Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 3.djvu/382

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370
SCHUBERT.

have been extended to double the length with grea advantage. 2. Mayrhofer contributed a short article of recollections, 'Erinnerungen,' to the 'Neues Archiv für Geschichte … Literatur und Kunst' (Vienna), Feb. 23, 1829; and Bauernfeld a longer paper, 'Ueber Franz Schubert,' to Nos. 69, 70, 71 of the 'Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Literatur, Theater, und Mode,' for June 9, 11, 13, 1829. These papers, written so shortly after Schubert's death by men extremely intimate with him, are very valuable. 3. Bauernfeld also made two interesting communications to the 'Freie Presse' of Vienna for April 17 and 21, 1869, containing six letters and parts of letters by Schubert, and many anecdotes. These latter articles were reprinted in the Leipzig 'Signale' for Nov. 15, 22, 26, 28, 1869; and in Bauernfeld's 'Gesammelte Schriften,' vol. xii (Vienna 1873). But recollections written so long after the event must always be taken cum grano. 4. Schindler wrote an article in 'Bäuerle's Wiener Theaterzeitung' for May 3, 1831, describing Beethoven's making acquaintance with Schubert's songs on his death-bed; and other articles in the 'Niederrheinischer Musikzeitung' for 1857. He also mentions Schubert in his 'Life of Beethoven,' 3rd ed., ii. 136. 5. Schumann printed four letters (incomplete), two poems, and a Dream, by Schubert, as 'Reliquien' in his 'Neue Zeitschrift für Musik' for Feb. 1 and 5, 1839. 6. One of the same letters was printed complete in the 'Signale,' No. 2, for 1878. 7. The Diary of Sofie Müller (Vienna 1832), the 'Unvergessenes' of Frau von Chezy (Leipzig 1858), and the 'Erinnerungen' of her son W. von Chezy (Schaffhausen 1863), all afford original facts about Schubert by those who knew him; and 8. Ferd. Hiller's Künstlerleben (Cologne 1880) contains a paper—'Vienna 52 years since'—embodying a few interesting and lifelike notices of the year 1827. Of all these use has been made in the foregoing pages.

9. The first attempt to write a life of Schubert was made by von Kreissle, who in 1861 published a small 8vo pamphlet of 165 pages, entitled 'Franz Schubert, eine biografische Skizze; von Dr. Heinrich von Kreissle.' This is a very interesting little book, and though not nearly so long as the second edition, it contains some facts which have dropt out of that. 10. The second edition—'Franz Schubert, von Dr. Heinrich Kreissle von Hellborn' (Vienna, Gerold, 1S65), is a large 8vo of 619 pages, with portrait after Kupelwieser. This is a thoroughly honest, affectionate book; but it is deformed, like many German biographies, by a very diffuse style, and a mass of unnecessary matter in the shape of detailed notices of every one who came into contact with Schubert; and some of the letters appear to be garbled; but the analyses of the operas and the lists of works are valuable, and there are some interesting facts gathered from the Fröhlichs, Ferdinand Schubert, Spaun, Hüttenbrenner, and others. It has been translated into English by Mr. A. D. Coleridge (2 vols. 8vo, Longman, 1869), with an Appendix by the present writer containing the themes and particulars of the MS. Symphonies and other MS. music of Schubert, as seen by Mr. Sullivan and him in Vienna in 1867. A résumé of the work is given in English by Wilberforce, 'Franz Schubert' etc. (London 1866). 11. Both Kreissle's works have been largely utilised by H. Barbedette, in 'F. Schubert, sa vie' etc. (Paris 1866). This contains an atrocious version of Rieder's portrait, and one new fact—a facsimile of Schober's song 'An die musik,' valuable because being dated April 24, 1827 (while the song was composed in 1817) it shows that Schubert did not confine his dates to the original autographs (compare 'The Trout,' p. 329, note 4).

12. The chief value of Reissmann's book, 'Franz Schubert, sein Leben u. seine Werke' (Berlin 1873), consists in the extracts from the juvenile MS. songs, Quintet overture (pp. 12–30), the comparisons of early songs with later revisions of the same (pp. 24, 154 etc.), 5 pieces printed for the first time, and Facsimile of a MS. page. 13. Gumprecht, La Mara, and others, have included sketches of Schubert in their works.

14. The article on Schubert in Wurzbach's Biographisches Lexicon (Part 32, pp. 30–110; Vienna 1876) is a good mixture of unwearied research, enthusiasm for his hero, and contempt for those who misjudge him (see for example p. 98b). The copious lists are extremely interesting and useful. Unfortunately they cannot always be trusted, and the quotations are sometimes curiously incorrect. Thus Mr. Arthur Duke Coleridge is raised to the peerage as 'Herzog Arthur von Coleridge' etc., etc. Still all students of Schubert should be grateful for the

15. The facsimile of the Erlking in its first form has been mentioned in the body of the article (p. 324b). Further consideration convinces me that the original of this cannot be the first autograph, but must be a copy made afterwards by Schubert.

Two documents must be mentioned. 16. 'Actenmässige Darstelling der Ausgrabung und Wiederbeisetzung der irdischen Reste von Beethoven und Schubert' (Vienna 1863), and 17. 'Vom Wiener Männergesangverein. Festschrift zur Enthüllung des Schubert Denkmales am 15 Mai, 1872,' an account of the unveiling of the statue in the Stadt Park, containing a capital sketch of Schubert's Life, Lists, and many other welcome facts. Herr Dumba's speech on the occasion, and poems by Bauernfeld and Weilen were printed separately. Good photographs of the statue are published by Löwy of Vienna.

18. Since writing the foregoing I have seen the 'Life and Works of Schubert,' by A. Niggli, which forms No. 15 of Breitkopf and Härtel's Musikalische Vorträge (1880). It appears to be an excellent and generally an accurate[1] compilation, with a great deal of information in small compass, but wants a list of works to make it complete. Also 19. a Life by H. F. Frost in 'The Great Musicians edited by Francis Hueffer' (London 1881), readable and intelligent, and has a list of works year by year.


Thematic Catalogues.

Of these there are two:—

1. 'Thematisches Verzeichniss im Druck erschienenen Compositionen von Franz Schubert. Vienna, Diabelli' [1852], contains the works from Opus 1 to 160; Schwanengesang; Lieferungen 1 to 50; and 30 songs (included in the foregoing) of a series entitled 'Immortellen.'

2. 'Thematisches Verzeichniss der im Druck erschienenen Werke von Franz Schubert, herausgegeben von G. Nottebohm. Vienna, F. Schreiber, 1874, pages 1–288.' This admirable work is as comprehensive and accurate as the previous publications of its author would imply its being. Under the head of printed works it comprises:—(1) works with opus numbers 1–173. (2) Nachgeissene Mus. Dichtungen, Lieferungen 1–50. (3) Works without opus numbers for orchestra, chamber-music, etc. (4) Doubtful and spurious compositions; works still in MS.; books, portraits, etc. (5) Index, list of songs, etc.

The information under each piece is not confined to the name and date of publication, but gives in most cases the date of composition, and frequently also such facts as the first time of performance, etc. It is in fact, like all Mr. Nottebohm's publications, a model of what such a catalogue should be.


Schubert's Letters, etc.

Date. Place. Addressed to. Where printed.
1812. Nov. 24 Vienna Ferd. Schubert N.Z.M. Feb. 1. 1839.[2]
1813. Sept. 27 Poem for his father's birthday K.H. 30 note (i. 30).[3]
1815. Sept. 27 Poem for his father's birthday K.H. 30 note (i. 31).
1816. June 16 Poem for Salieri's jubilee K.H. 82 note (i. 83).
June 13–16 Diary K.H. 103–105 (i. 103).
1817. Aug. 24 Lied. 'Abschied v. e. Freunde' Lief. xxix. 4.
1818. Feb. 2(?) J. Hüttenbrenner K.H. 125 (i. 129).
Aug. 3 Zelész Schober Bauernfeld, in Die Presse, Ap. 17, 1869; Signale, 1869, p. 978.
Aug. 24 Zelész Ferd. Schubert Dict. of Music, iii. 330.
1819. (?) J. Hüttenbrenner K.H. 126 note (i. 130).
May 19 A. Hüttenbrenner K.H. 152 (i. 154).
July 15 Steyr Ferd. Schubert K.H. 158 (i. 159).
Aug. 19 Linz Mayrhofer K.H. 159 (i. 160).
Sept. 14 Steyr K. Stadler's album K.H. 160 note (i. 161).
1820. Sept. Poem, 'Lasst sie nur' N.Z.M. Feb. 5, 1839.
1821. Nov. 9 Vienna Spaun K.H. 231 (i. 234). PS. to Schober's letter.
1822. (?) (?) Hüttenbrenner (?) K.H. 236 note (i. 239).
July 3 'My dream' N.Z.M. Feb. 5, 1839.
Oct. 31 Vienna Hüttenbrenner MS. (in my possession).
1823. Feb. 28 Vienna von Mosel Neue Freie Presse, Nov 19, 1881.
May 8 (?) 'My prayer,' Poem N.Z.M. Feb. 5, 1839.
Nov. 30 Vienna Schober Bauernfeld, in Die Presse, April 17. 1869; Signale. 1869, p. 979.
  1. I am sorry to find the inscription on the tomb very incorrectly given.
  2. N.Z.M. = Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.
  3. K.H. = Kreissle von Hellborn, Life of Schubert. The references in parentheses are to Coleridge's translation.