Schubert And His Works

Franz Schubert died at thirty-one, penniless and unrecognized, leaving behind an almost incomprehensible body of work: over six hundred songs, nine symphonies, countless piano pieces and chamber works. He was the first great Romantic composer, bridging the classical precision of Mozart and Beethoven with the emotional floodgates that would define the century to follow. This slim volume from the Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York serves as an elegant introduction to both the man and his staggering output, exploring how a schoolteacher's son from Vienna became the 'Prince of Song' whose lieder redefined what music could say in three minutes. Herbert Francis Peyser examines Schubert's revolutionary approach to melody, his intimate understanding of poetry, and the tragic irony of a genius whose work went largely unheard during his brief lifetime. Whether you're encountering the Unfinished Symphony, 'Der Erlkönig,' or the late piano sonatas for the first time, this book illuminates why Schubert's music continues to captivate nearly two centuries later.