Illustrated biographical encyclopedic dictionary. Brief biography of Franz Schubert In what country was Schubert born?

A wonderful star in the famous galaxy that the Austrian land, fertile in musical geniuses, gave birth to - Franz Schubert. An eternally young romantic who suffered a lot on his short journey in life, who managed to express all his deep feelings in music and taught listeners to love such “not ideal”, “not exemplary” (classical) music, full of mental torment. One of the brightest founders of musical romanticism.

Read a short biography of Franz Schubert and many interesting facts about the composer on our page.

Brief biography of Schubert

The biography of Franz Schubert is one of the shortest in world musical culture. Having lived only 31 years, he left behind a bright trail, similar to what remains after a comet. Born to become another Viennese classic, Schubert, due to the suffering and hardship he endured, brought deep personal experiences to his music. This is how romanticism was born. Strict classical rules, recognizing only exemplary restraint, symmetry and calm consonances, were replaced by protest, explosive rhythms, expressive melodies full of genuine feelings, and intense harmonies.

He was born in 1797 into a poor family of a schoolteacher. His fate was predetermined - to continue his father’s craft; neither fame nor success was expected here. However, at an early age he showed high abilities for music. Having received his first music lessons in his home, he continued his studies at a parish school, and then at the Vienna Konvikt - a closed boarding school for singers at the church.The order in the educational institution was similar to that in the army - students had to rehearse for hours and then perform concerts. Later, Franz recalled with horror the years he spent there; he became disillusioned with church dogma for a long time, although he turned to the spiritual genre in his work (he wrote 6 masses). Famous " Ave Maria", without which not a single Christmas is complete, and which is most often associated with the beautiful image of the Virgin Mary, was actually conceived by Schubert as a romantic ballad based on the poems of Walter Scott (translated into German).

He was a very talented student, teachers refused him with the words: “God taught him, I have nothing to do with him.” From Schubert's biography we learn that his first compositional experiments began at the age of 13, and from the age of 15 maestro Antonio Salieri himself began to study counterpoint and composition with him.

He was expelled from the choir of the Court Chapel (“Hofsengecnabe”) after his voice began to break . During this period, it was time to decide on the choice of profession. My father insisted on entering a teachers' seminary. The prospects for working as a musician were very vague, and working as a teacher one could at least be confident in the future. Franz gave in, studied and even managed to work at school for 4 years.

But all the activities and structure of life then did not correspond to the spiritual impulses of the young man - all his thoughts were only about music. He composed in his free time and played a lot of music with a small circle of friends. And one day he decided to leave his regular job and devote himself to music. It was a serious step - to refuse a guaranteed, albeit modest, income and doom yourself to hunger.

The first love coincided with the same moment. The feeling was reciprocal - young Teresa Grob was clearly expecting a marriage proposal, but it never came. Franz's income was not enough for his own existence, not to mention the maintenance of his family. He remained alone, his musical career never developed. Unlike virtuoso pianists Liszt And Chopin, Schubert did not have bright performing skills, and could not gain fame as a performer. The position of bandmaster in Laibach, which he was counting on, was denied to him, and he never received any other serious offers.

Publishing his works brought him practically no money. Publishers were very reluctant to publish works by a little-known composer. As they would say now, it was not “promoted” for the masses. Sometimes he was invited to perform in small salons, whose members felt more bohemian than truly interested in his music. Schubert's small circle of friends supported the young composer financially.

But by and large, Schubert almost never performed for large audiences. He never heard applause after any successful ending to a work; he did not feel which of his compositional “techniques” the audience most often responded to. He did not consolidate his success in subsequent works - after all, he did not need to think about how to reassemble a large concert hall, so that tickets would be bought, so that he himself would be remembered, etc.

In fact, all his music is an endless monologue with the subtlest reflection of a man mature beyond his years. There is no dialogue with the public, no attempt to please and impress. It's all very intimate, even intimate in a sense. And filled with endless sincerity of feelings. Deep experiences of his earthly loneliness, deprivation, and the bitterness of defeat filled his thoughts every day. And, finding no other way out, they poured out into creativity.

After meeting the opera and chamber singer Johann Mikael Vogl, things went a little better. The artist performed Schubert's songs and ballads in Viennese salons, and Franz himself acted as an accompanist. Performed by Vogl, Schubert's songs and romances quickly gained popularity. In 1825, they undertook a joint tour of upper Austria. In provincial cities they were greeted willingly and with delight, but they failed to earn money again. How to become famous.

Already in the early 1820s, Franz began to worry about his health. It is reliably known that he contracted the disease after a visit to a woman, and this added disappointment to this side of his life. After minor improvements, the disease progressed and the immune system weakened. Even common colds were difficult for him to bear. And in the fall of 1828, he fell ill with typhoid fever, from which he died on November 19, 1828.

Unlike Mozart, Schubert was buried in a separate grave. True, such a magnificent funeral had to be paid for with money from the sale of his piano, bought after his only big concert. Recognition came to him posthumously, and much later - several decades later. The fact is that the bulk of the works in musical form were kept by friends, relatives, or in some closets as unnecessary. Known for his forgetfulness, Schubert never kept a catalog of his works (like Mozart), nor did he try to somehow systematize them or at least keep them in one place.

Most of the handwritten music material was found by George Grove and Arthur Sullivan in 1867. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Schubert's music was performed by important musicians, and composers such as Berlioz, Bruckner, Dvorak, Britten, Strauss recognized the absolute influence of Schubert on their work. Under the direction of Brahms in 1897 the first scientifically verified edition of all of Schubert's works was published.

Interesting facts about Franz Schubert

• It is known for certain that almost all existing portraits of the composer greatly flattered him. For example, he never wore white collars. And a direct, purposeful look was not at all characteristic of him - even his close, adoring friends called Schubert Schwamal (“schwam” - in German “sponge”), meaning his gentle character.

• Many contemporaries have preserved memories of the composer’s unique absent-mindedness and forgetfulness. Scraps of music paper with sketches of compositions could be found anywhere. They even say that one day, having seen the notes of a piece, he immediately sat down and played it. “What a lovely little thing! – exclaimed Franz, “whose is she?” It turned out that the play was written by him himself. And the manuscript of the famous Great C Major Symphony was accidentally discovered 10 years after his death.
• Schubert wrote about 600 vocal works, two thirds of which were written before he was 19 years old, and in total the number of his works exceeds 1000; it is impossible to establish this with certainty, since some of them remained unfinished sketches, and some were probably lost forever.
• Schubert wrote many orchestral works, but he never heard any of them performed publicly in his entire life. Some researchers ironically believe that perhaps this is why they immediately recognize that the author is an orchestral violist. According to Schubert’s biography, in the court choir the composer studied not only singing, but also playing the viola, and performed the same part in the student orchestra. It is precisely this that is depicted most vividly and expressively in his symphonies, masses and other instrumental works, with a large number of technically and rhythmically complex figures.
• Few people know that for most of his life, Schubert didn’t even have a piano at home! He composed on guitar! And in some works this can also be clearly heard in the accompaniment. For example, in the same “Ave Maria” or “Serenade”.

• His shyness was legendary. He didn't just live at the same time as Beethoven, whom he idolized, not just in the same city - they lived literally on neighboring streets, but never met! The two greatest pillars of European musical culture, brought together by fate itself into one geographical and historical marker, missed each other by irony of fate or because of the timidity of one of them.
• However, after death, people united the memory of them: Schubert was buried next to Beethoven’s grave at the Wehring cemetery, and later both burials were moved to the Central Vienna Cemetery.

• But even here an insidious grimace of fate appeared. In 1828, on the anniversary of Beethoven's death, Schubert organized an evening in memory of the great composer. That was the only time in his life when he went into a huge hall and performed his music dedicated to his idol for listeners. For the first time he heard applause - the audience rejoiced, shouting “a new Beethoven is born!” For the first time, he earned a lot of money - it was enough to buy (the first in his life) a piano. He was already imagining future success and fame, popular love... But just a few months later he fell ill and died... And the piano had to be sold to provide him with a separate grave.

The works of Franz Schubert

Schubert's biography says that for his contemporaries he remained in memory as the author of songs and lyrical piano pieces. Even those closest to him had no idea of ​​the scale of his creative work. And in the search for genres and artistic images, Schubert’s work is comparable to the heritage Mozart. He mastered vocal music superbly - he wrote 10 operas, 6 masses, several cantata-oratorio works. Some researchers, including the famous Soviet musicologist Boris Asafiev, believed that Schubert’s contribution to the development of song was as significant as Beethoven’s contribution to the development symphonies.

Many researchers consider vocal cycles to be the heart of his work “ Beautiful miller's wife"(1823), " Swan song " And " winter journey"(1827). Consisting of different song numbers, both cycles are united by a common semantic content. The hopes and sufferings of a lonely person, which became the lyrical center of the romances, are largely autobiographical. In particular, songs from the “Winter Reise” cycle, written a year before his death, when Schubert was already seriously ill, and felt his earthly existence through the prism of the cold and the hardships he had endured. The image of the organ grinder from the final number, “The Organ Grinder,” allegorizes the monotony and futility of the efforts of a traveling musician.

In instrumental music, he also covered all the genres existing at that time - he wrote 9 symphonies, 16 piano sonatas, and many works for ensemble performance. But in instrumental music there is a clearly audible connection with the beginning of the song - most themes have a pronounced melody and lyrical character. In his lyrical themes he is similar to Mozart. Melodic emphasis also predominates in the design and development of musical material. Taking from the Viennese classics the best understanding of musical form, Schubert filled it with new content.

If Beethoven, who lived at the same time, literally on the next street, had a heroic, pathetic style of music that reflected social phenomena and the mood of an entire people, then for Schubert music is a personal experience of the gap between the ideal and the real.

His works were almost never performed; most often he wrote “on the table” - for himself and those very faithful friends who surrounded him. They gathered in the evenings at the so-called “Schubertiads” and enjoyed music and communication. This had a noticeable effect on all of Schubert’s work - he did not know his audience, he did not strive to please a certain majority, he did not think about how to amaze the listeners who came to the concert.

He wrote for friends who loved and understood his inner world. They treated him with great respect and respect. And this whole intimate, spiritual atmosphere is characteristic of his lyrical compositions. It is all the more surprising to realize that most of the works were written without the hope of being heard. It was as if he was completely devoid of ambition and ambition. Some incomprehensible force forced him to create without creating positive reinforcement, without offering anything in return except the friendly participation of loved ones.

Schubert's music in cinema

Today there are a huge number of various arrangements of Schubert's music. This has been done by both academic composers and modern musicians using electronic instruments. Thanks to its refined and at the same time simple melody, this music quickly “falls on the ear” and is remembered. Most people have known it since childhood, and it causes a “recognition effect” that advertisers like to use.

It can be heard everywhere - at ceremonies, philharmonic concerts, at student tests, as well as in “light” genres - in cinema and on television as background accompaniment.

As a soundtrack to feature films, documentaries and television series:

• “Mozart in the Jungle” (t/s 2014-2016);
• “Secret Agent” (film 2016);
• “The Illusion of Love” (film 2016);
• “Hitman” (film 2016);
• “Legend” (film 2015);
• “Moon Scam” (film 2015);
• “Hannibal” (film 2014);
• “Supernatural” (t/s 2013);
• “Paganini: The Devil’s Violinist” (film 2013);
• “12 Years a Slave” (film 2013);
• “Minority Report” (t/s 2002);
• “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” (film 2011); "Trout"
• "Doctor House" (t/s 2011);
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (film 2009);
• “The Dark Knight” (film 2008);
• “Smallville” (t/s 2004);
• "Spider-Man" (film 2004);
• “Good Will Hunting” (film 1997);
• "Doctor Who" (t/s 1981);
• "Jane Eyre" (film 1934).

And countless others, it is not possible to list them all. Biographical films about Schubert's life have also been made. The most famous films are “Schubert. Song of Love and Despair" (1958), 1968 teleplay "Unfinished Symphony", "Schubert" / Schubert. Das Dreimäderlhaus/ Biographical feature film, 1958.

Schubert's music is understandable and close to the vast majority of people; the joys and sorrows expressed in it form the basis of human life. Even centuries after his life, this music is as relevant as ever and will probably never be forgotten.

Video: watch a film about Franz Schubert

In Vienna, in the family of a 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 Želiz, the summer residence of Count Johann Esterházy, 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.

This period includes the vocal cycle "Winterreise" (24 songs with words by Müller), two notebooks of impromptu piano, two piano trios and masterpieces of the last months of Schubert's life - the Es-dur Mass, the last three piano sonatas, the 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.

Until the end of the 19th 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

K. Vasilyeva
Franz Schubert
1797 - 1828
a short sketch of life and work
book for young people
"Music", 1969
(pdf, 3 MB)

The fate of wonderful people is amazing! They have two lives: one ends with their death; the other continues after the death of the author in his creations and, perhaps, will never fade away, preserved by subsequent generations, grateful to the creator for the joy that the fruits of his labor bring to people. Sometimes the life of these creatures (whether they are works of art, inventions, discoveries) begins only after the death of the creator, no matter how bitter it is.
This is exactly how the fate of Schubert and his works unfolded. Most of his best works, especially large genres, were not heard by the author.
Much of his music might have disappeared without a trace if not for the vigorous search and enormous work of some ardent connoisseurs of Schubert (including such musicians as Schumann and Brahms).

And so, when the great musician’s warm heart stopped beating, his best works began to be “born again”, they started talking about the composer, captivating listeners with their beauty, deep content and skill.
Speaking about the peculiarities of Schubert’s work, academician B.V. Asafiev notes in him “the rare ability to be a lyricist, but not to withdraw into one’s personal world, but to feel and convey the joys and sorrows of life in the way that most people feel and would like to convey them.” Perhaps it is impossible to more accurately and deeply express the main thing in Schubert’s music, what its historical role is. Schubert created a huge number of works of all genres that existed in his time without exception - from vocal and piano miniatures to symphonies.
In every field, except theatrical music, he said a unique and new word, leaving wonderful works that are still alive today. Given their abundance, one is struck by the extraordinary variety of melody, rhythm, and harmony.
“What an inexhaustible wealth of melodic invention there was in this untimely ended
his career as a composer,” Tchaikovsky wrote with admiration. “What a luxury of fantasy and sharply defined originality!”
Schubert's song wealth is especially great.
His songs are valuable and dear to us not only as independent works of art. They helped the composer find his musical language in other genres. The connection with the songs was not only in the general intonations and rhythms, but also in the peculiarities of presentation, development of themes, expressiveness and colorfulness of harmonic means. Schubert opened the way for many new musical genres - impromptu, musical moments, song cycles, lyric-dramatic symphony. But no matter what genre Schubert wrote - traditional or created by him - everywhere he appears as a composer of a new era, the era of romanticism, although his work is firmly based on classical musical art.

Many features of the new romantic style were then developed in the works of Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, and Russian composers of the second half of the 19th century.

Schubert's music is dear to us not only as a magnificent artistic monument.

It deeply moves listeners. Whether it splashes with fun, plunges you into deep thoughts, or causes suffering - it is close and understandable to everyone, so vividly and truthfully does it reveal human feelings and thoughts expressed by the great Schubert in his boundless simplicity.
MAIN WORKS OF SCHUBERT
For symphony orchestra
Eight symphonies, including:
Symphony No. 4, C minor (Tragic), 1816
Symphony No. 5, B flat major, 1816
Symphony No. 7, B minor (Unfinished), 1822

Symphony No. 8, C major, 1828 Seven overtures.
Over 600 songs, including:
Cycle “The Beautiful Miller's Wife”, 1823
Cycle "Winter Retreat", 1827
Collection “Swan Song” (posthumous), 1828
More than 70 songs based on Goethe's texts, among them:
"Margarita at the Spinning Wheel", 1814
"The Forest King", 1815
More than 30 spiritual works, including:
Mass in A flat major, 1822
Mass in E flat major, 1828
More than 70 secular works for choir and various ensembles.

Chamber ensembles
Fifteen quartets, including:
Quartet in A minor, 1824
Quartet in D minor, 1826
Quintet "Trout", 1819
String Quintet, 1828
Two piano trios, 1826 and 1827
Octet, 1824

Piano works
Eight impromptu songs, 1827-1828.
Six musical moments, 1827
Fantasy "The Wanderer", 1822
Fifteen sonatas, including:
Sonata in A minor, 1823
Sonata in A major, 1825
Sonata in B flat major, 1828
56 piano duets.
Hungarian divertissement, 1824
Fantasia in F minor, 1828
24 collections of dances.

Musical and dramatic works
Eight Singspiels, including:
"Friends from Salamanca", 1815
"Twins", 1819
Operas:
"Alfonso and Estrella", 1822
"Fierabras", 1823
"Home War" ("Conspirators"), 1823
The rest are not finished.
Melodrama “The Magic Harp”, 1820

Schubert

The work of Franz Schubert is the dawn of the romantic movement in music.

In his magnificent works, he contrasted everyday reality with the richness of the inner world of a small person. The most important area in his music is song.

In his work, darkness and light always come into contact, I would like to show this using the example of two of his song cycles: “The Beautiful Miller's Wife” and “Winter Retreat”.

"Etc. chalk." 1823 - the cycle was written based on poems by Müller, which attracted the composer with its 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 Way” and “Lullaby of the Stream”, which represent the introduction and conclusion.

Between the extreme points of the cycle is the story of the young man himself about his wanderings, about his love for the daughter of the miller.

The cycle seems to break down into 2 phases:

1) out of 10 songs (up to “Pause” No. 12) – these are days of bright hopes

2) already other motives: doubt, jealousy, sadness

Development of the dramaturgy of the cycle:

1 exposition of images No. 1-3

2 premise No. 4 “gratitude to the stream”

3 development of feelings No. 5-10

4 climax #11

5 dramatic turning point, appearance of opponent No. 14

6 junction No. 20

"Let's hit the road"- reveals the structure of thoughts and feelings of a young miller who has just set foot on the path of life. However, the hero in “The Beautiful Miller's Wife” is not alone. Next to him there is another, no less important hero - a stream. He lives a turbulent, intensely changing life. The hero’s feelings change, and the stream also changes, for his soul is merged with the soul of the miller, and the song expresses everything that he experiences.
The musical means of 1 song are extremely simple and are closest to the techniques of folk songwriting.

Climax number "My"- the concentration of all joyful feelings. This song closes the 1st section of the cycle. With its rich texture and cheerful mobility, elasticity of rhythm and sweeping pattern of melody, it is similar to the opening song “On the Road.”

In the songs of section 2, Schubert shows how pain and bitterness grows in the soul of the young miller, how it breaks out in violent outbursts of jealousy and grief. The miller sees a rival - a hunter.

No. 14 "Hunter", in depicting this character, the composer uses techniques familiar to the so-called. “hunting music”: size 6/8, “empty” 4 and 5 - “golden horn move”, depicting a hunting horn, also characteristic moves 63//63.

3 songs “Jealousy and Pride”, “Favorite Color”, “Miller and Stream” - form the dramatic core of section 2. Growing anxiety results in confusion of all feelings and thoughts.

"Lullaby of the Brook"- conveying the very moods with which he ends his life’s journey. Filled with a feeling of quiet sadness and melancholy. The monotonous rhythmic swaying and tonicity of the harmony, the major scale, and the calm pattern of the song melody create the impression of peace and orderliness.

At the conclusion of the cycle, Schubert returns us to the major key, giving it a light coloring - this is a story about eternal peace, humility, but not death.

"Winter Path" 1827 - also based on Müller’s poems, the cycle is contrasting in 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 everyone)

He is forced to leave his beloved because... poor Unnecessarily, he sets off on his journey.

The theme of loneliness in the cycle is presented in many shades: from lyrical changes to philosophical reflections.

The difference from “Pr Mel” is also that there is no plot here. The songs are united by a tragic theme.

The complexity of the images - the emphasis on the internal psychological side of life, caused the muses to become more complex. Language :

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 the 1st part.

2) The melody is enriched with declamatory and speech patterns (text for chant)

3) Harmony (sudden modulations, non-tertian chord structure, complex chord combinations)

There are 24 songs in the cycle: 2 parts of 12 songs each.

In section 2 (13-24) the tragic theme 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” serves as an introduction - this is a sad story about past hopes and love. Her tune is simple and sad. The melody is inactive. And only the rhythm and piano accompaniment convey the measured, monotonous movement of a lonely man wandering. His non-stop pace. The melody represents movement from the top of the source (katabasis - downward movement) - sorrow, suffering. 4 verses are separated from each other by passages with arresting intonations - exacerbation of drama.

In the subsequent songs of section 1, Schubert is increasingly inclined to minor, to the use of dissonant and altered chords. The conclusion of all this: Beautiful is just an illusion of dreams - a typical mood of the composer in the last years of his life.

In section 2, the theme of loneliness is replaced by the theme of death. The tragic mood is growing more and more.

Schubert even introduces the image of a harbinger of death No. 15 "Raven", with a prevailing gloomy mood. The sad introduction, full of aching melancholy, depicts non-stop movement and measured flapping of wings. A black raven in the snowy heights pursues its future victim - a traveler. Raven is patient and unhurried. He is waiting for prey. And he will wait for her.

Last song #24 "Organ grinder." She completes the cycle. And it’s completely different from the other twenty-three. 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 other songs. This is a realistic picture of life, sad and touching, instantly captured and aptly captured. Everything about it is simple and unpretentious.
The composer here personifies himself with the disadvantaged poor musician presented in the song, the cat is built on the alternation of vocal phrases and instrumental passages. The tonic organ point depicts the sound of a barrel organ or bagpipes; monotonous repetitions create a mood of melancholy and loneliness.

Of great importance in vocal literature are Schubert’s collections of songs based on the poems of Wilhelm Müller - “The Beautiful Miller’s Wife” and “Winter Reise”, 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 remarkable melodic talent and a wide variety of moods; greater importance of accompaniment, high artistic meaning. Having discovered Müller's lyrics, which tell of the wanderings, sufferings, hopes and disappointments of a lonely romantic soul, Schubert created vocal cycles - essentially the first large series of monologue songs in history, connected by a single plot.

Schubert Franz (1797-1828), Austrian composer.

Born on January 31, 1797 in Lichtental near Vienna in the family of a school teacher. Franz's father and older brothers taught him to play the violin and piano.

From 1814, Schubert taught at his father's school, although without feeling any particular inclination to do so. In 1818, he left teaching and devoted himself entirely to creativity. Already during his short work at school, Schubert created about 250 songs, among which is the masterpiece of world vocal lyrics “The King of the Forest” (1814; based on poems by J. V. Goethe).

Like-minded people, fans and promoters 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 his 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 Wife” (1823; lyrics by W. Müller) - a simple and touching love story of a modest apprentice and the daughter of the mill owner. 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 Müller’s poems - “Winter Retreat”. Already posthumously, in 1829, the composer’s last vocal collection, “Swan Song,” was published.

In addition to vocal works, Schubert wrote a lot for piano: 23 sonatas (6 of them unfinished), the fantasy “The Wanderer” (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, chorus and orchestra.

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

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