The Lyric Duo's
Online Study Guide
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Famous musicians we will share with you in our program
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Franz Peter Schubert
Franz Schubert was born in the town of Himmelpfortgrund, near Vienna, Austria, on January 31, 1797. His father was head of the parish school where the young Schubert learned to play the piano, violin, and viola. There he studied composition with the famous Antonio Salieri, and began to compose regularly when he was about 13. He taught until 1818 in his father's school, but he gave up this work to live only for what he loved to do - write music.
Franz Schubert worked very hard and became the best songwriter to ever live. He turned poems into songs very quickly and beautifully. He wrote up to eight songs in one day a total of more than 600 in his life. He also had a great hero that helped him become a great composer.
Schubert was always poor - so poor that HE DID NOT EVEN HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BY A PIANO. He applied twice position as an orchestral conductor, but he was never hired. Although he tried to make money by writing several operas, they were never performed. In 1828 his friends arranged a benefit concert of his works.
Schubert died in Vienna November 19, 1828. He was only 31. But by the time he died, he had written over 1,000 pieces of music.
Among Schubert's best-known songs are "The Elf King," "The Trout," "Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel," "Sylvia," and sets of songs known as song cycles "The Miller's Beautiful Daughter" and "The Winter Journey." He completed seven symphonies and many pieces for chorus. He also wrote many piano pieces.