Schubert’s Songs

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 512, 15 November 1928, Page 16

Schubert’s Songs

WORLD’S RICH TREASURE Master of Melody Music buried here a rich treasure, But still more glorious hopes. THIS, the epitaph of a great master of melody, marks the grave of one wlio in the comparatively short span of 31 years won for himself an honoured name among the greatest tone-poets of the world. . . It is the grave of Franz Peter Schubert, the centenary of whose death occurs on Monday.

Hard by in that secluded little cemetery at Wahring, near Vienna, is the grave of the great Ludwig Van Beethoven, monarch of them all. Beethoven died some 18 months before him, and it was Schubert’s express wish that he be buried as close as possible to the great master of symphony, whose works he so fervently admired. Strangely enough it was not until almost in the last days of his life that Beethoven really became acquainted with Schubert’s songs. According to Schindler, “for several days he could not tear himself away from perusing them.” A god like spark dwells in Schubert! Had I had this poem, X, too, would have set it to music!” he exclaimed.

Yet it does not appear so strange when we recall that it was not until his health had been seriously impaired through want of money and the common necessaries of life that the publishers took any notice of Schubert and his songs. Twas a grim jest that in the streets they should acclaim his “March Millitaire” almost as he lay dying. Yet it is the fate of many who would design their works that they might live, rather than flourish overnight and wither away, leaving no seed.

Schubert and song! The names are synonymous. Six hundred songs was his gift to music—six hundred melodic gems that will influence song for all time.

“Those six hundred songs,” wrote Crowest some 50 years ago, “complete the last, and not least, of the stately and strong columns on which the vast edifice of modern musical art rests—the symphonies and sonatas of Beethoven, the operas of Mozart, the oratorios of Handel, the chamber music of Haydn, and the songs of Schubert.”

Born on the last day of January, 1797, at Liehenthal, near Vienna, Schubert, the son of a schoolmaster! first commenced to show marked musical ability at the age of seven. At the age of 11 he obtained an appointment in the Emperor's chapel as a chorister, where he remained five years. During these five years he produced a number of works, including the well-known “Hagar's Lament,” but it was in 1815, when he attained the age of 18 years, that the prolific creative period set in. In addition to masses, symphonies and dramatic music—works such as his masses in G and C, which indicate remarkable maturity—he wrote a host of songs. Typically Schubertian in the songs of this period are the “Mignon Songs,” “Songs from Ossian,” the “Winderer” and “The Erl King.” The latter was the result of*a sudden inspiration after reading Gothe’s poem, and it was dashed down instantly. This song was the first t>f his compositions to appear in print, and this happened in

the year of his death, publishers previously refusing to have it even as a gift. Essentially a tragic figure was this Schubert. “Poor Schubert!” the biogranhers write even now. “He was not very prepossesing in appearance. He was short, and stooped x little, and had short curly hair and a puffy face, bushy oyebrows and i stumpy nose; was pale, but not delicate.” Thus is he described by wriochubert ters of the period. - Partly responsible, no doubt, for his belated recognition, was a personality which at the best could only be described as retiring. He was always reserved, and on occasions painfullly shy. . A hopeless and unrequited passion for Caroline Esterhazy, daughter of Count Esterhazy, in whose service he acted for a while as musi master, largely influenced his life and music. Of this there is abundant proof. In his diary he wrote: “My productions in music are the product of the understanding, and spring from my sorrow. Those only which are the product of pain seem to please the great world most.”

Schubert’s work includes eight symphonies (one being the famous “Unfinished”), and over 30 other orchestral works; six masses; 17 operas; four fragmentary; string quartets, quintets, and trios; numerous sonatas impromptus, and short solos for the piano; many cantatas and part songs; and over 600 lieder, or songs. His first known composition was a pianoforte fantasia written in 1810, when he was at the age of 13. Although his musical education was slight, his work came to maturity at an early age. His production in the space of 18 years is amazing. What would it have been if he had lived another 30 years? Schumann answers with the assertion that had he lived, he would have set the whole of German literature to music.

What Schubert really would have done had he lived provides food for interesting conjecture. Undoubtedly the works composed in his last year still record continued progress, as evidenced by the “Seventh Symphony” and the “Mass in E Flat,” generally considered to be the finest of his masses.

Music, it is said, rippled from his brain faster than pen could set it down for mankind. To the world he bequeathed a rich store. With him were buried “still more glorious hopes.”-