The Life of Franz Schubert

The 1869 English translation of the first full-length biography of the celebrated composer, incorporating reminiscences of his contemporaries.

Heinrich Kreissle von Hellborn (Author), Arthur D. Coleridge (Edited and translated by), George Grove (Appendix by)

9781108077972, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 2 October 2014

350 pages
21.6 x 14 x 2 cm, 0.45 kg

The astonishing creative genius of Franz Schubert (1797–1828) produced an extraordinary quantity of music: song cycles, symphonies, piano and chamber works – all now recognised as masterpieces. Such acclaim did not exist in the years immediately after his death, and it was only later, when the rediscovery of Schubert's music (led by George Grove) was gathering pace, that this work, the first full-length biography of the composer, appeared in 1865. Written by Heinrich Kreissle von Hellborn (1812–69), a Viennese lawyer and member of the city's Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, the work incorporates reminiscences of Schubert's friends as collected by Ferdinand Luib for his prospective biography. This 1869 English translation by Arthur Duke Coleridge, founder of the Bach Choir, contains an appendix by Grove on Schubert's symphonies and his rediscovery in Vienna of several manuscripts as well as the partbooks for Rosamunde. Volume 2 covers 1824 to 1828, and includes a list of works and Grove's appendix.

12. Schubert's depressed state of mind
13. Schubert and Vogl's tours through the Salzkammergut
14. Candidate for the post of Vice-Hofcapellmeister
15. The Pachler family in Graz
16. Schubert's powers as a composer in their zenith
17. Characteristics of Schubert
18. General survey
19. Schubert's music becomes gradually known
20. Conclusion
Appendix
Index.

Subject Areas: Classical music [c 1750 to c 1830 AVGC4]