
On such evenings, the composer did not leave the piano, immediately composing ecossaises, waltzes, landlers and other dances. Many of them have remained unrecorded. No less admired were the songs of Schubert, which he often performed himself. Often these friendly gatherings turned into country walks.
Saturated with bold, lively thought, poetry, and beautiful music, these meetings represented a rare contrast with the empty and meaningless entertainments of secular youth.
The disorder of life, cheerful entertainment could not distract Schubert from creativity, stormy, continuous, inspired. He worked systematically, day after day. “I compose every morning when I finish one piece, I start another”
, - the composer admitted. Schubert composed music unusually quickly.
On some days he created up to a dozen songs! Musical thoughts were born continuously, the composer barely had time to put them on paper. And if it was not at hand, he wrote on the back of the menu, on scraps and scraps. In need of money, he especially suffered from a lack of music paper. Caring friends supplied the composer with it. Music visited him in a dream.
Waking up, he strove to write it down as soon as possible, so he did not part with his glasses even at night. And if the work did not immediately result in a perfect and complete form, the composer continued to work on it until he was completely satisfied.
So, for some poetic texts, Schubert wrote up to seven versions of songs! During this period, Schubert wrote two of his wonderful works - the "Unfinished Symphony" and the song cycle "The Beautiful Miller's Woman". "Unfinished Symphony" does not consist of four parts, as is customary, but of two. And the point is not at all that Schubert did not have time to finish the other two parts. He started on the third - the minuet, as required by the classical symphony, but abandoned his idea. The symphony, as it sounded, was completely completed. Everything else would be superfluous, unnecessary.
And if the classical form requires two more parts, it is necessary to give up the form. Which he did. Song was Schubert's element. In it, he reached unprecedented heights. The genre, previously considered insignificant, he raised to the degree of artistic perfection. And having done this, he went further - saturated with song chamber music- quartets, quintets, - and then a symphony.
The combination of what seemed incompatible - miniature with large-scale, small with large, song with symphony - gave a new, qualitatively different from everything that was before - a lyric-romantic symphony. Her world is a world of simple and intimate human feelings, the subtlest and deepest psychological experiences. This is the confession of the soul, expressed not with a pen and not with a word, but with a sound.
The song cycle “Beautiful Miller's Woman” is a vivid confirmation of this. Schubert wrote it to the verses of the German poet Wilhelm Müller. "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" is an inspired creation, illuminated by gentle poetry, joy, romance of pure and high feelings.
The cycle consists of twenty individual songs. And together they form one dramatic play with a plot, ups and downs and a denouement, with one lyrical hero - a wandering mill apprentice.
However, the hero in "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" is not alone. Next to him is another, no less important hero - a stream. He lives his turbulent, intensely changeable life.
Artworks last decade Schubert's life is very diverse. He writes symphonies, piano sonatas, quartets, quintets, trios, masses, operas, a lot of songs and much more. But during the composer's lifetime, his works were rarely performed, and most of them remained in manuscript.
Having neither the means nor influential patrons, Schubert had almost no opportunity to publish his writings. Songs, the main thing in the work of Schubert, were then considered more suitable for home music-making than for open concerts. Compared to the symphony and opera, songs were not considered important musical genres.
Not a single opera by Schubert was accepted for production, not a single one of his symphonies was performed by an orchestra. Not only that: the notes of his best Eighth and Ninth symphonies were found only many years after the death of the composer. And the songs to the words of Goethe, sent to him by Schubert, did not receive the attention of the poet.
Timidity, inability to arrange one's affairs, unwillingness to ask, to humiliate oneself in front of influential people were also an important reason for Schubert's constant financial difficulties. But, despite the constant lack of money, and often hunger, the composer did not want to go either to the service of Prince Esterhazy, or to the court organists, where he was invited. At times, Schubert did not even have a piano and composed without an instrument. Financial difficulties did not prevent him from composing music.
And yet the Viennese learned and fell in love with Schubert's music, which itself made its way to their hearts. Like the old ones folk songs, passing from singer to singer, his works gradually gained admirers. They were not frequenters of the brilliant court salons, representatives of the upper class. Like a forest stream, Schubert's music found its way to the hearts of ordinary people in Vienna and its suburbs.
An outstanding singer of that time, Johann Michael Vogl, who performed Schubert's songs to the accompaniment of the composer himself, played an important role here. Insecurity, continuous life failures seriously affected Schubert's health. His body was exhausted. Reconciliation with his father in the last years of his life, a more calm, balanced home life could no longer change anything. Schubert could not stop composing music, this was the meaning of his life.
But creativity required a huge expenditure of strength, energy, which became less and less every day. At the age of twenty-seven, the composer wrote to his friend Schober: "I feel like an unfortunate, most insignificant person in the world."
This sentiment is reflected in the music. last period. If earlier Schubert created predominantly bright, joyful works, then a year before his death he wrote songs, uniting them under the common name “Winter Way”.
This has never happened to him before. He wrote about suffering and suffered. He wrote about hopeless longing and hopelessly yearned. He wrote about the excruciating pain of the soul and experienced mental anguish. "Winter Way" is a journey through torments and lyrical hero, and the author.
The cycle, written with the blood of the heart, excites the blood and stirs the heart. A thin thread woven by the artist connected the soul of one person with the soul of millions of people with an invisible but indissoluble bond. She opened their hearts to the flood of feelings rushing from his heart.
In 1828, through the efforts of friends, the only concert of his works during Schubert's lifetime was organized. The concert was a huge success and brought great joy to the composer. His plans for the future became brighter. Despite failing health, he continues to compose. The end came unexpectedly. Schubert fell ill with typhus.
The weakened body could not withstand a serious illness, and on November 19, 1828, Schubert died. The rest of the property was valued for pennies. Many writings have disappeared.
The well-known poet of that time, Grillparzer, who had composed Beethoven's funeral oration a year earlier, wrote on a modest monument to Schubert in the Vienna cemetery:
Amazing, deep and, it seems to me, mysterious melody. Sadness, faith, renunciation.
F. Schubert composed his song Ave Maria in 1825. Initially, this work by F. Schubert had little to do with Ave Maria. The title of the song was "Ellen's Third Song" and the lyrics to which the music was written were taken from German translation Walter Scott's poem "Lady of the Lake" by Adam Stork.
