Delphi Masterworks of Franz Schubert (Illustrated)

By Peter Russell

Renowned for melody and harmony, the Austrian composer Franz Schubert represents the foremost bridge between the worlds of Classical and Romantic music. In spite of his short life, Schubert left behind a vast oeuvre of original and inspiring works, including more than 600 secular vocal works, seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music and a large body of piano and chamber music. Although appreciation of his music during his lifetime was limited to a small circle of admirers, his reputation has increased significantly in the decades following his death. Today, Schubert is ranked among the greatest composers of Western music. Delphi’s Great Composers Series offers concise illustrated guides to the life and works of our greatest composers. Analysing the masterworks of each composer, these interactive eBooks include links to popular streaming services, allowing you to listen to the pieces of music you are reading about. Evaluating the masterworks of each composer, you will explore the development of their works, tracing how they changed the course of music history. Whether a classical novice or a cultivated connoisseur, this series offers an intriguing overview of the world’s most famous and iconic compositions. This volume presents Schubert’s masterworks in succinct detail, with informative introductions, accompanying illustrations and bonus texts. (Version 1)

* Concise and informative overview of Schubert’s masterworks
* Learn about the classical pieces that made Schubert a celebrated composer
* Links to popular streaming services (free and paid), allowing you to listen to the masterpieces you’re reading about
* Features a special ‘Complete Compositions’ section, with an index of Schubert’s complete works and links to popular streaming services
* Includes links to rare compositions
* Also features five biographies — explore Schubert's intriguing musical and personal life

Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting eBooks

CONTENTS:

The Masterworks
Symphony No. 1 in D major, D 82
Symphony No. 3 in D major, D 200
Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, D 485
Three Marches Militaires, Op.51, D 733
Mass No. 5 in A-flat major, D 678
Piano Quintet in A major, D 667; “Trout Quintet”
Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D 759; “Unfinished”
Fantasie in C major, D 760; “Wanderer Fantasy”
Rosamunde, D 797
String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D 810, “Death and the Maiden”
Symphony No. 9 in C major, D 944
4 Impromptus, Op.90, D 899
6 Moments musicaux, Op.94, D 780
String Quintet in C major, D 956
Fantasia in F minor, D 940
Winterreise, D 911

Complete Compositions
Index of Schubert’s Compositions

The Biographies
Schubert, Schumann and Franz by George T. Ferris
Franz Schubert by Daniel Gregory Mason
Schubert by Francis Jameson Rowbotham
Franz Schubert by William Henry Hadow
Franz Schubert by Harriette Brower

Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to learn more about our wide range of exciting titles

• Language: English
• Publisher: Delphi Classics Ltd
• Release date: Dec 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9781788779494

Book preview

Franz Schubert

(1797-1828)

Contents

The Masterworks

Symphony No. 1 in D major, D 82

Symphony No. 3 in D major, D 200

Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, D 485

Three Marches Militaires, Op.51, D 733

Mass No. 5 in A-flat major, D 678

Piano Quintet in A major, D 667, Trout Quintet

Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D 759, Unfinished

Fantasie in C major, D 760; Wanderer Fantasy

Rosamunde, D 797

String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D 810, Death and the Maiden

Symphony No. 9 in C major, D 944

4 Impromptus, Op.90, D 899

6 Moments musicaux, Op.94, D 780

String Quintet in C major, D 956

Fantasia in F minor, D 940

Winterreise, D 911

Complete Compositions

Index of Schubert’s Compositions

The Biographies

Schubert, Schumann and Franz by George T. Ferris

Franz Schubert by Daniel Gregory Mason

Schubert by Francis Jameson Rowbotham

Franz Schubert by William Henry Hadow

Franz Schubert by Harriette Brower

The Delphi Classics Catalogue

© Delphi Classics 2019

Version 1

Delphi Great Composers

Franz Schubert

By Delphi Classics, 2019

COPYRIGHT

Delphi Great Composers - Franz Schubert

First published in the United Kingdom in 2019 by Delphi Classics.

© Delphi Classics, 2019.

All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.

ISBN: 978 1 78877 949 4

Delphi Classics

is an imprint of

Delphi Publishing Ltd

Hastings, East Sussex

United Kingdom

Contact: [e-mail]

www.delphiclassics.com

The Masterworks

Franz Schubert was born in Himmelpfortgrund (now a part of Alsergrund, a district of Vienna), Austria on 31 January 1797.

The house in which the composer was born, Nußdorfer Straße 54

The Masterworks: A Short Guide

In this section of the eBook there are concise introductions for Franz Schubert’s most celebrated works. Interactive links to popular streaming services are provided at the beginning and end of each introduction, allowing you to listen to the music you are reading about. The text is also accompanied with contextual images to supplement your reading and listening.

There are various options for streaming music, with most paid services charged competitively at the same rate and usually offering a similar range of albums. Various streaming services offer a free trial (Google Play Music, Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music) and Spotify offers a free service after you watch a short advertisement. Amazon Prime members can also enjoy a wide range of free content from Amazon Prime Music. If you do not wish to subscribe to a streaming service, we have included YouTube links for free videos of the classical pieces. Another free option is MUSOPEN, a non-profit organisation that provides recordings, sheet music and textbooks to the public for free, without copyright restrictions.

Please note: different eReading devices serve hyperlinks in different ways, which means we cannot always link you directly to your chosen service. However, the links are intended to take you to the best option available for the piece of music you are reading about.

High-resolution scores for the music would be too large in size to include in an eBook; however, we have provided links to free scores available at IMSLP, the International Music Score Library Project, which can be accessed from the SCORES links in each chapter.

Now, settle back and relax as you immerse yourself in the music and life of Schubert...

Symphony No. 1 in D major, D 82

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Franz Schubert was born in Himmelpfortgrund on 31 January 1797 as the twelfth child of Franz Theodor Florian Schubert (1763–1830) and Maria Elisabeth Katharina Vietz (1756–1812). His father was the son of a Moravian peasant and had risen in status as a successful parish schoolmaster, operating his own school in Lichtental (Vienna’s ninth district), with numerous students in attendance. The great composer’s mother was the daughter of a Silesian master locksmith and had been a housemaid for a Viennese family prior to her marriage.  The family home was not without its share of tragedies. Of their fourteen children, nine died in infancy.

A precocious musician from the very beginning, Schubert received regular instruction from his father at the age of five and a year later he was enrolled at his father’s school. Although it remains disputed in what manner Schubert received his first musical instruction, we do know that he was given piano lessons by his brother Ignaz. However, these lessons did not last long, as within a few months Schubert had excelled his teacher.  Ignaz later recalled:

I was amazed when Franz told me, a few months after we began, that he had no need of any further instruction from me, and that for the future he would make his own way. And in truth his progress in a short period was so great that I was forced to acknowledge in him a master who had completely distanced and out stripped me, and whom I despaired of overtaking.

Schubert received his first violin lessons from his father when he was eight years old and it was not long until he could play duets proficiently.  It was at this time that his father realised that his talented son required more extensive tuition from outside of the family. Schubert was given lessons from Michael Holzer, the organist and choirmaster of the local parish church in Lichtental. Holzer often declared to the boy’s father, with tears in his eyes, that he had never had such a gifted pupil. Indeed, the lessons largely consisted of conversations and expressions of admiration. Holzer gave Schubert instruction in piano and organ, as well as lessons in figured bass — a form of musical notation in which numerals and symbols indicate intervals, chords and non-chord tones for playing the piano, harpsichord, organ and lute.

In 1804 the seven-year-old Schubert came to the attention of Antonio Salieri, Vienna’s leading musical authority since the early days of Mozart. Schubert’s extraordinary vocal talent was recognised and in November 1808, he became a pupil at the Imperial Seminary through winning a choir scholarship. At the Seminary, Schubert was introduced to Mozart’s overtures and symphonies, the symphonies of Joseph Haydn and his younger brother Michael Haydn, and the overtures and symphonies of Beethoven, a composer for whom he would develop a life-long admiration.

The young Schubert’s exposure to the masterpieces of the world’s greatest composers helped lay the foundations of an excellent musical education, combined with visits to the opera and concerts.  During his time at the Seminary, Schubert formed a lasting friendship with Joseph Ritter von Spaun (1788-1865), a wealthy Austrian nobleman with high connections. Schubert was eight years younger than Spaun, who supported his friend financially, enabling the aspiring composer to attend the opera and theatre. Spaun also furnished Schubert with much of his manuscript paper. The patronage would last until Schubert’s death, as Spaun hosted the very last Schubertiade on 28 January 1828.

The early 1810’s was a trying period for Schubert, as his mother died suddenly in 1812, leaving the family household in disarray. Nevertheless, he continued in his musical studies undaunted. At the seminary Schubert’s genius emerged through his early compositions, so much so that Salieri himself decided to train him privately in music theory and composition. The youth’s first composition for piano was a Fantasy for four hands, while his first song, Klagegesang der Hagar was written the following year. Nothing, it would seem, could daunt the ambitious young composer.  He was even permitted to lead the Stadtkonvikt’s orchestra — the first orchestra he would write for. Meanwhile, Schubert devoted the majority of his time at the Seminary to composing chamber music, piano pieces and liturgical choral works. By 1813, he had advanced so much that he felt ready to emulate his great hero Beethoven by writing his own first symphony.

Composed when he was just 16 years old, Symphony No. 1 in D major, D 82 stands as an impressive piece of orchestral music, belying its relative size. The symphony is scored for one flute, two oboes, two clarinets in A, two bassoons, two horns in D, two trumpets in D, timpani and strings. The orchestration, equally balanced between strings and winds, renders it as a suitable piece for both small chamber orchestras and larger ensembles. As found in many of Schubert’s early works, the trumpets are scored particularly high, perhaps signalling a touch of youthful bravado. The symphony comprises four movements and typically last a little under 30 minutes:

Adagio - Allegro vivace

Andante in G major

Menuetto. Allegro

Allegro vivace

A legend survives that tells how the symphony was first performed by the orchestra of the Seminary as a leaving present in honour of the director, Innocenz Lang. From the opening bars, it reveals the influence of Mozart’s late and Beethoven’s early symphonies.  After the example of Joseph Haydn, the first movement features a slow introduction, followed by an Allegro vivace (very fast) in the customary tripartite form, reminiscent of Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 in D major (H. 1/104). The exposition — the initial presentation of the thematic material of a musical composition — provides two contrasted subjects, while the central development ends with a return of the theme from the introduction. Beethoven’s influence is most keenly felt in the melodic material of the movement, while the occasional textures and turns of phrase recall Mozart’s style.

The second movement, the G major Andante (moderately slow), opens with gently lilting strings, though the mood shifts in the second section, causing a surprise for the listener. The key of the first movement, allegro (fast and bright), is reprised in the third movement for the Minuet, which is structured as a scherzo rather than a dance, with a contrasting Trio in the style of a Ländler (a folk dance in 3/4 time that was popular in Austria). In the final movement, the first violins introduce the principal theme, as well as the more lyrical second subject. The movement is prominent for how Schubert pushes the trumpet players up to a high D6 in a repeated fashion, calling for multiple doublings between horns and trumpets.

Symphony No. 1 in D major is a surprisingly developed piece of music, representing a work of clear optimism, adequately marking the close of the composer’s school career, with promising signs of his future masterpieces.

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A reputed portrait of Schubert at the age of 16, when he composed his first symphony

The first page of the score

The first violin’s opening bars

Portrait of Salieri by Joseph Willibrord Mähler, 1815

Joseph Ritter von Spaun, c. 1859. Spaun was an Austrian nobleman, who is best known for his friendship with Schubert.

Portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820. Beethoven was Schubert’s lifelong hero and would exact a lasting influence on his life’s work.

Symphony No. 3 in D major, D 200

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Schubert left the Seminary at the end of 1813, returning home to receive his teacher training at his father’s school, St Anna Normal-hauptschule. In spite of his undoubted talents as a musician and composer, Schubert’s father feared that his son would be unable to earn a living through his music and that a career as a school teacher would provide him the security of a stable wage.  Schubert entered the school as teacher of the youngest pupils and for over two years he endured a monotonous time, far from the dazzling hopes he had entertained in his final year at the Seminary. Nonetheless, there were compensatory interests at this difficult time. He continued to take private lessons in composition from Salieri, who provided a more detailed technical training than any of his other teachers.

It was not long until Schubert had fallen in love. The young lady was a soprano named Therese Grob, the daughter of a local silk manufacturer.  Therese sang in the Lichtental parish church, which Schubert had been attending since he was a child. For the church’s centenary celebrations, Schubert completed his first mass in late July 1814 — the Mass in F, D 105 — and Therese sang the soprano solo at the premiere performance, which Schubert conducted himself. He wanted to marry Therese, but was prevented from doing so due to the harsh marriage-consent law of 1815, which required a bridegroom to demonstrate he had the means to support a family. In November 1816, he attempted to win a musical post in Laibach, in order to support his proposed marriage, but this plan failed too. Alas, the marriage was never to be and on in 1820 Therese married a baker named Johann Bergmann; together they had four children. Schubert himself never married.

1815 was one of the young composer’s most prolific years, when it is estimated he wrote over 20,000 bars of music, more than half of which were for orchestra, including nine church works, a symphony and nearly 150 Lieder. He was still living with his father at home, while teaching at the school and providing private musical instruction, earning enough money for his basic needs, though with little left over for luxuries. His close companion Spaun was well aware that Schubert was discontented with his life at the school and feared for his intellectual development. It is believed that Schubert suffered from cyclothymia throughout his life, partly due to the depression he experienced working as a schoolteacher for his father. In May 1816, Spaun moved from his apartment in the centre of Vienna to a house in the Landstraße suburb. After settling into his new home, he invited Schubert to spend a few days with him. This was most likely Schubert’s first visit away from home or school, offering a rich source of excitement and diversion.

Composed a few months after Schubert’s eighteenth birthday, Symphony No. 3 in D major, D 200 was written between 24 May and 19 July 1815. Like the other early symphonies, it was never published during his lifetime, appearing instead many years later in the first Schubert complete works edition of 1884. Scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings, the symphony is arranged in four movements and typically lasts 23 minutes:

Adagio maestoso – Allegro con brio

Allegretto in G major

Menuetto. Vivace

Presto vivace

One of the composer’s most instantly recognisable and melodic pieces, the first movement opens with a broad introduction reminiscent of the French Overture (a musical form widely used in the Baroque period) in two parts, the first slow and dramatic, the second more lyrical. Then follows the Allegro con brio (fast tempo with brilliance), noted for its charm and the interplay of solo clarinet with syncopated strings, revealing how Schubert’s style had developed from the chamber music to the larger sphere of the symphonic form. It is an extremely dramatic movement in sonata form and its overture-like structure reveals the influence of Rossini, whose music was popular at the time.  The long-sustained octaves in the introduction also recall the style of Haydn, as the music gradually shifts to harmonies that migrate into a sullen D minor. After the slow introduction, the Allegro con brio prepares the way for a clarinet that announces the first subject, while an oboe takes the second, joined by a bassoon, before the intervening transition replicates the theme of the introduction.

The second movement is a delightful Allegretto (fairly brisk) in ternary form, evoking a mood of grace and humour, imitating a peasant’s dance, as its rhythms merge into the subsidiary melody. The sprightly Minuet of the third movement is noted for its accented up-beats, giving the impression of a scherzo (a vigorous, light, or playful composition), before being contrasted by a charming Ländler-like trio.

The final movement, marked Presto (quick tempo), is written in sonata form, featuring a tarantella (a rapid whirling dance from southern Italy) rhythm, with bold harmonic progressions and dynamic contrasts to entertain the listener. Once again the resemblance to Rossini’s compositional style is evident in Schubert’s use of rhythm, dynamics and the harmonic relationships between the varying sections. The movement culminates with a brave display of energy, serving in many ways as an opera buffa ensemble conclusion.

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The site of Schubert’s father’s school, St Anna Normal-hauptschule in 1886

Schubert’s first love, Therese Grob, a soprano singer, painted by her cousin Heinrich Hollpein, c. 1830

Gioachino Rossini as a young man, c. 1815. Rossini (1792-1868) was an Italian composer that gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces and popular sacred music.

The first page of the score

Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, D 485

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Schubert’s despondency working as a teacher increased and in 1816 he applied for the post of kapellmeister at Laibach, only to be disappointed again with another rejection. His frustration at being unable to live on his musical talents was at no time greater, when a new friend made an opportune offer that would provide him a much needed respite from his daily toils.  Franz Schober, a philosophy student and poet, who came of good family and enjoyed ample means, invited Schubert to room with him at his mother’s house. Dashing at the opportunity, Schubert took the brave step of resigning his teaching duties at his father’s school, dedicating his life’s work to music. By the end of the year, he was a guest in Schober’s lodgings.

Schubert sought to increase the household resources by giving music lessons, though these were soon abandoned, as he devoted himself to composition. In a surviving letter, he announces: I compose every morning, and when one piece is done, I begin another. He focused principally on orchestral and choral works, although he continued to produce Lieder. The majority of his work remained unpublished, yet manuscripts and copies circulated among friends and admirers, as his name as a young composer of extraordinary talents and virtuosity gradually filtered through the music-loving city.

One of the jewels of this time of great productivity is Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, D 485 — an especially melodic and distinctive piece of music making. The symphony was performed in October, only a month after its composition, at the house of Otto Hatwig, a violinist friend that was a member of the Burgtheater orchestra. Along with Hatwig and his friends, Schubert played viola in an amateur orchestra that was small enough to fit in an apartment. It was at one of the eclectic ensemble’s meetings that Symphony No. 5 was first performed. The piece resounds with the harmonious magic of Mozart, whom Schubert described as the immortal in his diary.  Schubert was reportedly infatuated with the Austrian composer at the time, exclaiming, O Mozart! immortal Mozart! what countless impressions of a brighter, better life hast thou stamped upon our souls! Though Mozart had died over 25 years ago, his music was as popular as ever and for an aspiring composer like Schubert, Mozart’s symphonies were the models to emulate.

Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 is noted for its particularly light instrumentation, in keeping with the spirit of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550 (sometimes referred to as the Great G minor symphony). The piece employs the smallest orchestra of all Schubert’s symphonies and it is the only one not to include clarinets, trumpets or timpani. Arranged in four movements, it is scored for flute, pairs of oboes, bassoons, horns and strings:

Allegro

Andante con moto

Menuetto. Allegro molto

Allegro vivace

Also in contrast to his previous symphonies, Schubert chose not to open the piece with a slow introduction. Instead he employs a four-bar structural upbeat section, before the main theme starts on the fifth bar. This provides a charming melodic theme, instantly recognisable from its widespread use in various forms of media over the last 100 years. The theme is eventually interrupted as the movement experiments with stranger keys. Eventually, there is a recapitulation of the first theme in the key of E flat, followed by the restoration of original key of the movement.

The slow movement opens with a theme in two repeated stanzas, before a modulation to