Viennese composer
Franz Schubert (1797-1828), has earned a
place in history as one of the greatest
melodists who ever lived. As a child Schubert
learned to play violin, viola, and piano, and
sang as a choirboy at the Imperial Chapel under
Salieri who also taught him theory. He composed
his First Symphony at the age of 16 for the
school orchestra, and at 19 began playing his
latest songs and chamber music in Viennese
coffee-houses and homes, evenings which came to
be called Schubertiads, where he grew a large
circle of artistic friends. In 1822 Schubert
contracted an illness which took his life at the
age of 31. However, he wrote nearly 950 works
during his brief lifetime, including 600 lieder,
nine symphonies, liturgical music, operas,
chamber and solo piano music.
The mournful Andante
movement from the String Quartet in A Minor,
Op. 29 (1824), the only string quartet
published during his lifetime, is based on a
theme from the Entre’acte of Schubert’s 1823
play “Rosamunde” by the German playwright
Helmina von Chezy.
The music for Ave Maria
(Hail Mary) was originally composed in 1825 for
an exerpt from Sir Walter Scott’s epic poem “The
Lady of the Lake,” in which the heroine sings a
prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary asking for her
help, which may have lead to the idea of
adapting Schubert’s melody as a setting for the
sacred Latin text.
The Mass in G, No. 2,
(1815), composed when Schubert was 18 years old,
is set for soprano, tenor, and bass soli,
chorus, strings, and organ. It was intended for
performance at the composer’s home parish, and
contains the most commonly set portions of the
Ordinary of the Mass: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo,
Sanctus et Benedictus, and Agnus Dei.