Life of Schubert - Review
Title: Life Of Schubert
Author H. F. Frost
Publisher: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington Ltd
Date Published: My copy dated 1888 with no mention of earlier editions, but all other bibliographies quote 1881.
Introduction
I was searching through the books in my local second hand bookshop (which specialises in music books) when I came across this slim volume, nicely bound in red leather with gold tooling. It has the arms of the Trinity College London Leeds Centre embossed on the front, and was given as the junior honours prize in music in 1891.
Review
The book was obviously part of a series 'The Great Musicians' (which also included another dozen or so composers - obviously a forerunner of Dent's 'Master Musicians' series). The series was edited by Francis Hueffer, and this particular book was written by H.F. Frost. The book has just over 100 small pages, plus a short chronology of Schubert's works. It's not particularly well set out - there are no chapters, no pictures and no index (though there is a short table of contents). My copy omits the introduction that I have seen elsewhere. Although it first appeared in the 1880s, it is clear from other copies that the book continued to be reprinted well into the 20th century, without any major revisions.
It's a fascinating book to read, not so much because it contains anything new, but because it gives an interesting insight to the state of Schubert research and knowledge just over 100 years ago (and it contains lots of quaint Victorian language and sexist or politically incorrect remarks). Chronologically speaking, this biography appeared just a few years after Grove's famous article in his dictionary. Back then, many things which we take for granted now were simply not known. Many of his works were yet to be published, the Great C Major Symphony was still thought to date from 1828, there were no Deutsch numbers and no one had dared to suggest that Schubert had syphilis.
As I've suggested, the book contains little if any new material, but is a reasonably thorough biography. In the remainder of this article I will point out a few interesting omissions and comments, with quotes where appropriate.
Early life
Schubert's mother's maiden name is given as Fitz not Vietz.
In what today seems like an incredibly insensitive remark, Frost states that they '...had 14 children, of whom, fortunately, only 5 survived...'
On Schubert's time at the Stadtkonvikt, and in particular his failure to keep up with other studies, Frost goes miles over the top with:
"Music was the essence of his being, and, considering the vast quantity of works of all kinds which he penned during the brief period of 18 years, it would have been surprising had he found time to pursue any other study to serious purpose. And it would be extremely idle and illogical to regret his concentration of energy on this one subject. The world would be a loser had Schubert devoted the time occupied in noting down his beautiful thoughts to perfecting himself in foreign languages or mathematics. He had a mission to accomplish, and the time allotted him was brief. Let us then be grateful that he fulfilled the task set before him so worthily and well."
Time as a Teacher
Therese Grob is mentioned almost in passing as Heinrich's sister, with absolutely no suggestion of any romantic association.
He repeats the now discredited view that Schubert composed with no trouble or sketching, repeating the comparison with Mozart's method of fully working out the piece in his head before setting it down, and Beethoven's of slow and careful build up from many sketches.
There seems me to be an over emphasis on the operatic works of this period, rather than the songs - the 1815 'annus mirabilis', whilst stated as 'remarkable', still occupies less than a page. Nevertheless, he manages to put in a good word for Adelwold und Emma, (though he gets the title wrong), the longest of Schubert's lieder, and at that time still not published, which John Reed derides ("a sort of do-it-yourself opera"), but which I rather like.
He quotes in full the 4 surviving pages from Schubert's diary in 1816.
Opera years
Frost faithfully records the introduction into Schubert's life of key personalities such as Schober, Vogl and Hüttenbrenner, the period at Zseliz with the Esterhazy's, and 'on tour' with Vogl.
He quotes the famous stories of Schubert pouring ink, rather than sand over a manuscript; and giving up on a performance of 'The Wanderer' fantasy saying '...the devil may play the stuff if he likes...'.
Frost reports Schubert's life when staying with Mayrhofer in 1819 as 'thoroughly Bohemian'.
Schubert's operatic phase, and its relative failure, is covered in some detail, with full quotes from reviews of Die Zwillingsbrüder and Die Zauberharfe. His views that all the libretti were very poor, and Schubert could not, or did not, make the changes to his style necessary to have dramatic effect upon the stage are still widely accepted. Frost also waxes lyrical about Lazarus.
The comments by Groves on receiving the score of Schubert's 7th Symphony (fully scored for 110 bars, and then sketched to the end) are quoted in full. I've not seen this elsewhere, though I imagine it is published in Grove's writings. This seems to be worth quoting in full:
"I was at length rewarded," he says, "by receiving in August last, from Mr Paul Mendelssohn of Berlin, the brother of the composer, the original MS sketch which I had so anxiously desired. I had imagined a sketch of the nature of Beethoven's - two or three leaves of paper covered with disjointed memoranda. Judge of my astonishment and delight when on unfolding the parcel I found a whole symphony in 44 sheets. It is one of the most singular and interesting works in all the musical art. The introduction and a portion of the Allegro are fully scored and completed, but at the 110th bar (the end of a page) Schubert seems to have grown impatient of this regular proceeding, and from that point to the end of the symphony he has made merely memoranda. But these memoranda are perfectly drawn in through the entire work; the tempi and names of the instruments are fully written at the beginning of each movement: the very double bars and flourishes are gravely added at the end of each, and 'Fine' at the conclusion of the whole; and Schubert evidently regarded the work as completed. And so it practically is, for each subject is given at full length, with a bit of bass, or accompaniment, or figure or fugato passage. There is not one bar from beginning to end that does not contain the part of one or more instruments. So that I am assured by the most competent authority, that it would be quite possible to write in the missing parts, and complete the work as Schubert would have done it.
"Mr. Sullivan has played it through to me on the piano, and I am allowed by him to say that in quality it appears to be inferior to none of its predecessors, and to abound in beauties; which I do, earnestly trusting that some means may be before long be found of restoring this lost treasure to the world. I have heard that Mendelssohn had at one time the intention of filling it up, but of this I know nothing certain."
The Sullivan mentioned here is, of course, Arthur Sullivan of Gilbert and Sullivan fame. Frost says that it is quite likely that Mendelssohn would have "filled up the interstices in the Symphony had not death removed him so soon after he had acquired it". He goes on to suggest that Brahms (still with 9 years to live) might complete it. Of course, Brahms did not do so, but there have now been several completions (including Barnett 1880-1, which Frost evidently did not know about, Weingartner 1934, and our own Brian Newbould 1977-8).
There is no mention of the quartetsatz (D 703) now regarded as a key work.
The firm of Peters at Leipsic is first mentioned. Leipsic is the spelling used throughout the book.
The final years
There is, of course, absolutely no mention of syphilis. Indeed, until close to the final illness, Frost seems to have pretty much ignored the frequent complaints of Schubert's ill health.
Frost looks forward, with some hope, that there may be performances of Fierabras (not yet published) which he describes as "... better adapted for stage representation at the present day than any other of Schubert's dramatic works", a view which many would still agree with today.
Although Therese Grob is pretty much ignored, Frost does report that "...only once in his career did he conceive an ardent affection. Its object was Caroline, the younger daughter if Count Esterhazy...".
Given that the Gastein/Gmunden symphony was still considered lost at this stage, it will come as little surprise that Frost considers the Grand Duo Op 140, D812, to be a Symphony in disguise. He reports that its
"...eminently orchestral character is obvious to all musicians, and Herr Joachim, recognising this, has scored it in the most tasteful and appropriate manner. Of course he has thereby incurred the displeasure of the pedants, which in this case he can well afford to disregard... ... Herr Joachim should receive the gratitude of all of Schubert's admirers for having placed one of his most valuable bequests in its proper sphere...".
You can put me amongst the pedants.
Many of his later letters, e.g. from his tour in 1825 are quoted at length.
In another politically incorrect statement, Frost reports that Frau Pachler, wife of Carl Pachler, was "...gifted far above the average for her sex with musical ability..."!
At last, in Oct 1827, Frost refers to Schubert's illnesses, though he is almost certainly wrong in claiming that the pains in Schubert's head were symptoms of his approaching illness. He further claims that no idea of any serious malady seems to have been entertained at this time. A more modern view is that Schubert, and probably several of his close friends and family, knew of the nature of his illness, and that his days were therefore numbered (though Dr Anton Neumayr in his book 'Music and Medicine', states that he believes that Schubert was effectively cured of syphillis), though it also seems certain that no one, including the composer, expected the end quite as quickly as it transpired.
Frost quotes Die Taubenpost as being Schubert's last composition. Modern experts generally accept that it is impossible to tell for sure whether this or Der Hirt auf den Felsen is his last song.