Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Theater Franz Schubert Franz Schubert Many prominent musicians produced major works during the romantic period. Among these are Beethoven, Strause, and Bach. But the musician that I think had the most impact, was Franz Schubert. Franz Peter, born on 31 January 1797 was one of fourteen children born of Franz Theodore Schubert and Elisabeth Vietz, four of which survived. He grew up in an apartment that daily converted to a classroom in which his father taught several elementary school classes. He received a thorough basic education; his father being a good teacher, and son being a bright student. From his father Franz also learned to play the violin, and from his brother he learned the piano. The family, indeed, was a very musical one; family "String Quartet Parties" were well known in the part of Vienna in which they lived. But soon young Franz learned all that his family had to teach him. Later, any neighbors who could play any instruments were drawn in and the quartet became a little orchestra. At nine years old, this inquisitive little boy auditioned and was accepted for a position as a chorister in the Royal Court Chapel Choir (which would later become the 'Vienna Boys' Choir). The young chorister gained the attention of Antonio Saliere, who saw to the nurture the young boy's education. After leaving the choir, he continued as a student at the school for one unhappy year. Schubert returned to live at home where it was decided that he would help his father teach. This did not last long. A disastrous episode with an unruly pupil was the last straw and Schubert at age nineteen left teaching and his home to pursue what he loved, composing. He moved in to the family apartment of his friend Franz von Schober. Schubert created a double edge life of composing and socializing. He was orderly and disciplined in his creative musical life and rather free spirited in his social life, spending evenings in Vienna's numerous cafes. Never successful in obtaining a steady position, he was largely supported by his wealthy male friends, occasional funds from publishers, and such short-term positions as a foray to Hungary to teach the wealthy Esterhazy daughters. Schubert is music history's first bohemian. Schubert lived the whole of his life in Vienna, a city much overshadowed by Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn. With the rise of a middle class society, opera houses and concert halls were very much a part of everyday life. Vienna, however, was also under great political stress during this period, constantly at odds with France. When Schubert was an adolescent, Vienna was invaded and occupied by Napoleon. Schubert lived in a climate both preoccupied by music, occupied by French armies, and governed by oppressive political administrations. In his music can be heard the cheerfulness of stoicism and the influence of the common man being invited into the sphere of art music. A significant characteristic of Schubert's life is the blending of his devotion to compose and his need for socializing. His circle of friends, which included artists, poets, and musicians, would often gather to hear the music of their composer friend, who they affectionately nicknamed "Schwammerl". These gatherings came to be known as "Schubertiads". This was the only forum in Schubert's life that his lieder were regularly heard. A lieder is a lowly musical genre that Schubert raised to an art-form. Inspite of the popularity of the public concert, an emerging phenomenon of the eighteenth century, Schubert produced only a single one during his life, during the last year of his short life, and only with the urging and support of his friends. Financially, it was a success for Schubert; critically, it received mediocre acceptance. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by a visit of violin "classic star (didn't have rock music then, so couldn't be a rock star)" Niccolo Paganini. A reason Schubert never reached his fame level in his hometown during his life was a certain shyness that he had. Although he never saw the opportunity to meet Beethoven, Vienna's master musician, he admired the man from afar and was a pallbearer at his funeral. It is well known that Franz Schubert's compositional output is colossal. He composed eleven Piano Sonatas and innumerable other piano pieces, chamber music, eight completed symphonies, a dozen operas and singspiels, an abundance of church music including six mass settings, and over six hundred lieder. He was capable of being extremely prolific. O. E. Deutsch's Thematic Catalogue lists over two hundred works for 1815 alone, and the following year over one hundred and sixty. Schubert's instrumental works show development over a long period of time, but some of his greatest songs were composed before he was 20 years old. In Schubert's songs the literary and musical elements are perfectly balanced, composed on the same intellectual and emotional level. Although Schubert composed strophic songs throughout his career, he did not follow set patterns but exploited bold and free forms when the text demanded it. Except for his early training as a child, Schubert the composer, was largely untrained and self-taught. His gift of being able to create melodies that contained both easy naturalness and sophisticated twists at the same time was unprecedented for his time. On this quality rests the reputation that music history finally gave Schubert. Bibliography: Word Count: 881
Copyright © 2005 College Term Papers, INC All Rights Reserved.