Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828)

Childhood: Learned to play violin and piano. His father was Franz Theodore Schubert and his mother was Maria Elisabeth Vietz. He was the fourth son of Franz Theodore Schubert. At eleven he was accepted into the choir of the Imperial Court Chapel. (He also played in the orchestra.) At age fifteen he left when his voice changed. Schubert spent most of his spare time practicing and composing by himself.

Career: He wrote over nine hundred songs. Nine symphonies. (Classical in nature). Fourteen complete string quartets.

Personal Life: He would organize Schubertiades. Schubertiades were gatherings in the musical community where they would preform pieces that they were working on (basically jam sessions). Had no children. Lived the Bohemian lifestyle. He had syphilis. (probably what he died from).

Symphony No. 8 in B minor. Often called “unfinished” because Schubert only did the first two movements and it is rumored that he had sketched the third, hence the name unfinished. Started the symphony in 1822. The work was first preformed on December 17, 1865. Schubert worked on this symphony six years before his death, but pushed it aside to work on other pieces

Symphony No. 8 in B minor Movements: The first movement is Allegro moderato in B minor. The second movement is Andante con moto in E major.

Fierrabras, Opera, D. Composed in 1823. Schuberts last completed opera. The first full performance of this opera did not happen until the 1980s. Schubert never saw this performed. This opera has been pretty much ignored. Has 30 movements / parts. In German. Romantic style. Three acts.

Wikipedia Synopsis of Fierrabras: (I couldn't find this anywhere else). Act 1: Emma is in love with Eginhard, the Karl does no aprove so they keep the love a secret. Fierrabras recognizes her as someone he had fallen in love with in Rome. Eginhard and Emma meet in a garden at night and Fierrabras finds them. Fierrabras is convinced to help Eginhard. The kind thinks that Firrabras is trying to kidnap Emma and has him put in chains. Act 2: Eginhard goes with some of the Karls knights to make peace with the Moors, they capture him and take him to their castle. Boland and his daughter Florinda are concerned about Fierrabras fate. When he is told of the imprisonment he sentences the knights to death. Florinda recognizes Roland (one of the knights) ans helps them in an escape attempt. After a short fight the knights are put back in their prison cells. Act 3: Emma confesses to her father that she is in love with Eginhard and tells him that Fierrabras is innocent. They then go to the Moor castle, and just before the knights are executed they arrive and resolve everything. Emma and Eginhard are married as well as Florinda and Roland. Fierrabras joins the Karls knights.

Information Sources: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/franz-schubert-mn0000691239 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fierrabras_%28opera%29 http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/schubert.php http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/public/;jsessionid=05EA29E1299328DED61CCC56E9427DBA The Texbook, “The Enjoyment of Music”. Also my notes from in class discussion.

Picture Sources: http://theomniscientmussel.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/franz-schubert.jpg http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio3/schubert.jpg http://www.celloonline.com/images/unit3/3_2_Schubertiade.jpg https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255-s01/boheme/party-bohemian%20lives.gif http://i.ytimg.com/vi/HqKGKjW1Hn4/0.jpg http://www.musicnotes.com/images/productimages/mtd/MN0019384.gif http://i.prs.to/t_200/naxos8572939.jpg http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51IT7nD5NeL._SL500_AA300_.jpg