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Franz Schubert: A Biography and Musical Analysis Essay

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Franz Peter Schubert, born January 31, 1797, is accredited as one of the most gifted musicians of the 19th century (“SCHUBERT”), and is considered to be the last composer of the classical era and one of the first romantic composers (The Biography). His relentlessly impoverished life was short in comparison to many people of the era – his death was on November 19, 1828 (two months shy of his 32nd birthday) – and his music was generally unrecognized and unappreciated during his time, but his exemplification of romantic lyricism and immense amount of composing, which encompasses approximately 600 liturgical music scores and lieder (lyric songs); nine symphonies that truly represent the era of classicism; several pieces for the stage; choral …show more content…

Salieri acclaimed Schubert as a “musical genius,” and the two would continue working together until separating in 1817 (The Biography). While in the seminary, Schubert attended choir practices, practiced chamber music and piano, and performed as a violinist in the students’ orchestra. He was soon given a leadership role and sometimes conducted when Ruzicka was absent. While Schubert was in the seminary, he wrote his first songs, including “Hagars Klage” (Hagar’s Lament, 1811) and “Der Vatermörder” (The Patricide, 1811), which captivated many of his teachers, with one teacher noting that Schubert “had learned everything from God” (Forney 273). As with most men, puberty altered Schubert’s voice. Unfortunately for Schubert, this meant the end of his early success, as he was required to leave the seminary in 1813 (“SCHUBERT”). Soon after his dismissal from the university, Schubert wrote his first symphony (1813). He was then pressured by his parents into studying at Normalhauptschule, a teacher’s training college in Vienna, as they wanted him to pursue a career of education rather than music (Forney 273). He then began working as an

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