Franz Schubert

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Franz Schubert.

It’s hard to think of a composer more gregarious than Schubert, and further removed from the image of the reclusive genius, closeted away in his artistic ivory tower, creating peerless masterpieces in splendid isolation. From his days at Vienna’s Stadtkonvikt, the Imperial Catholic boarding school that offered the best general and musical education in the Austrian capital, Schubert developed a wide and supportive network of highly cultured friends, with whom he explored art, politics, religion, literature, and, of course, music; frequented the odd tavern or three; and attended convivial social gatherings in the homes of well-heeled admirers, from which developed the tradition of the ‘Schubertiad’ – informal get-togethers devoted to the performance of Schubert’s music, and above all, his songs.

In this week's episode, we’ll start by meeting Schubert’s friends, and then take a trip round Vienna in search of Schubert’s audience. Next, Donald gives us a whistle-stop tour of the jaw-droppingly productive year that’s been called Schubert’s annus mirabilis, 1815. We’ll also hear how Schubert faced the challenge of following in Beethoven’s footsteps, and about the posthumous discovery of much of his music, including many of his most-loved works.

Music featured: ‘An die Musik’, D547 ‘Suleika I’ D720 ‘Geheimes’, D719 Symphony No 8 in B minor (‘Unfinished’), D759 ‘Über Wildemann’, D884 ‘Sehnsucht’, D879 ‘Das Zügenglöcklein’, D871 Gesang (‘An Sylvia’), D891 String Quartet in D minor, D 810 (‘Death and the Maiden’) Mass in F, D105 (Sanctus) Overture in D, D590 (‘In the Italian style’) Der Zwillingsbrüder, D647 (No 3, Aria, ‘Der Vater mag wohl immer Kind mich nennen’) String Quartet in A minor, D804 (‘Rosamunde’) Psalm 92, D953 Piano Trio in E flat, D929 (Op 100) Erlkönig’, D328 Piano Sonata in E, D157 Mass in G, D167 (Agnus Dei) String Quartet in G minor, D173 Der vierjährige Posten, D190 Symphony No 3 in D, D200 ‘Heidenröslein’, D257 ‘Gebet während der Schlacht’, D171 ‘An die Nachtigall’, D196 ‘Die Mondnacht’, D238 ‘Das Rosenband’, D280 Beethoven: ‘Der Zufriedene’, Op 75 No 6 Schubert: ‘Der Zufriedene’, D320 Symphony No 4 in C minor (‘Tragic’), D417 ‘Abschied’, D957 No 7 ‘Der Atlas’, D 957 No 8 Octet in F for clarinet, horn, bassoon, string quartet and double bass, D803 ‘Auf dem Strom’, D943 Liszt, after Schubert: Die Rose – Lied von Franz Schubert, S556/1 Symphony in C, D 944 Piano Sonata in A, D959 String Quintet in C, D 956 Ständchen, D920

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Barstow for BBC Wales

For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Franz Schubert https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00083n5

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z