Franz Peter Schubert (1797 – 1828) was an Austrian composer whose life straddled the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short life, he was 31 when he died, he left behind a huge portfolio including more than 600 songs, seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music, and a large body of piano and chamber music. All of this incredible music was written in spite of terrible health, poverty and obscurity. In his lifetime, he was known for a few songs a little else. Each week we will be highlighting a different musical genre; how they changed over his lifetime, discover how detailed and thought provoking they are, and how his legacy has influenced composers since.

COURSE OUTLINE

• His life; Lieder (songs)
• Symphonies; Piano works
• Chamber music; Sacred music
• Opera

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Identify some of Schubert’s works
2. Understand the difficulties facing musicians in this period of history
3. Explain the impact Schubert’s music has had on composers in the last 200 years