Another biography of Schubert? No, not really!

For anyone looking for a reasonable overview of Schubert, they should check out the article on his life on Wikipedia.org, available in over 120 languages.

So, no biography...or is it? Perhaps we’ll approach this a little differently...

On the evening of January 31, 1797, (if one believes the biographer) the baritone Johann Michael Vogl, who had been engaged at the Imperial Court Theatre at Kärntnertor in Vienna since 1794, performed in the singspiel "LA PIETRA SIMPATICA - The Sympathetic Stone," a comic opera in three acts. Vogl, who later significantly promoted Schubert and his music, sang the role of "Conrad." The music was by Silvestro di Palma, a Neapolitan kapellmeister. Vogl (still listed as "Vogel" in opera programs until 1809, thereafter as "Vogl") sang the role of Conrad.

While this opera (which, like the composer, no one knows anymore) was being performed at the most popular opera house of the time, a musical genius was coming into the world, unnoticed by anyone. No angel appeared to the shepherds, and not a single king set off for Vienna to greet the arrival.

The room (a so-called smoke kitchen) where Schubert saw the light of day in Himmelpfortgrund was small. In both the apartment and the courtyard, everyday noises could certainly be heard, especially the cries of children, as Franz Schubert alone had four older siblings at that time. All slept in one room, possibly even in one bed. Father Schubert mentions an alcove where his fourteen (!) children were born. (O.E. Deutsch - Schubert, The Memories of His Friends, p. 174) And then there were also the schoolchildren whom Father Schubert taught.
According to the baptismal records, only twelve children were actually born in this house, with Schubert being the tenth. Two children were born before the family moved to Himmelpfortgrund 42, and Elisabeth Vietz also had an illegitimate child before she married Schubert's father.

There was an incredible amount of death in those days. Of the 12 children whom Elisabeth Schubert (born Vietz) gave birth to before Franz Schubert, 8 had already passed away after a few months (some after just a few days). Another brother, who lived to be 5, died when Schubert was just a year old.

Most were baptized and blessed in the Lichtental parish church, which can still be visited today. The parish records (church books) can all be found on Matricula online.
A family tree and the corresponding links to the church records can be found here. (In preparation)

This church was also where Schubert celebrated his first musical successes, and it was here that his talent was initially nurtured.

By this time, the family had already moved to a new apartment just a few houses away, but with considerably more space, likely leading to a more comfortable life for everyone compared to their previous home in Himmelpfortgrund.

From both the old and the new apartment, one still has to descend the Himmelpfort Steps to overcome a height difference of about 10 meters to reach the church. Presumably, the descent to the church was brisk, with a slower return uphill.

Welche Kleidung trug man damals? Wie ist Schubert vermutlich herumgelaufen?
Diese Frage kann man leicht beantworten. Denn abgesehen von den Schubert-Portraits, die den Kennern unter Ihnen sicherlich hie und da schon unter die Augen gekommen sind, malte der k.k. Hofmaler Sigmund von Perger 1820 eine Serie von »Wiener Scenen aus dem gemeinen Leben nach der Natur gezeichnet«, die uns einen Eindruck von Farben und Sitten der Zeit ermöglichen.

Hier sehen Sie eines dieser Bilder. noch mehr finden Sie auf Wien Museum Online Sammlung unter den Stichworten »Perger« und »Wiener Scenen«.

Schubert was born into a time when men wore tall hats and women wore long skirts. But instead of grappling with fashion trends, he spent most of his time in his own musical world.

But how was he dressed himself? Well, if we believe his friends, Schubert didn’t care much about his appearance. Anselm Hüttenbrenner writes:

"He neglected his outfit, especially his teeth, smelled strongly of tobacco, and was therefore in no way qualified to be a gentleman or to be, as they say, socially presentable." ^1.1

He had a beautiful voice. Because of this, he was accepted as a choirboy into the Vienna Court Music Chapel and the Imperial Seminary. There, he met many friends with whom he remained in contact throughout his life.

This twist of fate paved the way for him to make the leap from his suburban home into the heart of Vienna – into society itself.
Here, the solid foundation for his career as a composer was laid. As a violinist in the orchestra, Schubert became familiar with all the popular pieces by Mozart, Haydn, and many composers now forgotten, as well as the works of his teachers Wenzel Ruzicka and later Antonio Salieri.

We already have a manuscript by Schubert from 1810.
At 13 years old, his handwriting looked like this: a fantasy in G for four hands, which he wrote down between April 8 and May 1 and which holds the first number in the Deutsch catalog.

Der Vater indes hatte sicher andere Pläne für seinen Sohn, als dass dieser als Künstler sein Leben verbringen solle. Nach seinem Wille sollte er ebenfalls Lehrer werden und natürlich musste Schubert als junger Mann auch finanziell auf eigene Füßen gestellt werden. Dazu kam die Verpflichtung zum Dienst im Heer, der er ebenfalls durch den Schuldienst entkommen konnte. Seine Kompositionen waren zu diesem Zeitpunkt noch nicht verlegt und so übernahm Schubert im Alter von 17 Jahren Ende 1814 eine Stelle als Schulgehilfe seines Vaters.

Obwohl er diese Stelle zwei Jahre inne hatte, waren gerade die beiden folgenden Jahre extrem produktiv als Komponist. Es war fast, als wolle sich Schubert herauskomponieren aus der Enge und den Zwängen des Schulhauses.
Vielleicht war aber auch die Flucht in die Musik eine Möglichkeit, dem eintönigen Alltag zu entfliehen.

1814 schrieb er die Messe in F, welche am 16. Oktober 1814 unter seiner eigenen Leitung in der Lichtentaler Pfarrkirche zur Aufführung kam. Es war die erste öffentliche Aufführung eines Schubert-Werkes.
Therese Grob, eine gute Freundin von Schubert sang in dieser Messe das Sopransolo, sein Bruder Ferdinand war der Organist und Regens chori war sein erster musikalischer Lehrer Michael Holzer. Sein Orchester bestand aus lauter Freunden. Einen besserer Einstand kann ein Musiker nicht haben. 

Sein Vater soll so gerührt gewesen sein von dieser Auführung, dass er ihm ein fünf-oktaviges Klavier schenkte. Dies alles berichtet uns sein Bruder Ferdinand am 26. April 1839 in der Neuen Zeitschrift für Musik, herausgegeben von Robert Schumann.

Am 23.04.1814 hört Schubert Beethovens Fidelio im k.k Hoftheater am Kärtnertor mit oben genanntem Bariton Vogl als Pizzarro.  Moritz v. Schwind will sich laut Ludwig Nohl (Beethoven's Leben S. 569) erinnert haben, dass Schubert damals seine Schulbücher im Antiquariat verkaufte, um ein Billet für den Fidelio zu erstehen. Allerdings kannten sich Schwind und Schubert damals noch gar nicht.