Composer Franz Schubert was born on January 31, 1797 in Himmelpfortgrund (today part of Vienna) as the 13th of 16 children. Schubert’s father was a teacher and principal of the school. He received his musical instruction at the age of 5, when he started playing the violin, and with seven organs. He had a wonderful voice, so he sang in the Viennese court chapel and lived in an imperial dormitory. As a violinist he played Haydin’s and Mozart’s works.
In the end, he proved to be extremely talented for composing. His family regularly had concerts on Sundays and holidays as all members were gifted with music. Due to poor grades, he could not stay in the home and returned home and continued composing. He ended up as a teacher and got a job at the school where his father worked. He sought music education with Antoni Salieri and composed the first opera and mass, which was first performed in 1841.
He tried to break through as a composer because he no longer wanted to work as a teacher. He was assisted by his friends and colleagues. The Sonnleithner family organized musical meetings in his honor, which have been called the Schubertiade since 1821 (in a similar form it continues today). He eventually quit school. After a while, he made good money from music. He has composed over 600 songs (Fairy King, Gretchen at the Spindle, Rose in the Grove), song cycles (Winter Journey), nine symphonies (Unfinished), string quartets, piano trio, masses, operas, sonatas… Schubert’s most famous song, also known those who do not like classical music, it is Ave Maria.
During his lifetime he did not gain much popularity, and one of the reasons was that he did not try to impose himself in public, as Mozart and Beethoven did. His health began to deteriorate, as did his alcohol addiction. He suffered from syphilis, and died probably of typhoid in 1828. Although short lived, he gained the importance of opus in all kinds of music. Today he is considered, with Beethoven, the founder of romance in Germany.
Named after Franz Schubert, it was named Mercury Crater and Antarctic Bay.
