Review Summary: Here the finale is the crown and glory of the whole work -- a movement unequalled for wild surging force and an intensity of energy which in the peroration becomes almost terrific. It is Schubert's apotheosis in music, the most resplendent manifestation o
I shall take the opportunity provided me in this review to write of Schubert's compositions in the Year of Our Lord 1827, and then proceed to discuss his magnificent Symphony No. 9. On this website the year of its composition is listed incorrectly; the work was completed in 1827, shortly before the composer's death.
Musically the product of 1827 was at least of equal value to that of previous years. The largest choral work was the
Deutsche Messe, a series of movements set to a sacred text by Johann Philip Neumann, and composed for the Vienna Polytechnic. The accompaniment is for organ, or wind instruments, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones, and drums. In style the music is religious, simple, and homophonous.
The trio in B flat, Op. 99, was probably, and the trio in E flat, Op. 100, certainly composed this year. In the B flat trio Schubert reverts to a simpler, lighter style of composition than he had lately affected. By some odd caprice of fate this work enjoys greater popularity than its companion, which is its equal in melodic beauty, and far grander in conception, more poetical, and more thoroughly imbued with Schubertian individuality. The Impromptus for pianoforte solo, Op. 142, are supposed to have been written about this time; the date of those Op. 90 is unknown.
The completion of the
Winterreise seems to have occupied his attention in the autumn of this year. These sad but most lovely
Lieder are so well known and admired that any criticism on their merits would be superfluous.
The publications extended to Op. 88, and included the fantasia-sonata in G, and those portions of the operas
Alfonso and Estrella and
Fierabras which were deemed worthy to see the light. Notwithstanding some negotiations, Schubert did not succeed in placing any of his compositions beyond the confines of Vienna. Probst, of Leipsig, wrote early in the year declining the manuscripts forwarded to him, on the ground that he was concentrating his energies on the issue of a complete, edition of the works of Kalkbrenner. It is easy to sneer at the shortsightedness of one who could not foresee the time when Kalkbrenner's name would be all but forgotten, whilst that of Schubert would become a household word. But a publisher, even if he could look into futurity, must still deal with the present, and cannot go beyond a certain length in spreading the fame of an author whom the public is slow to recognise.
But perhaps the oddest communication ever received by a composer was that addressed to Schubert by Friedrich Rochlitz, who wished him to set a poem, entitled
Der Erste Ton. After stating that his directions are merely to be taken as hints for general consideration, he proceeds to enter into minute details as follows: -- "Overture, a staccato chord,
fortissimo, and then perhaps a lengthy sustained passage, for clarinet or horn, with pauses; then, commencing quietly and slowly, illustrated in music more and more gloomy and restless in style, treated harmonically rather than melodically, a kind of chaos, afterwards gradually brightening and developing....After the words, 'Wiederhall sie nach,' the orchestra should have a
tutti, and so prepare for the great, brilliant, and sublime chorus, 'Drum Preis dir,' which might be lengthened in accordance with the fancy of the composer; the last lines, however, should, as the conclusion of the entire work, be of a peaceful and mild character, avoiding any change in the time or the key." Bochlitz then further protests against the idea that his suggestions should be taken as in any way binding upon the composer; but he seems to have been unaware that music to have any value at all must be wholly spontaneous. It appears that five years earlier he had requested Beethoven to undertake a setting of his poem, but had met with a refusal Schubert, who was even less amenable to external pressure than Beethoven, likewise declined. Kreissle affects surprise at this, and suggests that the didactic character of the work, or a fear of plagiarising from Haydn's representation of Chaos, may have influenced him. It is more probable that his independent spirit revolted at the notion of writing music to order, for he was not usually very punctilious in his choice of subjects.
The brief and chequered life of Franz Schubert was now drawing to its close. His biography followed him through momentary gleams of sunshine and weary years of gloom. In his life he witnessed his friends labouring more earnestly in his behalf than he was capable of doing himself, and noted how their noble and unselfish efforts were frequently frustrated, either by public coldness and indifference or because they were misdirected. And, lastly, he underwent the growth of his genius even to that stage of development which resulted in the production of works, faulty perhaps as regards mere structural elegance and symmetry, but matchless for true poetry and imaginativeness. Now, when the power and beauty of Schubert's music were beginning to be felt outside the limited circle of the Viennese
cognoscenti, fate stepped in and removed the man whom the world was at that time incapable of appreciating at his full value.
If Schubert had experienced a premonition, of his approaching end by some supernatural means, he could not have evinced a stronger determination to accomplish as much as possible during the few months yet remaining to him. This extraordinary concentration of energy may have hastened the decay of his bodily powers; but it proved that the divine fire within him burned more fiercely than ever to the very last, and that death itself was alone capable of quenching it.
In the month of March he finished his grand Symphony in C, a work which is now the wonder and admiration of the musical world. This glorious piece may not possess the tenderness and lyrical beauty of the unfinished Symphony in B Minor, but it far surpasses that lovely fragment in breadth and grandeur of outline; and, despite its extreme length, musicians who are once thoroughly acquainted with it would be loth to sacrifice a single bar. In another respect it occupies a unique position among Schubert's instrumental works. It has frequently been remarked, with justice, that his final movements are generally weaker than the remainder of the compositions: their length and diffuseness show a Bad want of discipline, and the constant reiteration of the same ideas produces a sense of weariness even in the most enthusiastic listener. It is not so in this Ninth Symphony. Here the finale is the crown and glory of the whole work -- a movement unequalled for wild surging force and an intensity of energy which in the peroration becomes almost terrific. It is Schubert's apotheosis in music, the most resplendent manifestation of his genius at its zenith. This great work, as soon as completed, was. presented to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in return for the testimonial mentioned above. The parts were copied out, and the symphony placed in rehearsal; but its extreme length, elaboration, and difficulty constituted a fatal barrier to its performance, and Schubert recommended them to substitute the earlier and simpler Symphony in C, No. 6. This must have been a great disappointment to him, for he was now fully conscious of his own powers, and declared that
Lieder were no longer to occupy his thoughts from henceforth he should devote himself to opera and symphony. Yet he did not live to hear one of his principal orchestral works performed on an adequate scale.
His modest and retiring disposition had withheld him hitherto from ever giving any concerts on his own account; but at length, in response to numerous requests, he gave a private concert at the Musikverein on March 26th. The programme of this interesting event is not extant, but it consisted entirely of his own compositions and the success was so signal and unqualified that it was at once decided to give another concert at the earliest opportunity. Alas! when next a programme of Schubert's music was performed the composer was cold in his grave. Though he did not live to hear a performance of his last great symphony, he had the gratification of being present at a rendering of his trios by the celebrated Schuppanzigh company of players.
