Schubert's Later History
Between 1820 and 1823 Schubert achieved his musical maturity. Two of his operettas and several of his songs were performed in public and amateurs and professional quartets sang his part-songs for male voices. Some of his works began to be published and performed in private concerts.
In September 1821 Schubert left Vienna for the country with the intention of writing Alfonso und Estrella, his only grand opera. Shortly after his return to the city, he met Edward Bauernfeld, who introduced him to William Shakespeare's (1564–1616) works. In the fall of 1822, having completed his Mass in A-flat, Schubert began work on a Symphony, which became known as the Unfinished. Three movements were sketched; two were completed. Nobody knows why the work was left unfinished.
Schubert now turned to chamber music, producing an Octet for woodwinds and strings and his Quartets. In 1825 Schubert formed the mainstay of the Schubertiads, evenings at which Schubert's songs were sung.
In the middle of Schubert's creative activity, his health deteriorated. The cause of his death was officially recognized as Typhoid Fever, though other theories have been suggested, including the tertiary stage of syphilis. By the late 1820s, Schubert's health was failing and he told some friends that he feared that he was near death. In the late summer of 1828, the composer saw court physician Ernst Rinna, who may have confirmed Schubert's suspicions that he was ill beyond cure and likely to die soon. Some of his symptoms matched those of Mercury Poisoning. At the beginning of November, he again fell ill, experiencing headaches, fever, swollen joints, and vomiting. He was generally unable to retain solid food and his condition worsened. Schubert died in Vienna, at age 31, on 19 November 1828, at the apartment of his brother Ferdinand. The last musical work he had wished to hear was Beethoven's String Quartet; his friend, violinist Karl Holz, who was present at the gathering, 5 days before Schubert's death, commented: "The King of Harmony has sent the King of Song a friendly bidding to the crossing." It was next to Beethoven, whom he had admired all his life, that Schubert was buried by his own request, in the village cemetery of Währing
On November 19, 1828 Schubert died. In 1872, a memorial to Franz Schubert was erected in Vienna's Stadtpark. In 1888, both Schubert's and Beethoven's graves were moved to the Zentralfriedhof. The cemetery in Währing was converted into a park in 1925, called the Schubert Park, and his former grave site was marked by a bust.
In September 1821 Schubert left Vienna for the country with the intention of writing Alfonso und Estrella, his only grand opera. Shortly after his return to the city, he met Edward Bauernfeld, who introduced him to William Shakespeare's (1564–1616) works. In the fall of 1822, having completed his Mass in A-flat, Schubert began work on a Symphony, which became known as the Unfinished. Three movements were sketched; two were completed. Nobody knows why the work was left unfinished.
Schubert now turned to chamber music, producing an Octet for woodwinds and strings and his Quartets. In 1825 Schubert formed the mainstay of the Schubertiads, evenings at which Schubert's songs were sung.
In the middle of Schubert's creative activity, his health deteriorated. The cause of his death was officially recognized as Typhoid Fever, though other theories have been suggested, including the tertiary stage of syphilis. By the late 1820s, Schubert's health was failing and he told some friends that he feared that he was near death. In the late summer of 1828, the composer saw court physician Ernst Rinna, who may have confirmed Schubert's suspicions that he was ill beyond cure and likely to die soon. Some of his symptoms matched those of Mercury Poisoning. At the beginning of November, he again fell ill, experiencing headaches, fever, swollen joints, and vomiting. He was generally unable to retain solid food and his condition worsened. Schubert died in Vienna, at age 31, on 19 November 1828, at the apartment of his brother Ferdinand. The last musical work he had wished to hear was Beethoven's String Quartet; his friend, violinist Karl Holz, who was present at the gathering, 5 days before Schubert's death, commented: "The King of Harmony has sent the King of Song a friendly bidding to the crossing." It was next to Beethoven, whom he had admired all his life, that Schubert was buried by his own request, in the village cemetery of Währing
On November 19, 1828 Schubert died. In 1872, a memorial to Franz Schubert was erected in Vienna's Stadtpark. In 1888, both Schubert's and Beethoven's graves were moved to the Zentralfriedhof. The cemetery in Währing was converted into a park in 1925, called the Schubert Park, and his former grave site was marked by a bust.