The Unknown Schubert

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) is now rightly recognized as one of the greatest and most original composers of the nineteenth century. His profound understanding of poetry and his uncanny ability to translate his understanding of human nature into remarkably balanced compositions marks him out from other contemporaries in the field of song. Schubert was one of the first major composers to devote so much time to song and his awareness that this genre was not rated highly in the musical hierarchy did not deter him, throughout a short but resolute and hard-working career, from producing songs that invariably arrest attention and frequently strike a deeply poetic note. This valuable book brings Franz Schubert to life, exploring his early years as a composer of opera, his later years of ill-health, and his efforts to reflect in his music his own profound inner experience.

Lorraine Byrne Bodley is a Lecturer at the Department of Music, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Barbara M. Reul is Associate Professor of Musicology at Luther College, University of Regina, Canada.