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Ben
Final Essay
Dr. S
May 9 , 2013
Franz Schubert Erlkonig
Franz Schubert was born on January 31st, 1797, in Himmelpfortgrund, Austria.
Growing up in the household of his father Franz Theodore Schubert, a school teacher,
young Schubert took up a knack for learning. His learning prowess was especially
exemplified through the musical arts. He picked up piano, violin, organ, and vocal music
at a young age. Schubert’s father and older brother were his music instructors for the
younger years of his life. In 1807 Schubert was able to further his musical prowess when
he was accepter to the musical arts school of Stadtkonviktand. After a year of training, he
was accepted into the chapel choir of the Imperial Court where he was educated by
organist, Wenzel Ruzicka, and then composer, Antonio Salieri. (Franz Schubert)
Schubert kept practicing his musical talent, composing over 350 songs by the age
of 15. (The music chamber) By the age of 16 Schubert had started working as a school
teacher at his father’s school, still composing music works on the side. He composed
some of his most famous works during this time serving as a teacher including his
famous lied (german for song) Der Erlkonig. Schubert was said to have been not a very
good teacher, often ignoring his students to write down music that came to him. By 1818
when Schubert had reached the age of 21, he had finally picked up a following. He left
his life as a schoolteacher to try for a career in writing music. He composed multiple
pieces that ever furthered his career in the summer following his departure from teaching.
He completed his “Sonata in B flat minor”, several dance songs, and his “Variations on a
French song in E minor”. (Franz Schubert)
The Der Erlkonig (elfking) was written by Franz Schubert in the early romantic
era of music. The song was composed around a story by a German poet and scholar by
the name of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. While Goethe is from Germany, the original
story of the Elfking did not. The origin of the Erlkonig derives from Denmark. According
to Denmark legends, the Erlkonig and his family are considered to be an omen of death to
any who see them. (The Erlking) In Goethe’s story this foreshadowing of death brought
by Erlkonig is not lost in translation. Schubert successfully captures the emotion of
Goethe’s poem and intensifies it with an incredibly eerie vocal performance with a piano
accompaniment.
