Born:
January 31, 1797; he was the 12th son of Franz Theodor Florian Schubert and Elisabet Katherina Vietz. His father was a schoolmaster.
Birthplace:
Himmelpfortgrund, near Vienna, Austria
Died:
November 19, 1828 in Vienna due to typhus; he was buried at the Wahring cemetery.
Also Known As:
His full name was Franz Peter Schubert, also known as the "Master of Song" because he wrote more than 600 songs.
Type of Compositions:
Schubert had a very fruitful career as a composer. He composed songs, symphonies, masses and quartets. He is known as the earliest master of the art song.
Influence:
His father taught him how to play the violin; he also played the piano and viola. He studied counterpoint, keyboard playing and singing with Michael Holzen. He also studied with the Italian composer Antonio Salieri.
Notable Works:
Schubert wrote hundreds of musical pieces, some of his well known works are: "Serenade," "Ave Maria," "Who is Sylvia?," "C Major Symphony," "Unfinished Symphony," "Die schone Mullerin," "Winterreise," "Death and the Maiden," "Die Forelle" and "The ErlKing,"
Interesting Facts:
Schubert lived a very colorful life. He used to be a choirboy, but in 1812 his voice cracked, thus ending his career in singing. In 1814, he was accepted as a teacher in his fathers' school; he taught children in the primary level. Also, during Beethoven's funeral, Schubert was one of the torch bearers. It has been mentioned that he loved poetry.