Franz Schubert

Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic periods. Despite a life cut short at 31, he produced an extensive body of work, encompassing over 600 secular vocal pieces, primarily lieder, seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music, and a significant collection of piano and chamber music.

Born in Himmelpfortgrund, a suburb of Vienna, Schubert displayed exceptional musical talent from a young age. After initial instruction from his father and elder brother, he entered the Stadtkonvikt school in 1808. There, he encountered the orchestral works of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. He left the Stadtkonvikt in 1813 and returned home, beginning studies to become a schoolteacher while continuing composition lessons with Antonio Salieri and composing prolifically.