FRANZ SCHUBERT

BORN 31 January 1797, Vienna, Austria. DIED 19 November 1828, aged 31, in Vienna. FAMILY He was the 12th child of 14 born to schoolmaster Franz and Maria, a housemaid.

He may have died young, but Schubert was a prolific composer of 600 songs or ‘lieder’, nine symphonies and superb chamber music. He showed his talent early and at ten he joined the Imperial Court chapel choir. The diminutive (5ft 1in) Schubert followed his father into teaching, but hated it so much he turned to music. Despite being hailed by many of his contemporaries as one of the best composers of his generation, he died penniless.