Editing Franz Schubert (section)

==Life and career==
===Early life and education===
Franz Peter Schubert was born in [[Alsergrund#District sections|Himmelpfortgrund]] (now a part of [[Alsergrund]]), Vienna, [[Archduchy of Austria]], on 31 January 1797, and baptized in the Catholic Church the following day.<ref>[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], p. 2</ref> He was the twelfth child of Franz Theodor Florian Schubert (1763–1830) and Maria Elisabeth Katharina Vietz (1756–1812).<ref>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 2</ref> Schubert's immediate ancestors came originally from the province of [[Zlaté Hory|Zuckmantel]] in [[Austrian Silesia]].<ref name=Kreisslev1pg1>[[#Kreissle1|Kreissle (1869)]], p. 1</ref> His father, the son of a [[Moravia]]n peasant, was a well-known parish [[schoolmaster]], and his school in [[Lichtental]] (in Vienna's [[Alsergrund|ninth district]]) had numerous students in attendance.<ref name="KreissleWilber2">[[#Wilberforce|Wilberforce (1866)]], p. 2: "the school was much frequented"</ref> He came to Vienna from Zuckmantel in 1784 and was appointed schoolmaster two years later.<ref name=Kreisslev1pg1/> His mother was the daughter of a [[Silesians|Silesian]] master [[locksmith]] and had been a housemaid for a Viennese family before marriage. Of Franz Theodor and Elisabeth's fourteen children (one of them illegitimate, born in 1783),<ref>[[Rita Steblin|Steblin, Rita]] (2001). "Franz Schubert – das dreizehnte Kind", ''{{ill|Wiener Geschichtsblätter|de}}'', 245–265</ref> nine died in infancy.
[[File:Alsergrund (Wien) - Schuberthaus (1).JPG|thumb|[[Schubert's birthplace|The house in which Schubert was born]], today Nußdorfer Straße 54]]

At the age of five, Schubert began to receive regular lessons from his father, and a year later he was enrolled at his father's school.{{sfn|Hadow|1911|p=383}} Although it is not known exactly when he received his first musical instruction, he was given piano lessons by his brother Ignaz, but they lasted for a very short time as Schubert excelled him within a few months.<ref name="mckay11">[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 11</ref> Ignaz later recalled:
{{blockquote|I was amazed when Franz told me, a few months after we began, that he had no need of any further instruction from me, and that for the future he would make his own way. And in truth his progress in a short period was so great that I was forced to acknowledge in him a master who had completely distanced and outstripped me, and whom I despaired of overtaking.<ref name="Kreissle 1866 p. 5">[[#Kreissle1|Kreissle (1869)]], p. 5</ref>}}

His father gave him his first [[violin]] lessons when he was eight years old, training him to the point where he could play easy duets proficiently.<ref name="Duncan3">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], p. 3</ref> Soon after, Schubert was given his first lessons outside the family by Michael Holzer, organist and choirmaster of the local parish church in Lichtental. Holzer would often assure Schubert's father, with tears in his eyes, that he had never had such a pupil as Schubert,<ref name="Kreissle 1866 p. 5"/> and the lessons may have largely consisted of conversations and expressions of admiration.<ref>[[#BrownNG|Brown (1983)]], pp. 2–3</ref> Holzer gave the young Schubert instruction in piano and organ as well as in [[figured bass]].<ref name="Kreissle 1866 p. 5"/> According to Holzer, however, he did not give him any real instruction as Schubert would already know anything that he tried to teach him; rather, he looked upon Schubert with "astonishment and silence".<ref name="Duncan3"/> The boy seemed to gain more from an acquaintance with a friendly apprentice [[joiner]] who took him to a neighbouring [[pianoforte]] warehouse where Schubert could practise on better instruments.<ref name="Wilberforce3">[[#Wilberforce|Wilberforce (1866)]], p. 3</ref> He also played [[viola]] in the family string quartet, with his brothers [[Ferdinand Schubert|Ferdinand]] and Ignaz on first and second violin and his father on the [[cello]]. Schubert wrote his earliest string quartets for this ensemble.<ref name="GibbsLife26">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 26</ref>

Young Schubert first came to the attention of [[Antonio Salieri]], then Vienna's leading musical authority, in 1804, when his vocal talent was recognized.<ref name="GibbsLife26"/> In November 1808, he became a pupil at the Stadtkonvikt (Imperial Seminary) through a choir scholarship. At the Stadtkonvikt, he was introduced to the overtures and symphonies of [[Mozart]], the symphonies of [[Joseph Haydn]] and his younger brother [[Michael Haydn]], and the overtures and symphonies of [[Beethoven]], a composer for whom he developed admiration.<ref name="McKay22">[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 22</ref><ref name="Duncan5">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], pp. 5–7</ref> His exposure to these and other works, combined with occasional visits to the opera, laid the foundation for a broader musical education.<ref name="Duncan7" /> One important musical influence came from the songs by [[Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg]], an important composer of [[Lied]]er. The precocious young student "wanted to modernize" Zumsteeg's songs, as reported by [[Joseph von Spaun]], Schubert's friend.<ref name="GibbsLife29">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 29</ref> Schubert's friendship with Spaun began at the Stadtkonvikt and lasted throughout his short life. In those early days, the financially well-off Spaun furnished the impoverished Schubert with much of his manuscript paper.<ref name="Duncan7">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], p. 7</ref>

In the meantime, Schubert's talent began to show in his compositions; Salieri decided to start training him privately in [[music theory]] and composition. According to Ferdinand, the boy's first composition for piano was a [[Fantasy in G major for piano four-hands, D 1 (Schubert)|Fantasy for four hands]]; his first song, ''Klagegesang der Hagar'', was written a year later.<ref name=Kreisslev1pg6>[[#Kreissle1|Kreissle (1869)]], p. 6</ref> Schubert was occasionally permitted to lead the Stadtkonvikt's orchestra,<ref name="Duncan9">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], p. 9</ref> the first orchestra he wrote for. He devoted much of the rest of his time at the Stadtkonvikt to composing chamber music, several songs, piano pieces and, more ambitiously, liturgical choral works in the form of a "Salve Regina" (D 27), a "Kyrie" (D 31), in addition to the unfinished "Octet for Winds" (D 72, said to commemorate the 1812 death of his mother),<ref name="Frost9">[[#Frost|Frost (1915)]], p. 9</ref> the [[cantata]] ''Wer ist groß?'' for male voices and orchestra (D 110, for his father's birthday in 1813), and his [[Symphony No. 1 (Schubert)|first symphony]] (D 82).<ref name="Duncan10">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], p. 10</ref>

===Teacher at his father's school===
[[File:Re-touched possible portrait of the young Schubert, by Josef Abeljpg.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb|Possible portrait of the young Franz Schubert {{circa|1814}},  attributed to [[Josef Abel]]]]
At the end of 1813, Schubert left the Stadtkonvikt and returned home for teacher training at the St Anna Normal-[[hauptschule]]. In 1814, he entered his father's school as the teacher of the youngest pupils. For over two years, young Schubert endured severe drudgery.<ref name="Duncan13">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], pp. 13–14</ref> However, he found compensatory interests during this time. For example, Schubert continued to take private lessons in composition from Salieri, who provided him with more technical training than any of his other teachers, until they parted ways in 1817.<ref name="Duncan9"/>

In 1814, Schubert met a young soprano named [[Therese Grob]], daughter of a local silk manufacturer, and wrote several of his [[Liturgy|liturgical works]] (including a "Salve Regina" and a "Tantum Ergo") for her; she was also a soloist in the premiere of his [[Mass No. 1 (Schubert)|Mass No. 1]] (D. 105) in September<ref>Benedikt, Erich. "Notizen zu Schuberts Messen. Mit neuem Uraufführungsdatum der Messe in F-Dur", ''[[Österreichische Musikzeitschrift]]'' 52, 1–2/1997, p. 64</ref> 1814.<ref name="Duncan13" /> Schubert wanted to marry her, but was hindered by the harsh marriage-consent law of 1815<ref name="SteblinMarry">[[#SteblinCM|Steblin (1998)]]</ref> requiring an aspiring bridegroom to show he had the means to support a family.<ref name="GibbsLife39">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 39</ref> In November 1816, after failing to gain a musical post in Laibach (now [[Ljubljana]], [[Slovenia]]), Schubert sent Ms. Grob's brother Heinrich a collection of songs, which was retained by the family into the twentieth century.<ref name="Newbould64">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 64</ref>

One of Schubert's most prolific years was 1815. He composed over 20,000 bars of music, more than half of which were for orchestra, including nine church works, a symphony, and about 140 Lieder.<ref name="Newbould40">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 40</ref> In that year, he was also introduced to [[Anselm Hüttenbrenner]] and [[Franz von Schober]], who would become his lifelong friends. Another friend, [[Johann Mayrhofer]], was introduced to him by Spaun in 1815.<ref>[[#Gramit|Gramit (1997)]], p. 108</ref>

Throughout 1815, Schubert lived at home with his father. He continued to teach at the school and give private musical instruction, earning enough money for his basic needs, including clothing, manuscript paper, pens, and ink, but with little to no money left over for luxuries.<ref>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 55</ref> Spaun was well aware that Schubert was discontented with his life at the schoolhouse, and was concerned for Schubert's development intellectually and musically. In May 1816, Spaun moved from his apartment in Landskrongasse (in the inner city) to a new home in the [[Landstraße]] suburb; one of the first things he did after he settled into the new home was to invite Schubert to spend a few days with him. This was probably Schubert's first visit away from home or school.<ref>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 59</ref> Schubert's unhappiness during his years as a schoolteacher possibly showed early signs of [[depression (mood)|depression]], and it is virtually certain that Schubert suffered from [[cyclothymia]] throughout his life.<ref>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 138</ref>

In 1989, the musicologist [[Maynard Solomon]] suggested that Schubert was erotically attracted to men,<ref>[[Maynard Solomon|Solomon, M.]] (Spring 1989): "Franz Schubert and the Peacocks of [[Benvenuto Cellini]]. ''[[19th-Century Music]]'', vol. 12, pp. 193–206.</ref> a thesis that has been heatedly debated.<ref>"Schubert: Music, Sexuality, Culture." ''[[19th-Century Music]]'', 1993, 17:3–101.</ref><ref>[http://www.nybooks.com/articles/1994/10/20/schubert-a-la-mode/ "Schubert à la Mode"], ''[[The New York Review of Books]]'', 20 October 1994</ref> The musicologist and Schubert expert [[Rita Steblin]] has said that he was "chasing women".<ref>[[Rita Steblin|Steblin, Rita]] (1993): "The Peacock's Tale: Schubert's Sexuality Reconsidered." ''[[19th-Century Music]]''. Berkeley, California: Univ. of California Press, {{ISSN|0148-2076}}, ZDB-ID 4395712, T 17., 1, pp. 5–33; Steblin, Rita (1996), ''Babette und Therese Kunz: neue Forschungen zum Freundeskreis um Franz Schubert und Leopold Kupelwieser'', Wien: Vom Pasqualatihaus. {{ISBN|978-3-901254-16-1}}; Steblin, Rita (1997): "Schubert's 'Nina' and the True Peacocks". ''[[The Musical Times]]'' 138, pp. 13–19; Steblin, Rita (1998): ''Die Unsinnsgesellschaft: Franz Schubert, Leopold Kupelwieser und ihr Freundeskreis''. Böhlau. {{ISBN|978-3-205-98820-5}}; Steblin, Rita (2001): "Schubert's Problematic Relationship with Johann Mayrhofer: New Documentary Evidence". Barbara Haggh (ed.): ''Essays on Music and Culture in Honor of Herbert Kellman''. Paris-Tours: Minerve, pp. 465–495; Steblin, Rita (2008), "Schubert's Pepi: His Love Affair with the Chambermaid Josepha Pöcklhofer and Her Surprising Fate". ''[[The Musical Times]]'', pp. 47–69.</ref> The theory of Schubert's sexuality or "Schubert as Other" has continued to influence current scholarship.<ref>Horton, Julian (2015). ''[https://www.routledge.com/Schubert/Horton/p/book/9781472439376 Schubert]''. Routledge, pages xi–xvii</ref> Biographer Lorraine Byrne Bodley is sceptical "...of Solomon’s "outing" of Schubert, saying this misunderstands the passionate "homosocial" friendships of 19th-century Europe."<ref>Hewett, Ivan. "Forget the angelic Schubert myth – this biography tells the real story", ''The Telegraph'', 2 July 2023</ref>

===Support from friends===
[[File:Karikatur_von_Johann_Michael_Voglund_Franz_Schubert%2C_circa_1825.jpg|thumb|upright|Caricature of Johann Michael Vogl and Franz Schubert by [[Franz von Schober]] (1825)]]
Significant changes occurred in Schubert's life in 1816 when Schober, a student from an affluent family, invited him to lodge at his mother's house. The proposal was particularly opportune, for Schubert had just made the unsuccessful application for the post of [[Kapellmeister]] at Laibach, and he had also decided not to resume teaching duties at his father's school. By the end of the year, he became a guest in Schober's lodgings.<ref>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 68</ref> For a time, he attempted to increase the household resources by giving music lessons, but they were soon abandoned, and he devoted himself to composition.{{sfn|Hadow|1911|p=384}} "I compose every morning, and when one piece is done, I begin another."<ref name="Duncan26">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], p. 26</ref> During this year, he focused on orchestral and choral works, although he also continued to write Lieder.<ref name="McKayBio56">[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 56</ref> Much of this work was unpublished, but manuscripts and copies circulated among friends and admirers.<ref name="GibbsLife44">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 44</ref>

In early 1817, Schober introduced Schubert to [[Johann Michael Vogl]], a prominent baritone twenty years Schubert's senior. Vogl, for whom Schubert went on to write a great many songs, became one of Schubert's main proponents in Viennese musical circles. Schubert also met Joseph Hüttenbrenner (brother of Anselm), who also played a role in promoting his music.<ref name="Newbould66">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 66</ref> These, and an increasing circle of friends and musicians, became responsible for promoting, collecting, and, after his death, preserving his work.<ref name="Duncan90">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], pp. 90–93</ref> [[Heinrich Anschütz]] wrote in his memoirs that Schubert was an active member of the 1817–1818 [[Unsinnsgesellschaft]] (Nonsenses Society), and various scholars agree with this.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb10061400?page=281 | title='Erinnerungen aus dessen Leben und Wirken : Nach eigenhändigen Aufzeichnungen und mündlichen Mittheilungen' - Digitalisat &#124; MDZ }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Steblin |first=Rita |url=https://archive.org/details/dieunsinnsgesell0000steb/page/n17/mode/2up |title=Die Unsinnsgesellschaft: Franz Schubert, Leopold Kupelwieser und ihr Freundeskreis |date=1998 |publisher=Böhlau |others=Erich Benedikt |isbn=3-205-98820-5 |location=Wien |pages=1 |language=de |oclc=40519173}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Dürhammer |first=Ilija |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/49416312 |title=Schuberts literarische Heimat: Dichtung und Literatur-Rezeption der Schubert-Freunde |date=1999 |publisher=Böhlau |isbn=3-205-99051-X |location=Wien |pages=79–91, 235–245 |oclc=49416312}}</ref>

[[File:Kaleidoskop&Draisine.tif|thumb|left|''Das [[Kaleidoscope|Kaleidoskop]] und die [[Dandy horse|Draisine]]'', [[Leopold Kupelwieser]]'s caricature of himself and Franz Schubert for the [[Unsinnsgesellschaft]] (16 July 1818)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digital.wienbibliothek.at/download/pdf/1943510.pdf|website=wienbibliothek.at|title=Vienna Library}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Frühauf |first=Tina |date=2005 |title=Schubert and the Draisine: An Odd Couple in the Archiv des Menschlichen Unsinns |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41818778 |journal=Music in Art |volume=30 |issue=1/2 |pages=117–119 |jstor=41818778 |issn=1522-7464}}</ref>]]

In late 1817, Schubert's father gained a new position at a school in [[Alsergrund#District sections|Rossau]], not far from Lichtental. Schubert rejoined his father and reluctantly took up teaching duties there. In early 1818, he applied for membership in the prestigious [[Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde]], intending to gain admission as an accompanist, but also so that his music, especially the songs, could be performed in the evening concerts. He was rejected on the basis that he was "no amateur", although he had been employed as a schoolteacher at the time and there were professional musicians already among the society's membership.<ref name=McKay75>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], 75</ref><ref name="Newbould69"/> However, he began to gain more notice in the press, and the first public performance of a secular work, an overture performed in February 1818, received praise from the press in Vienna and abroad.<ref name="GibbsLife59">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 59</ref>

Schubert spent the summer of 1818 as a music teacher to the family of Count Johann Karl [[Esterházy]] at their château in Zselíz (now [[Želiezovce]], Slovakia). The pay was relatively good, and his duties teaching piano and singing to the two daughters, Marie and [[Caroline Esterházy|Caroline]], were relatively light, allowing him to compose happily. Schubert may have written his [[Three Marches militaires (Schubert)|Marches Militaire in D major]] (D. 733 no. 1) for Marie and Caroline, in addition to other piano duets.<ref name="Newbould235">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 235</ref> On his return from Zselíz, he took up residence with his friend Mayrhofer.<ref name="Newbould69">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]] pp. 69–72</ref>

[[File:Waldmüller, 'La soprano Josephine Fröhlich, el barítono Johann Michael Vogl y Franz Schubert cantan y tocan un lied a tres voces'.png|thumb|upright=0.8|Sketch by [[Waldmüller]] of a trio of singers [[Josephine Fröhlich]] and [[Johann Michael Vogl]] with Schubert singing at the piano]]
During the early 1820s, Schubert was part of a close-knit circle of artists and students who had social gatherings together that became known as ''[[Schubertiad]]s.'' Many of them took place in [[Ignaz von Sonnleithner]]'s large apartment in the Gundelhof (Brandstätte 5, Vienna). The tight circle of friends with which Schubert surrounded himself was dealt a blow in early 1820. Schubert and four of his friends were arrested by the Austrian police who, in the aftermath of the [[French Revolution]] and [[Napoleonic Wars]], were on their guard against revolutionary activities and suspicious of any gathering of youth or students. One of Schubert's friends, [[Johann Senn]], was put on trial, imprisoned for over a year, and then permanently forbidden to enter Vienna. The other four, including Schubert, were "severely reprimanded", in part for "inveighing against [officials] with insulting and opprobrious language".<ref name="GibbsLife67">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 67</ref> While Schubert never saw Senn again, he did set some of his poems, ''Selige Welt'' (D. 743) and ''Schwanengesang'' (D 744), to music. The incident may have played a role in a falling-out with Mayrhofer, with whom he was living at the time.<ref name="GibbsLife68">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 68</ref>

Schubert, who was only a little more than five feet tall,<ref>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 70</ref> was nicknamed "Schwammerl" by his friends, which Gibbs describes as translating to "Tubby" or "Little Mushroom".<ref>[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 7</ref> "Schwamm" is "mushroom" in the Austrian and Bavarian dialects of German; the ending "-erl" makes it a diminutive. Gibbs also claims he may have occasionally drunk to excess, noting that references to Schubert's heavy drinking "... come not only in later accounts, but also in documents dating from his lifetime."<ref>[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 97</ref>

===Musical maturity===
Schubert's compositions of 1819 and 1820 show a marked advance in development and maturity of style.{{sfn|Hadow|1911|p=384}} He began the ultimately unfinished [[oratorio]] ''Lazarus'' (D. 689) in February 1820. This was later followed by the hymn "Der 23. Psalm" (D. 706), the octet "[[Gesang der Geister über den Wassern]]" (D. 714), the [[Quartettsatz, D. 703 (Schubert)|Quartettsatz]] in C minor (D. 703), the ''[[Wanderer Fantasy]]'' in C major for piano (D. 760), and additional smaller works. In 1820, two of Schubert's operas were staged: ''[[Die Zwillingsbrüder]]'' (D. 647) appeared at the [[Theater am Kärntnertor]] on 14 June, and ''Die Zauberharfe'' (D. 644) appeared at the [[Theater an der Wien]] on 21 August.<ref name="Austin46">[[#Austin|Austin (1873)]], pp. 46–47</ref> Hitherto, his larger compositions (apart from his masses) had been restricted to the amateur orchestra at the Gundelhof (Brandstätte 5, Vienna), a society which grew out of the quartet-parties at his home. Now he began to assume a more prominent position, addressing a wider public.<ref name="Austin46" /> Publishers, however, remained distant, with [[Anton Diabelli]] hesitantly agreeing to print some of his works on commission.<ref name="Wilberforce90">[[#Wilberforce|Wilberforce (1866)]], pp. 90–92</ref> The first seven opus numbers, all songs, appeared on these terms; then the commission ceased, and he began to receive parsimonious royalties.{{sfn|Hadow|1911|p=385}} The situation improved somewhat in March 1821 when Vogl performed the song "[[Erlkönig (Schubert)|Erlkönig]]" (D. 328) at a concert that was extremely well received.<ref name="Wilberforce25">[[#Wilberforce|Wilberforce (1866)]], p. 25</ref> That month, Schubert composed a Variation on a Waltz by Diabelli (D 718), being one of the fifty composers who contributed to the ''[[Vaterländischer Künstlerverein]]'' publication.

[[File:Franz Schubert by Wilhelm August Rieder.jpeg|thumb|left|Watercolour of Franz Schubert by [[Wilhelm August Rieder]] (1825)]]

The production of the two operas turned Schubert's attention more firmly than ever in the direction of the stage, where, for a variety of reasons, he was almost completely unsuccessful. All in all, he embarked on twenty stage projects, each of them failures that were quickly forgotten. In 1822, ''[[Alfonso und Estrella]]'' was rejected, partly owing to its libretto, written by Schubert's friend [[Franz von Schober]].<ref name="newbould173">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 173</ref> In 1823, ''[[Fierrabras (opera)|Fierrabras]]'' (D 796) was rejected: [[Domenico Barbaia]], [[impresario]] for the court theatres, largely lost interest in new German opera due to the popularity of [[Rossini]] and the Italian operatic style, and the failure of [[Carl Maria von Weber]]'s ''[[Euryanthe]]''.<ref name="CambridgeCompanion245">[[#Denny|Denny (1997)]], pp. 245–246</ref> ''Die Verschworenen'' (''The Conspirators'', D 787) was prohibited by the censor, apparently because of its title,<ref name="Gibbs111">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 111</ref> and the play ''[[Rosamunde, Fürstin von Zypern]]'', for which Schubert had written incidental music (D 797), was withdrawn after two nights, due to the play's poor quality.{{sfn|Hadow|1911|p=385}}

Despite his operatic failures, Schubert's reputation was growing steadily on other fronts. In 1821, the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde finally accepted him as a performing member, and the number of performances of his music grew remarkably.<ref name=McKay101>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 101</ref> These performances helped Schubert's reputation grow rapidly among the members of the Gesellschaft<ref name=McKay101/> and established his name.<ref name="newbould173"/> Some of the members of the Gesellschaft, most notably [[Ignaz von Sonnleithner]] and his son [[Leopold von Sonnleithner]], had a sizeable influence on the affairs of the society, and as a result of that and of Schubert's growing reputation, his works were included in three major concerts of the Gesellschaft in 1821. In April, one of his male-voice quartets was performed, and in November, his Overture in E minor (D. 648) received its first public performance;<ref name=McKay101/> at a different concert on the same day as the premiere of the Overture, his song ''[[Der Wanderer]]'' (D. 489) was performed.<ref name=newbould173/>

In 1822, Schubert made the acquaintance of both Weber and [[Beethoven]] but little came of it in either case;{{sfn|Hadow|1911|p=385}} however, Beethoven is said to have acknowledged the younger man's gifts on a few occasions. On his deathbed, Beethoven is said to have looked into some of the younger man's works and exclaimed: "Truly, the spark of divine genius resides in this Schubert!" Beethoven also reportedly predicted that Schubert "would make a great sensation in the world," and regretted that he had not been more familiar with him earlier; he wished to see his operas and works for piano, but his severe illness prevented him from doing so.<ref name="lvbv1">[[#Thayer|Thayer (1921)]], pp. 299–300</ref>

===Last years and masterworks===
Despite his preoccupation with the stage and subsequent official duties, Schubert wrote a significant amount of music during these years.{{sfn|Hadow|1911|p=385}} He completed the [[Mass No. 5 (Schubert)|Mass in A-flat major]], (D. 678) in 1822, and later that year embarked suddenly on a work which, more decisively than almost any other in those years, showed his maturing personal vision, the [[Symphony No. 8 (Schubert)|Symphony in B minor]], known as the ''Unfinished'' Symphony (D. 759).<ref>[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 182</ref> The reason he left it unfinished – after writing two movements and sketches some way into a third – continues to be discussed and written about, and it is also remarkable that he did not mention it to any of his friends, even though, as [[Brian Newbould]] notes, he must have felt thrilled by what he was achieving.<ref>[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], pp. 182–183</ref>

[[File:Franz Schubert by Kriehuber 1846.jpg|left|thumb|Franz Schubert by [[Josef Kriehuber]] (1846)]]
In 1823, Schubert wrote his first large-scale [[song cycle]], ''[[Die schöne Müllerin]]'' (D. 795), setting poems by [[Wilhelm Müller]].<ref name="Newbould215">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 215</ref> This series, together with the later cycle ''[[Winterreise]]'' (D. 911, also setting texts of Müller in 1827) is widely considered one of the pinnacles of Lieder.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/ian-bostridges-schuberts-winter-journey-examines-the-composers-melancholy-work/2015/02/04/9228fdda-aaf4-11e4-9c91-e9d2f9fde644_story.html |title=Ian Bostridge's 'Schubert's ''Winter Journey'' examines the composer's melancholy work|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|author=[[Michael Dirda|Dirda, Michael]]|date=4 February 2015|access-date=8 February 2015|quote=Franz Schubert's ''Winterreise'' is the greatest, and the most bleakly melancholy, of all song cycles.}}</ref> He also composed the song ''[[Du bist die Ruh']]'' (''You are rest and peace'',<ref name="Reed1997">[[#Reed|Reed (1997)]], pp. 208–209</ref> D. 776) during this year. Also in that year, symptoms of [[syphilis]] first appeared.<ref name="Newbould210">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 210</ref>

In 1824, he composed the Variations in E minor for flute and piano; ''Trockne Blumen'', a song from the cycle ''Die schöne Müllerin''; and several string quartets. He also wrote the [[Arpeggione Sonata|Sonata in A minor]] for [[arpeggione]] and piano (D. 821) at the time when there was a minor craze over that instrument.<ref name="Newbould221225">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], pp. 221–225</ref> In the spring of that year, he wrote the [[Octet (Schubert)|Octet in F major]] (D. 803), a sketch for a "Grand Symphony," and in the summer went back to ''Zseliz''. There he became attracted to Hungarian musical idiom and wrote the ''Divertissement à la hongroise'' in G minor for piano duet (D. 818) and the [[String Quartet No. 13 (Schubert)|String Quartet in A minor]] ''Rosamunde'' (D. 804).{{sfn|Hadow|1911|p=385}} It has been said that he held a hopeless passion for his pupil, the Countess [[Caroline Esterházy]],<ref>[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 260</ref> but the only work that bears a dedication to her is his [[Fantasia in F minor for piano four-hands, D 940 (Schubert)|Fantasia in F minor]] for piano duet (D. 940). This dedication, however, can only be found in the first edition and not in Schubert's [[Autograph (manuscript)|autograph]].<ref name="Newbould218">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 218</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schubert |first=Franz |title=Fantasie f-Moll |url=https://schubert-online.at/activpage/manuskripte.php?top=1&werke_id=10065&werkteile_id=&image=%27ONB_MusHs19491_D940_001.jpg%27&groesse=50&aktion=einzelbild&bild_id=4 |access-date=27 February 2023 |website=schubert-online.at}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Schubert |first=Franz |title=Fantasie f-Moll |publisher=G. Henle Verlag |year=1976 |editor-last=Kahl |editor-first=Willi |location=München |pages=Preface |ismn=979-0-2018-0180-3}}</ref> His friend [[Eduard von Bauernfeld]] penned the following verse, which appears to reference Schubert's unrequited sentiments:
<blockquote><poem>
In love with a Countess of youthful grace,
—A pupil of Galt's; in desperate case
Young Schubert surrenders himself to another,
And fain would avoid such affectionate pother<ref name="Duncan99">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], p. 99</ref></poem>
</blockquote>
The setbacks of previous years were compensated by the prosperity and happiness of 1825. Publication had been moving more rapidly, the stress of poverty was for a time lightened, and in the summer he had a pleasant holiday in [[Upper Austria]] where he was welcomed with enthusiasm.{{sfn|Hadow|1911|p=385}} It was during this tour that he produced the seven-song cycle ''Fräulein am See'', based on [[Walter Scott]]'s ''[[The Lady of the Lake (poem)|The Lady of the Lake]]'', and including "[[Ave Maria (Schubert)|Ellens Gesang III]]" ("Hymn to the Virgin") (D. 839, Op. 52, No. 6); the lyrics of Adam Storck's German translation of the Scott poem are now frequently replaced by the full text of the traditional Roman Catholic prayer [[Hail Mary]] (''Ave Maria'' in Latin), but for which the Schubert melody is not an original setting. The original only opens with the greeting "Ave Maria", which also recurs only in the refrain.<ref name="AveMariaSetting">[[#Emmons|Emmons (2006)]], p. 38</ref> In 1825, Schubert also wrote the [[Piano Sonata in A minor, D. 845 (Schubert)|Piano Sonata in A minor]] (D 845, first published as op. 42), and began the [[Symphony No. 9 (Schubert)|Symphony in C major]] (''Great C major'', D. 944), which was completed the following year.<ref name="Newbould228">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 228</ref>
[[File:Franz Schubert by Wilhelm August Rieder 1875.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Wilhelm August Rieder]]: Oil painting, 1875, after Rieder's watercolor painting of 1825.]]

From 1826 to 1828, Schubert resided continuously in Vienna, except for a brief visit to [[Graz]], Austria, in 1827. In 1826, he dedicated [[Symphony No. 9 (Schubert)|a symphony]] (D. 944, that later came to be known as the ''Great C major'') to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde and received an honorarium in return.<ref>[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 254</ref> The [[String Quartet No. 14 (Schubert)|String Quartet No. 14]] in D minor (D. 810), with the variations on ''[[Death and the Maiden (song)|Death and the Maiden]]'', was written during the winter of 1825–1826, and first played on 25 January 1826. Later in the year came the [[String Quartet No. 15 (Schubert)|String Quartet No. 15]] in G major, (D 887, first published as op. 161), the ''[[Rondo in B minor for violin and piano, D 895 (Schubert)|Rondo in B minor for violin and piano]]'' (D. 895), ''Rondeau brillant'', and the [[Piano Sonata in G major, D. 894 (Schubert)|Piano Sonata in G major]], (D 894, first published as ''Fantasie in G'', op. 78). He also produced in 1826 three [[William Shakespeare|Shakespearian]] songs, of which "{{Lang|de|Ständchen}}" (D. 889) and "{{Lang|de|[[An Sylvia]]}}" (D. 891) were allegedly written on the same day, the former at a tavern where he broke his afternoon's walk, the latter on his return to his lodging in the evening.<ref name="SmithCarlson78">[[#SmithCarlson|Smith &amp; Carlson (1995)]], p. 78</ref>

The works of his last two years reveal a composer entering a new professional and compositional stage.<ref>[[#CambridgeCompanion|Gibbs (1999)]], p. 62</ref> Although parts of Schubert's personality were influenced by his friends, he nurtured an intensely personal dimension in solitude; it was out of this dimension that he wrote his greatest music.<ref>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 268</ref> The death of Beethoven affected Schubert deeply,<ref>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 276</ref> and may have motivated Schubert to reach new artistic peaks. In 1827, Schubert wrote the song cycle ''[[Winterreise]]'' (D. 911), the Fantasy in C major for violin and piano (D. 934, first published as op. post. 159), the [[Impromptus (Schubert)|Impromptus]] for piano, and the two piano trios ([[Piano Trio No. 1 (Schubert)|the first]] in B-flat major (D. 898), and [[Piano Trio No. 2 (Schubert)|the second]] in E-flat major, (D. 929);<ref name="Newbould261">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]] pp. 261–263</ref> in 1828 the cantata ''Mirjams Siegesgesang'' (''Victory Song of Miriam'', D 942) on a text by [[Franz Grillparzer]], the [[Mass No. 6 (Schubert)|Mass in E-flat major]] (D. 950), the ''Tantum Ergo'' (D. 962) in the same key, the [[String Quintet (Schubert)|String Quintet in C major]] (D. 956), the second "Benedictus" to the [[Mass No. 4 (Schubert)|Mass in C major]] (D. 961), [[Schubert's last sonatas|the three final piano sonatas]] (D. 958, D. 959, and D. 960), and the collection ''13 Lieder nach Gedichten von Rellstab und Heine'' for voice and piano, also known as ''[[Schwanengesang]]'' (''Swan-song'', D. 957).<ref name="Newbould270">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]] pp. 270–274</ref> (This collection – which includes settings of words by [[Heinrich Heine]], [[Ludwig Rellstab]], and [[Johann Gabriel Seidl]] – is not a true song cycle like ''Die schöne Müllerin'' or ''Winterreise''.<ref>[[#McKayBio|McKay (1996)]], p. 313: "That Schubert in no way considered the songs as a cycle is confirmed by his letter to Probst of 2 October mentioning that he had recently written 'several songs by Heine'."</ref>) The ''Great C major'' symphony is dated 1828, but Schubert scholars believe that this symphony was largely written in 1825–1826 (being referred to while he was on holiday at Gastein in 1825—that work, once considered lost, is now generally seen as an early stage of his C major symphony) and was revised for prospective performance in 1828. The orchestra of the Gesellschaft reportedly read through the symphony at a rehearsal, but never scheduled a public performance of it. The reasons continue to be unknown, although the difficulty of the symphony is a possible explanation.<ref name="CambridgeCompanion203">[[#Griffel|Griffel (1997)]], p. 203</ref> In the last weeks of his life, he began to sketch three movements for a new [[Symphony No. 10 (Schubert)|Symphony in D major]] (D 936A);<ref name="Newbould385">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 385</ref> In this work, he anticipates [[Mahler]]'s use of folksong-like harmonics and bare soundscapes.<ref>[[#Newbould|(1999)]], p. 385, and comments in the liner notes to the [https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/schubert-symphony-no-10-and-other-unfinished-symphonies-mr0002106545 CD recording] issued on [[Hyperion Records]]</ref> Schubert expressed the wish, were he to survive his final illness, to further develop his knowledge of harmony and counterpoint, and had actually made appointments for lessons with the counterpoint master [[Simon Sechter]].<ref name="Schonberg130">[[#Schonberg|Schonberg (1997)]], p. 130</ref>

On 26 March 1828, the anniversary of Beethoven's death, Schubert gave, for the only time in his career, a public concert of his own works.<ref name="Newbould 1999 pp. 265">[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], pp. 265–266</ref> The concert was a success popularly and financially,<ref name="Newbould 1999 pp. 265"/> although it was overshadowed by [[Niccolò Paganini]]'s first appearances in Vienna shortly after.<ref>[[#CambridgeCompanion|Gibbs (1997)]], p. 44</ref>

[[File:Schubert's Brille.jpg|thumb|Schubert's glasses]]

===Final illness and death===
[[File:Kalvarienbergkirche Hernals 9.JPG|thumb|Memorial at the Kalvarienberg Church, [[Hernals]]]]
[[File:Schubert Franz.jpg|thumb|The site of Schubert's first tomb at [[Währing]]]]

In the midst of this creative activity, his health deteriorated. By the late 1820s, Schubert's health was failing and he confided to some friends that he feared that he was near death. In the late summer of 1828, he saw the physician Ernst Rinna, who may have confirmed Schubert's suspicions that he was ill beyond cure and likely to die soon.<ref name=Newbould275/> Some of his symptoms matched those of [[mercury poisoning]] ([[mercury (element)|mercury]] was then a common treatment for syphilis, again suggesting that Schubert suffered from it).<ref name="Gibbs168">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], pp. 168–169</ref> At the beginning of November, he again fell ill, experiencing headaches, fever, swollen joints, and vomiting. He was generally unable to retain solid food and his condition worsened. Five days before Schubert's death, his friend the violinist [[Karl Holz (violinist)|Karl Holz]] and his string quartet visited to play for him. The last musical work he had wished to hear was Beethoven's [[String Quartet No. 14 (Beethoven)|String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 131]]; Holz commented: "The King of Harmony has sent the King of Song a friendly bidding to the crossing".<ref>[[#Memoirs|Deutsche (1998)]], p. 300</ref>

Schubert died in Vienna, aged 31, on 19 November 1828, at the apartment of his brother Ferdinand. The cause of his death was officially diagnosed as typhoid fever, though other theories have been proposed, including the [[Syphilis#Tertiary|tertiary stage of syphilis]].<ref name=Newbould275>[[#Newbould|Newbould (1999)]], p. 275.</ref> Although there are accounts by his friends that indirectly imply that he had contracted syphilis earlier, the symptoms of his final illness do not correspond with tertiary syphilis. Six weeks before his death, he walked 68 km (42 miles) in three days, ruling out musculoskeletal syphilis. In the months before his death, he composed his last work, "[[Der Hirt auf dem Felsen]]", making [[neurosyphilis]] unlikely. Meningovascular syphilis is also unlikely because it presents a progressive stroke-like picture, and Schubert had no neurological manifestation until his final delirium, which started only two days before his death. 
Lastly, his final illness was characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms (namely vomiting). These issues all led Robert L. Rold to argue that (although he believed Schubert had syphilis), the fatal final illness was a gastrointestinal one such as [[salmonella]] or indeed typhoid fever. Rold also pointed out that when Schubert was in his final illness, his close friend Schober avoided visiting him "out of fear of contagion". Yet Schober had known of his earlier possible syphilis and had never avoided Schubert in the past.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Schubert and Syphilis |journal=[[Journal of Medical Biography]] |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/096777209500300409 |last=Rold |first=Robert L. |year=1995 |issue=4 |volume=3 |pages=232–235|doi=10.1177/096777209500300409 |pmid=11616366 }}</ref> Eva M. Cybulska goes further and says that Schubert's syphilis is a conjecture. His multi-system signs and symptoms, she says, could point at a number of different illness such as [[leukaemia]], [[anaemia]], or [[Hashimoto's thyroiditis]], and that many tell-tale signs of syphilis — [[chancre]], mucous plaques, rash on the thorax, pupil abnormality, [[dysgraphia]] — were absent. She argues that the syphilis diagnosis originated with Schubert's biographer Otto Deutsch in 1907, based on the aforementioned indirect references by his friends, and uncritically repeated ever since.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The Myth of Schubert's Syphilis: A Critical Approach |journal=[[Music and Medicine]] |url=https://mmd.iammonline.com/index.php/musmed/article/download/647/pdf/0 |last=Cybulska |first=Eva Maria |year=2019 |issue=1 |volume=11 |pages=44–47|doi=10.47513/mmd.v11i1.647 |s2cid=151254154 }}</ref>

Schubert was buried, at his own request, near the grave of Beethoven, whom he had admired all his life, in the village cemetery of [[Währing]] on the edge of the [[Vienna Woods]].<ref name="Duncan79" /> A year earlier he had served as a torchbearer at [[Death of Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven's funeral]].
In 1872, [[Schubert Monument, Vienna|a memorial to Franz Schubert]] was erected in Vienna's [[Stadtpark, Vienna|Stadtpark]].<ref name="Duncan79">[[#Duncan|Duncan (1905)]], pp. 79–80</ref> In 1888, both Schubert's and Beethoven's graves were moved to the [[Zentralfriedhof]] where they are next to the later graves of [[Johann Strauss II]] and Johannes Brahms.<ref name="Gibbs197">[[#GibbsLife|Gibbs (2000)]], p. 197</ref> [[Anton Bruckner]] was present at both exhumations, and he reached into both coffins and held the revered skulls in his hands.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/apr/01/sex-death-dissonance-anton-bruckner-concertgebouw-orchestra Tom Service, "Sex, death and dissonance: the strange, obsessive world of Anton Bruckner", ''The Guardian'', 1 April 2014]. Retrieved 11 August 2020</ref> The cemetery in Währing was converted into a park in 1925, called the Schubert Park, and his former grave site was marked by a bust. His epitaph, written by his friend, the poet [[Franz Grillparzer]], reads: ''Die Tonkunst begrub hier einen reichen Besitz, aber noch viel schönere Hoffnungen'' ("The art of music has here interred a precious treasure, but yet far fairer hopes").