12 Tremendous Composers 12 Composers    

Lesson 18: Symphony no. 8 in B minor 'Unfinished', D. 759

by Franz Schubert

Performer: Fulda Symphonic Orchesta

Directions

Study the musical selection for one week.

Over the week:

• Listen to the music daily.
• Read the synopsis.
• Review the vocabulary terms.
• Read about the composer.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

Franz Schubert composed 'Symphony no. 8 in B minor 'Unfinished', D. 759' in 1822. This symphony is 'Unfinished' since it contains two movements rather than the typical four: 1) Allegro Moderato, 2) Andante con moto. Why Schubert failed to finish the symphony is a mystery. Schubert began composing the symphony six years before his death in 1828, so had sufficient time to complete it.

Vocabulary

Allegro Moderato: A little slower than allegro.
Andante con moto: Slow with motion.
Lady of the Lake: An epic poem by Sir Walter Scott, the Scottish novelist and poet.

Composer

1. A good friend of Franz Peter Schubert's was Michael Vogl. He was a famous singer, who did all he could to make Schubert's songs known. They took little vacation trips together and were good companions. When you read more about this singer's friendship for Franz Schubert you will like him for being so kind to one who had very little pleasure in life. Here Vogl sings to accompany Schubert on the piano. Vogl looks like a good friend even in a picture—do you not think so?

2. Once when Schubert and Vogl were enjoying a vacation tour in the mountains, Franz read Scott's Lady of the Lake, which was printed in the year 1810, when Schubert was thirteen years old. Schubert set some of this poem to music. A fact you will remember when you read it in school. Perhaps you could remember at the same time that Scott was a little older than Schubert and just one year younger than Beethoven.
3. Beethoven lived in Vienna at that time and Schubert with two friends went to see him. Beethoven was very deaf, and those who met him had to write down what they wanted to say with a large pencil, such as is used by carpenters. Schubert was so modest and nervous upon meeting the great master that he could not even write his replies. Here is the picture of the way Beethoven looked as he walked down the street in those days:

4. See what a simple work room Schubert had. Here are his Clavier and chair and a few books.

5. Schubert had music in his mind and soul all the time. It is said that one of his favorite walks was down by a mill, where he was inspired to write some beautiful songs.

6. This is the way that Franz Schubert wrote his name.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Composition Information

• Recite the name of the composer and the composition.

Activity 2: Study the Music Timeline

Examine the music timeline to answer the following questions.

• What is the year of birth of the lesson composer?
• What is the year of death of the featured composer?
• How old was the composer upon death?
• Which composer (if any) directly precedes the studied composer by date of birth?
• Which composer (if any) directly succeeds the lesson composer by date of birth?
• Which other timeline composers were alive at the same time as the studied composer?

Activity 3: Map the Music

• Franz Peter Schubert was born in Austria.
• What is the capital of Austria?
• Which eight countries border Austria?

Activity 4: Read Aloud Your Paper About Franz Peter Schubert

• Read your one-page story about Franz Peter Schubert to your family.
• Make any corrections, as needed, after reading the paper aloud.

Review

Question 1

Who was the noted singer who helped to make Franz Peter Schubert's songs famous?

1 / 2

Answer 1

Michael Vogl was the noted singer who helped to make Schubert's songs famous.

1 / 2

Question 2

When and where did Franz Peter Schubert die?

2 / 2

Answer 2

Schubert died in Vienna in 1828.

2 / 2

❮ ❯

1. Who was the noted singer who helped to make Franz Peter Schubert's songs famous? Michael Vogl was the noted singer who helped to make Schubert's songs famous.
2. When and where did Franz Peter Schubert die? Schubert died in Vienna in 1828.

References

Tapper, Thomas. Franz Schubert - The Story of the Boy Who Wrote Beautiful Songs Philadelphia, PA. Theodore Presser Co., 1916.

'Symphony No. 8 (Schubert).' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.