The Romantic Franz Schubert

Franz Schubert

Source: Wikipedia

Born in Vienna, Austria, on 31 January 1797, Franz Schubert joins Beethoven as one of the preeminent pair that of experiment and innovation launched the Romantic period. Schubert was essentially a composition factory who produced so much music so quickly that much of it was neither premiered nor published until years after his death. Other than the vast quantity of secular lieder (songs) that Schubert wrote, he also composed music for masses and hymns. Together with about twenty operatic works he composed chamber music for piano and strings as well as ten symphonies, three unfinished (7th, 8th and 10th). His large number of piano pieces include duets, sonatas and dances. Be as may, it is well to here insert a note as to opus numbers which aren't much used with Schubert, they making little sense by the time he and publishers who assigned them were finished. Standard cataloguing of Schubert is otherwise by "D" number, first assigned in 1951 in the 'Schubert Thematic Catalogue' by Otto Erich Deutsch, revised edition in 1978 [Wikipedia]. The Deutsch catalogue is chronological by theme. There are two other catalogs of Schubert in addition to Deutsch's. The first is the 'Alte Gesamt-Ausgabe' ('Former Complete Edition' otherwise known as the AGA) published from 1884 to 1897 by Breitkopf & Härtel. The latest is the unfinished 'New Schubert Edition' (NSA) begun in 1956 and scheduled for completion in 2027 [Wikipedia].

Schubert had a schoolmaster who played cello for a father. He learned to play violin, piano, organ and viola as a child, also composing string quartets as a juvenile to perform with his father and two brothers. In 1808 Schubert won a scholarship to study at the Stadtkonvikt (Imperial Seminary). Upon his works there revealing genius, he was soon studying theory and composition under Antonio Salieri. Schubert's compositions are traced to as early as what is called 'Gesang in C' ('Life in C') catalogued as D 1a. This is a song perhaps appearing sometime before 1810 for which the text is lost yet exists in fragment for bass and piano. Schubert's D 1 is assigned to 'Fantasy' in G major, a piano 4 hands composed in 1810. "Piano 4 hands" describes duets played on the same keyboard. All samples of Schubert featured herein will either point to IMSLP or be linked to discussions further below under Compositions: Individual: Chronological.

'Fantasy'    G major   D 1   Franz Schubert

Piano 4 hands composed 1810

Piano: Myung-jin Kim / Min-kyung Choi

IMSLP

Of Schubert's symphonic works, his earliest may have appeared in 1810, that an overture catalogued as D 2g. His D 2a is an overture arriving sometime in 1811 of which a fragment yet exists. His D 2b, was a symphony begun in 1811 and left unfinished. His 'Symphony No.1' in D major arrived in 1813 at age sixteen. Of Schubert's ten numbered symphonies he finished only seven of them (Nos.1-6 and 9).

Schubert's D 5 is assigned to the lied, 'Hagars Klage' ('Hagar's Lament'), as of 30 March 1811, a largo (slow) in C minor. He composed operas as well, leaving his first as of 1812 unfinished: 'Der Spiegelritter' ('The Looking Glass Knight') D 11. Schubert's first employment arrived in latter 1813 as a teacher at his father's school, a position he apparently didn't like, but a station difficult to overcome even as he generated compositions nonstop.

'Hagars Klage'    C minor   D 5   Lied by Franz Schubert

Composed 30 March 1811   Libretto: Clemens August Schücking

Piano: Ulrich Eisenlohr   Soprano: Caroline Melzer

IMSLP

Overture to 'Der Spiegelritter'    D 11   Singspiel by Franz Schubert

Composed C 1812   Libretto: August von Kotzebue

Piano: Ulrich Eisenlohr   Soprano: Caroline Melzer

GBOpera   IMSLP   Wikipedia

Of Schubert's sacred works, it is estimated that he wrote his first mass, D 24e, in 1812, fragments of the Gloria (score) and Credo yet extant. His Mass No.1 arrived to its premiere at Lichtental Church in Vienna on 25 September 1814. Schubert's oeuvre includes several masses, hymns, antiphons and other church music.

Among factors which describe a firm departure from the classical into the romantic period are Schubert's lieder, going hand in hand with his favorite poet at the time, Johann Goethe associated with the Sturm und Drang movement (Storm and Stress). This literary force was in reaction to the intellectual Enlightenment and is named after Friedrich Maximilian Klinger's play of 1777, 'Sturm und Drang'. Schubert scholar, Christopher Gibbs, appoints Schubert's first masterpiece to 'Gretchen am Spinnrade' ('Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel') completed in October of 1814, that inspired by Goethe's 'Faust'. 'Gretchen' was published as Opus 2 in 1821.

'Gretchen am Spinnrade'    D minor   D 118   Op 2   Song by Franz Schubert

Completed Oct 1814   Libretto: Goethe

Piano: Peter Dugan   Mezzo soprano: Wallis Giunta

'Mass No.2'    G major   D 167   Mass by Franz Schubert

Composed 2 March 1815 to 7 March 1815

Moran Singers Ensemble / Tel-Aviv Soloists Ensemble / Barak Tal   30 Oct 2011   Tel-Aviv

'Symphony No.2'    B-flat major   D 125   Symphony by Franz Schubert

Composed 10 Dec 1814 to 24 March 1815

Failoni Orchestra / Michael Halász

'Symphony No.3'    D major   D 200   Symphony by Franz Schubert

Composed 24 May 1815 to 19 June 1815

Frankfurt Radio Symphony / Andrés Orozco-Estrada   4 April 2019

'Claudine von Villa Bella' D 239 was begun on 26 July of 1815 but never finished, that a 3-act singspiel composed by Goethe in 1775. Schubert set 'Erlkönig' to music in 1815, perhaps October, catalogued as D 328. 'The Elf King' (also rendered a king of the fairies) is a ballad from Goethe's 'Die Fischerin' ('The Fisher Woman') of 1782. A fourth version was eventually performed privately in Vienna on 1 December of 1820, then publicly on 7 March 1821, the year Schubert published it as Opus 1 printed by the firm of Anton Diabelli.

Overture to 'Claudine'    D 239   Singspiel by Franz Schubert

Begun 26 July 1815   Incomplete   Libretto: Goethe

Prague Sinfonia / Christian Benda

 'Erlkönig'    G minor   D 328   Op 1   Ballad by Franz Schubert

Oct 1815 ?   Libretto: Goethe ('Die Fischerin' of 1782)

Premiere 7 March 1821 in Vienna   Pub in Vienna by Diabelli 1821

Piano: Sholto Kynoch   Tenor: Daniel Norman

See 'Schubert Lieder Year by Year' by Stone Records

Sherri-Chanelle B   IMSLP   Wikipedia

Another of Schubert's early pieces was his popular 'Die Forelle' ('The Trout') D 450 of early 1817. Schubert's initial premiere of a secular work was on 1 March 1818, staging 'Overture in the Italian Style' in C Major D 591 in Vienna. The coming summer he became a music tutor to the family of Count Johann Karl Esterházy. It may have been daughters, Marie and Karoline, for whom he wrote another piano 4 hands titled 'Marche Militaire No.1' in D major 'Drei Militärmärsche' D 733 Op 51. In 1819 he included a variation on 'The Trout' in part of 'Piano Quintet' in A major D 667 also called the 'Trout Quintet'.

 'Overture in the Italian Style'    C major   D 591   Overture by Franz Schubert

Nov 1817   Arranged for piano 4 hands in Dec 1817

Premiere 21 March 1830 in Vienna (posthumous)   Pub in Vienna by Spina 1866

Norwegian Chamber Orchestra / Florian Donderer   2017

IMSLP

 'Drei Militärmärsche'    D 733   Op 51   Piano 4 hands by Franz Schubert

Military March No.1 in D major: Allegro vivace

Military March No.2 in G major: Allegro molto moderato

Military March No.3 in E-flat major: Allegro moderato

Autumn 1818?   Pub in Vienna by Diabelli 1826

Piano: Cristina Frosini / Massimiliano Baggio

IMSLP   Wikipedia

 'Trout Quintet'    A major   D 667   Op 114   Piano quintet by Franz Schubert

1819 ?   Pub in Vienna by Josef Czerny 1829

Piano: Martin Helmchen   Violin: Christian Tetzlaff

Viola: Antoine Tamestit   Cello: Marie-Elisabeth Hecker   Double bass: Alois Posch   2008

Classic FM   IMSLP   Betsy Schwarm (Britannica)  Wikipedia

In early 1820 Schubert was arrested with his circle of four friends by Austrian police and reprimanded for use of "insulting and opprobrious language" against government officials. He had left his oratorio, 'Lazarus' (aka 'The Celebration of the Resurrection'), incomplete about that time. In 1822 he met both major composers, Carl Weber and Beethoven, but not much was able to come of such, they having separate paths to lead. Schubert's best-known opera is probably 'Fierrabras' composed in 1823 but not performed, in parts, until 7 May of 1835 in Vienna six and a half years after Schubert's death. That had a libretto by Joseph Kupelwieser with dialogue by Schubert concerning the conversion to Christianity of Moorish (Saracen) knight, Fierabras, in Spain during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne (c 800).

 'Lazarus'    D 689   Part 1/3   Oratorio by Franz Schubert

Feb 1820   Incomplete   Libretto: August Niemeyer

Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart / Gabriel Chmura

Südfunkchor Stuttgart / Wolfgang Isenhardt

 'Lazarus'    D 689   Part 2/3   Oratorio by Franz Schubert

Feb 1820   Incomplete   Libretto: August Niemeyer

Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart / Gabriel Chmura

Südfunkchor Stuttgart / Wolfgang Isenhardt

 'Lazarus'    D 689   Part 3/3   Oratorio by Franz Schubert

Feb 1820   Incomplete   Libretto: August Niemeyer

Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart / Gabriel Chmura

Südfunkchor Stuttgart / Wolfgang Isenhardt

 'Zwolf Ländler' ('Twelve Dances')    D 790   Op 171   Franz Schubert

May 1823

Piano: Eduard Erdmann   1940

Blair Johnston (All Music)   IMSLP

 Overture to 'Fierrabras'    D 796   Op 76   Opera by Franz Schubert

Composed 25 May 1823 to 2 Oct 1823   Pub by Diabelli 1827

Prague Sinfonia / Christian Benda

  'String Quartet No.14'    D minor   D 810   Franz Schubert

Aka 'Der Tod und das Mädchen' ('Death and the Maiden')

March 1824   Pub in Vienna by Josef Czerny 1831

Alban Berg Quartett

Lending example of sacred music by Schubert is his Ave Maria, 'Ellens dritter Gesang: Hymne an die Jungfrau' ('Ellen's Third Song: Hymn to the Virgin' or 'Ellens Gesang III'), of 1825 catalogued as D 839 or Op 52 No. 6. That was one of seven songs he set for German translations of Sir Walter Scott's 'The Lady of the Lake', also finding its way into the Walt Disney animation film, 'Fantasia', in 1940.

 'Ellens Gesang III'    B-flat major   D 839   Ave Maria by Franz Schubert

April 1825   Libretto: Adam Storck from Sir Walter Scott's 1810 'The Lady of the Lake'

Piano: Ulrich Eisenlohr   Soprano: Ruth Ziesak

Galaxy Music Notes   IMSLP   Wikipedia

 'Piano Sonata'    A minor   D 845   Op 42   Franz Schubert

May 1825

Piano: András Schiff

Galaxy Music Notes   IMSLP   Wikipedia

Schubert began his final completed symphony, 'Symphony No.9' in C major (the 'Great') D 944, sometime in 1824. Though scored by summer of 1826 it wasn't performed until 8 March 1829 a few months after his death. Schubert left his final opera, 'Der Graf von Gleichen' ('The Count of Gleichen') D 918, unfinished in 1827. This work is the tale of love between Count Gleichen serving during the Crusades and Suleika, daughter of the Sultan of Cairo. The snag in this romance is that the Count is already married.

'Symphony No.9' ('Great Symphony')    C major   D 944   Franz Schubert

1826

Dresdner Philharmonie / Marek Janowski   2020

'Der Graf von Gleichen'    D 918   Finale to Act 1 of 2   Franz Schubert

Final opera begun 19 June 1827   Incomplete   Libretto: Eduard Bauernfeld

Finished by Richard Dünser   1997

KornmarktChor Bregenz / Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg / Christoph Eberle

IMSLP   Dr. Mary-Lou Patricia Vetere   Wikipedia

Schubert gave his first and last solo concert performance on the occasion of the first anniversary of Beethoven's death in 1827 on 26 March 1828 [Newbould]. Schubert had visited Beethoven shortly before the latter's demise and attended his funeral. Among his own last-known completed works were 'Der Hirt auf dem Felsen' D 965 in October 1828, 'Die Taubenpost' ('The Pigeon Post') D 965a in October 1828 and 'Fugal Exercises' for keyboard or voice D 965b in November 1828. 'Die Taubenpost' was originally included by error as the fourteenth lied in 'Schwanengesang' ('Swan Song') D 957 also written in October of 1828. It was given its own number in the Deutsch directory to reflect that Schubert hadn't intended it to be part of 'Schwanengesang'. Indeed, Schubert likely hadn't intended 'Schwanengesang' to be a song cycle, as it received its title from its posthumous publisher, Tobias Haslinger, to present 'Schwanengesang' as Schubert's last testament. Texts for 'Schwanengesang' were supplied by Ludwig Rellstab and Heinrich Heine with Johann Gabriel Seidl authoring 'Die Taubenpost'. Lieder in 'Schwanengesang' below are presented in order altered from the original: the cycle should begin with Rellstab's 'Liebesbotschaft' ('Love Message') and end with Heine's 'Der Doppleganger' followed by the erroneously included 'Die Taubenpost' by Seidl.

'Die Winterreise' ('The Winter Journey')    D 918   Op 89

Song cycle by Franz Schubert

Autumn 1827   24 poems by Wilhelm Müller

Baritone: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

IMSLP   Blair Sanderson (All Music)  Wikipedia

'Der Hirt auf dem Felsen' ('The Shepherd on the Rock')    D 965   Op 129

Lied by Franz Schubert   Scored for piano / clarinet / soprano

Oct 1828   Text by Wilhelm Müller & Karl August Varnhagen von Ense

Piano: André Watts   Clarinet: David Shifrin   Soprano: Barbara Bonney

'Schwanengesang'    D 957   Op 129   Song cycle by Franz Schubert

Oct 1828   Pub and probably titled in Vienna by Tobias Haslinger in 1829

Texts by Rellstab / Heine / Seidl ('Die Taubenpost')

Lieder in this presentation are altered from their original sequence:

'Liebesbotschaft' is originally No.1 /  'Die Taubenpost' is originally No.14 of 14

Piano: Leonard Hokanson   Baritone: Hermann Prey

In the summer of 1828 Schubert had begun to fall ill to degree that he thought he might die, which he did on 19 November that year at only age 31, typhoid generally considered his killer. He was working on 'Symphony No. 10 in D major' D 936a at the time of his passing, leaving only a piano sketch. Paid a visit five days before his death by violinist, Karl Holz, Schubert asked him to play Beethoven's 'String Quartet No. 14' in C-sharp minor Op 131.

'Symphony No.10'    D 936a   Franz Schubert

Left unfinished as of Nov 1828   Piano draft only

Orchestrated by Brian Newbould

Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields / Sir Neville Marriner

IMSLP   Wikipedia

Schubert had composed above 1,500 works, about 600 of them for solo voice and piano. He proved a treasure chest to Diabelli who upon Schubert's passing purchased his musical estate from Schubert's brother, there so many works unheard that Diabelli's publishing firm printed "new" pieces by Schubert for the next thirty years.