The life of Schubert

A poor childhood

"Free Artist"

The King of Songs

In the famous musical city of Vienna in the early 19th century, after Haydn After great musicians such as Mozart and Beethoven, another brilliant new music star appeared - the composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828).

When mentioning the name of Schubert, people will naturally think of the many popular songs he composed; and songs such as "Wild Rose", "Whale", and "Linden Tree" are so refreshing. , the touching melody will naturally echo in people's ears. However, for people who do not know Schubert's life experience, it is difficult to imagine the difficult environment in which this composer created these works.

Life and creative thoughts

The era in which Schubert lived was during the feudal restoration period in Europe. The vigorous bourgeois democratic movement stirred up by the French Revolution in 1789 in various European countries had gradually reached a low ebb due to the brutal suppression by feudal forces in various countries. After 1815, the feudal forces in various European countries established the reactionary "League of Saints". They colluded with each other and suppressed the revolutionary forces even more brutally. The Austrian government of Metternich (Metternich was the prime minister of the reactionary Austrian regime in the early nineteenth century. He was an advocate of the reactionary "Holy Alliance") is the stubborn fortress of this reactionary alliance. As Engels pointed out: "The Austrian royal family was the barbaric, conservative and reactionary representative of Europe from the beginning." In the early nineteenth century, Austria became "a prison for all nationalities." Schubert lived and created in such a dark and suffocating environment.

(-) A poor childhood

On January 31, 1797, Schubert was born in a civilian family in Hertental, a suburb of Vienna. His father is a school teacher. It is very difficult to support a large family with a teacher's salary. Therefore, Schubert's childhood life was very poor. Since school teachers at that time had to teach students music classes, Shu Xiangte's father also knew some music knowledge and could play some musical instruments. He often gathered some music lovers to play music at home, which enabled Schubert to be influenced by music since he was a child. My father also liked to organize the family to practice various instrumental ensembles for their own entertainment. During practice, his father played the cello, Schubert played the viola, and his brother played the violin. Whenever his father made a mistake, Schubert would immediately play the viola. reminded: "Dad, you are wrong!" At the age of nine, Shuxiangte learned music theory and organ performance from the church cantor and conductor Holzer. Schubert's rich musical knowledge often shocked Holho. He said: "When I wanted to introduce him to something new, I found that he already knew this."

When Schubert was eleven years old, he served as a singer in the church choir and also played the violin with his outstanding child voice. Later, he was admitted to the church's choir boarding school, where he stayed and studied for free. As a boy, Schubert showed many musical talents. He served as concertmaster in the school band and was invited to act as acting conductor whenever the band director was absent. This gave Schubert the opportunity to become familiar with many excellent works by music masters such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, and to learn a lot of knowledge about music creation. However, the material living conditions in boarding schools are very poor. In the cold winter, there was no stove indoors, and the poor Schubert was cold and hungry. He once wrote to his brother: "We often want to eat apples, because there is a full eight hours between a rough lunch and dinner!" Shu Xiangte had already started composing music while studying in school. He has composed the First Symphony, many songs and instrumental pieces. But he often suffered from the lack of money to buy five-line paper. He once sighed to himself: "If I had money to buy paper, I could compose music every day!"

In 1813, sixteen-year-old Schubert Te left school. In order to relieve his father's financial burden, he began to work as an assistant teacher at his father's school and teach private piano. Schubert, who had an artistic temperament, was very tired of the rigid and boring teaching life. How he wished he could resign as a teacher and devote himself to composing music! But without a formal career, how would Schubert support himself? Therefore, he had to suppress his inner irritability. Go and explain the same pinyin, grammar, etc. to primary school students.

Even under such difficult conditions, Schubert still insisted on composing music in his spare time. At the age of less than twenty, he had written hundreds of songs, five symphonies, fifteen piano sonatas and other works.

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(2) "Free Artist"

In 1818, Schubert ignored his father's firm opposition and held the view to With innocent fantasies about art and life, he resolutely resigned from his position as a teacher and determined to become a "free artist". However, he could not have imagined how unfree a composer of humble origin like him would be in Vienna at the beginning of the nineteenth century!

As for the social conditions in Vienna in the early 19th century, Post, a progressive writer at the time, once described: "Secret police are everywhere,...the waiters in every hotel have their own property." Subsidy secret spies... They eavesdrop on other people's conversations in restaurants and hotels. Even in the library of the palace, spies often come to the bookstore. Their purpose is to spy on what customers are buying. What book? Of course, all suspected letters will be inspected. "Vienna officials closely monitor the books, newspapers, plays, performances and all cultural life in society. Not a shred of democratic air is allowed. However, on the other hand, in order to corrupt and paralyze the people, the government vigorously promotes hedonistic culture and art. At that time, in the opera house, magnificent Italian operas were continuously performed; in the parks, the living rooms and bars of the upper class, large and small dances came one after another, and many people indulged in the endless Viennese waltz. middle. In this political atmosphere that is superficially peaceful but actually decadent and reactionary, many people in the Vienna citizen class have lost their pursuit of democratic ideas and revolutionary ideals, and have developed a short-sighted mentality that is limited to their own small world. , The petty citizen habit of living in an ignoble way has gradually developed. As a female writer at the time described: "Pleasure and laziness have replaced noble sentiments. ... The groveling trend suppresses any nobler tendency."

However, the Viennese citizen class Some progressive intellectuals in China are deeply dissatisfied with this political situation. For example, the writer Post wrote the book "The Truth about Austria", which tirelessly exposed the corruption of Austria. For this reason, he was forced to wander to America. Schubert, who was born into a civilian family, was also extremely dissatisfied with the current situation in Austria. He once wrote an article called "What a tragedy!" "People" poems to express the inner resentment:

"The youth of our era has disappeared!

The power of countless people has been wasted, and no one is unique.

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I am just drifting with the tide.

Infinite pain is torturing me, and I only have a little bit of strength left.

The times do not allow anyone to do something big. , also taught me to turn into nothing loudly and smelllessly...

Schubert is neither willing to be attached to the disciples of the powerful and be their loyal slaves; nor is he willing to use his art to become a ruler. To whitewash peace, he wrote flashy and empty works that were only for entertainment. He wanted to use his talented music to express the pain in the hearts of some progressive intellectuals at that time; to sing out the beautiful hopes longed for by the citizens. In this way, Schubert's works were quickly welcomed by the public class, and some progressive artists at that time naturally gathered around Schubert. These artists lived together with Schubert, regardless of you or me. They discussed artistic issues with each other, exchanged new creative results, and even privately expressed some political opinions that were contrary to the authorities. This formed the famous "Schubert Group" and many of Schubert's works were published. The work was sung and performed for the first time at the group's recital. Friends affectionately called this recital the "Schuchter Party".

The Austrian Emperor once said this: "We don't need geniuses, we just want loyal servants." An artist like Schubert is certainly not a loyal "servant" of the emperor, and he will certainly not be valued and welcomed by the authorities. Schubert was recorded in the archives as a "reckless man"; and when one of his free-thinking friends was arrested by the police, he was also imprisoned. The musical works were already well-known and widely circulated among the citizens of Vienna at that time.

However, it is difficult to publish and perform because it does not receive official recognition. Schubert had never even heard a performance of his own symphony during his lifetime. In 1815, he wrote the immortal song "The Devil", but it took five years before the publisher reluctantly agreed to publish the song for him on the condition that he would not be paid royalties. After the song "Wanderer" he wrote was published, he only received two guilders (Gulden: the name of Austrian currency. Worth 48.2 US cents.), but the publisher made a total of 20,000 from this work. Seven thousand shields. Before his death, when he was ill in bed and had no money to buy medicine, his friends sent his "Winter Journey" to the publisher, but the publisher only paid one guilder for the song "The Linden Tree".

Under the cruel exploitation of publishers, Schubert, who made a living by selling his works, was often hungry and cold, and the money he earned was often not enough to rent musical instruments. He often lived in a room without a fire. When he lived with his poor friend Meyerhofer, they could only wear one coat together. When Meyerhofer went to work, Schubert had to hide at home and write. Because Schubert was too poor, the girl he loved left him and married a wealthy businessman. Later, Schubert wanted to get a fixed position to make his life secure, but his democratic thoughts and freedom-loving character prevented him from finding a job in a government agency. He tried to get a position as a music teacher at a normal school, but failed. In 1827, the position of leader of the Second Court Orchestra of Vienna became vacant. According to Schubert's musical talent, he was fully qualified to get this position, but the emperor and officials awarded it to another than him. Shu Xiangte is someone more to their liking. A similar situation occurred the following year.

Schubert was not a melancholy person by nature. He once imagined an artistic environment where he could create freely, a warm life, and happy love. In many of his works, he also sang passionately about beautiful ideals. However, the suffocating social atmosphere, the long-term material poverty and mental torture, and the gradual disintegration of the friendship group that once gave him infinite warmth due to various social reasons, all caused Schubert great pain. Gradually fell into sadness and disappointment. He wrote in a letter to a friend: "Think of me as a person. My bright hopes have vanished. Love and friendship have brought me only pain. My era of peace has passed. . . My heart It is painful, and I will never, ever be able to recover it." He also lamented: "What will happen to me, a poor musician? When I die, I will probably have to be like Goethe. Go door to door begging for money for real bread like a connoisseur!" This sad and disappointed mood is also clearly reflected in some of his later works.

On November 19, 1828, Schubert, who was only 31 years old, passed away due to insufficient treatment for his illness. Relatives and friends followed Schubert's instructions before his death and buried him near Beethoven's tomb. On his tombstone was engraved the following words: "Death buried rich treasures and more beautiful hopes here."

Ten years later, the German musician Schumann wrote in Schubert's Many precious manuscripts of Shu Xiangte were found in his younger brother's house. These manuscripts have never been read, let alone published.

This is the tragic fate that a talented artist suffered under reactionary feudal rule!

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(3) King of Songs

Schubert was the first person since the 18th and 19th centuries to be known for his excellent songwriting world-famous musician. In his short life, *** composed more than 600 songs. He was only seventeen years old when he wrote the touching song "Margarita at the Spinning Wheel"; and "The Devil", "Wild Rose" and other outstanding songs that are still widely circulated in the world today were his. Written when I was eighteen years old. It is said that before his death, Beethoven read several Schubert songs in his hospital bed and said in amazement, "Really, there are magical sparks shining in this Schubert!"

Schubert's songs are sincere, rich in content, and diverse in form. The lyrics, music, and piano accompaniment work closely together and blend seamlessly. His song creation not only inherited the artistic achievements of his predecessors, but also raised the art of song to a new level, and has a distinctive national style. Therefore, people call Schubert the "King of Songs".

In addition to a large number of songs, Shu Xiangte also composed many instrumental works. His creation can basically be divided into two periods. The first period was 1813-1817. During this period, Schubert first formed his own unique style in the field of music. Half of his songs were written within these few years. He also composed some symphonies during this period, but these works were not mature enough. The years 1818 to 1827 were the central period of Schubert's creation. During these ten years, in addition to continuing to write songs, he also composed vocal suites, symphonies, chamber music, piano sonatas and other relatively large-scale works, and wrote piano sketches such as "Musical Moments" and "Impromptu". During this period, his large-scale creations gradually matured and formed his own unique style.

In the early nineteenth century, with the rapid changes in social conditions, a new trend generally formed in European literature and art - the trend of romanticism. This new literary and artistic trend also had a profound impact on Schubert, making his music creation form a style similar to that of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and others in terms of subject matter, content, formal structure and artistic techniques. A completely different new style of classical music composers - romantic music style. If Beethoven is the pinnacle of Western European classical music, then Schubert is the pioneer of Western European romantic music. Its founders are Schubert and German musician Weber. Romantic music has its own style characteristics, such as focusing on the expression of personal feelings, attaching importance to the combination of music and music art, and absorbing the characteristics of folk music. There are also many innovations and creations in creative techniques, genres, and forms. Romantic music is a reflection of the feelings of bourgeois thinkers in the nineteenth century. It is a relatively complex social phenomenon. Specific analysis must be carried out based on the works, artistic views, and world views of different writers). Unlike Beethoven’s music that is full of heroic, combative, and extremely rigorous structures, Schubert’s music works are free in form, lyrical, and focused. His music sounds like a page from the composer's own diary, and it also sounds like the composer and the audience are having a conversation. The content of his works mainly expresses personal life experiences and encounters. In his early works, he often revealed his love for life and nature and his yearning for beautiful ideals. However, this beautiful ideal is often limited to just one. In the circle of personal happiness; warm family, sweet love, quiet life, etc. He often describes an invisible force in his works that prevents people from achieving happiness and leads people to darkness and death. Although people hate it, they are unable to resist it (such as "Girl and Death", "The Devil", etc.). In Schubert's later works, the emotions of loneliness, depression, and discouragement become more and more intense, and even become the main theme in some works. The tone (such as "Winter Journey"); this reflects that Schubert, who has experienced many hardships in life, has gradually lost his naive illusions about reality and has a deeper understanding of the harsh society.

The personal life experience and encounters expressed by Schubert in his works were somewhat representative of the Austrian society at that time. The feudal restoration in the early nineteenth century created a group of young people in Germany and Austria who had aspirations for progress. The intellectuals were in deep depression when they were not yet born when the French Revolution was at its climax in 1789. They failed to see the heroism and people's revolution of the pioneers of the bourgeois revolution in their struggle for ideals. The great power, what they saw before their eyes was the destruction of the ideal kingdom of "liberty, equality, and fraternity" promoted by the bourgeoisie, and darkness all around them. They were dissatisfied with the servility and obsequiousness of the general German and Austrian citizens toward the rulers. They have the vulgar habit of living an ignoble life, but they can't find the real ideal and political outlet; their ideals can only stay in hazy fantasies and personal small worlds, and these hazy fantasies often come to nothing in the face of harsh reality. In the end, they can only fall into pessimism, despair, and hesitation. Therefore, the protagonist in Schubert's works (whether he appears as a young grinder or a lonely wanderer) is exactly this part of Austria's consciousness at that time. The epitome of molecules.

Schubert’s music is also closely related to folk literature and art, folk music and customary life. In many of his works, we can hear the tones of folk music and folk dance music from Austria, Germany, Hungary and other places; his friends often call him an "artist", which shows that he has a deep understanding of folk music. learn. Some of his friends also expressed opinions to him, saying that his music was "too local" and "too Austrian", but Schubert disagreed with these opinions; he replied: "It should be Such". This is one of the reasons why Schubert's music is so popular among the Austrian people.

Schubert did not use his creations to beautify the medieval society like some passive romantic artists, and use disguised ancient undead to guide people to escape from reality; Like the musicians supported by supporters, they use music that whitewashes peace and intoxication to anesthetize people's spirits; instead, they face the harsh reality and use their own musical works to express the sorrow and indignation suppressed in their hearts and sing out their hope for the light. The longing and indictment of the injustice of fate. Although, as a petty bourgeois intellectual, it is impossible for him to find the social root cause of this unfair fate, let alone see a bright way out. However, through his heartfelt musical works, people can more clearly understand the darkness of the society in which he lived and the pain and contradictions of the intellectuals of that time. This is exactly the practical significance of Schubert's musical works today.