Schubert and His Vienna

by Charles Osborne

A detailed story of the composer's life is told against the political, social, and artistic background of Vienna and offers a concise view of the city of a great moment in its history.

Genres: Music, Classical Music, Biography

209 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Charles Thomas Osborne was a journalist, theatre and opera critic, poet and novelist. He was assistant editor of The London Magazine from 1958 until 1966, literature director of the Arts Council of Great Britain from 1971 until 1986, and chief theatre critic of Daily Telegraph (London) from 1986 to 1991. He is the only author the Agatha Christie Estate has ever allowed to produce adapted works in her name. (wikipedia)

Reviews

[Lobstergirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a layperson's biography of Schubert; although some of his works are discussed in the text, they're not written about in a scholarly manner. Osborne alternates chapters of Schubert's life and work and his circle of friends with chapters on contemporaneous life in Vienna during this Biedermeier era. It's a pleasant enough read about this extraordinarily prolific and talented man who was recognized somewhat for his work during his life, although not sufficiently. I was shocked to learn that some of his piano works weren't really critically acknowledged until the 20th century.

Schubert, whose primary teacher was Salieri, revered Haydn and Beethoven, and finally met Beethoven in the weeks before the latter's death. He served as a torchbearer at Beethoven's massive funeral. When Schubert died of complications from syphilis at age 31 (he had been introduced to prostitutes by a horny, pleasure-loving friend), his family made sure he was buried near Beethoven. Later both composers' graves would be transferred to Vienna's main cemetery, the Zentralfriedhof.

Schubert loved drinking wine with his buddies at night (he only composed in the morning) and taking extended walks in the country. The book finishes with a long letter from Franz to his brother describing a trip through the Salzburg area which is interesting as he describes the local architecture and various towns which are either lovely or hideous.

[Whit · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography of Franz Schubert presents a well-rounded portrait of the composer's short life. Schubert is underrated compared to the three B's (especially Brahms) and deserves more attention. The book contains numerous quotes from letters written by Schubert and his friends. It also gives a wonderful view of life in Vienna in the early 1800s, at least the type of life Schubert led - coffee houses, drinking establishments, having "rooms" and "taking meals at a certain place".