Schubert's symphonies

English name

Franz Schubert

Life

1797–1828

Country

Austria

Mainly active in

Vienna

Symphony

8 symphonies

In a line

A composer who left behind works including the songs "Erlkönig" and "Death and the Maiden"

Fun to know

• He hardly ever heard his symphonies played in public during his lifetime
• The "Unfinished" manuscript was kept by his friend Hüttenbrenner for over 40 years and wasn't premiered until 1865
• Schumann, who rediscovered No. 9, "The Great," praised its "heavenly length"

8 symphonies

• Symphony No. 1D major · 1813The first symphony of a sixteen-year-old student
• Symphony No. 2B-flat major · 1815 · about 30 minA symphony dedicated to his headmaster
• Symphony No. 3D major · 1815 · about 25 minAge 18, a lively symphony written in a few weeks
• Symphony No. 4, "Tragic"C minor · 1816 · about 30 minThe composer himself gave it the title 'Tragic'
• Symphony No. 5B-flat major · 1816 · about 27 minThe smallest symphony, with no trumpets or timpani
• Symphony No. 6, "Little C major"C major · 1818"Little C major," to tell it apart from its big brother, "The Great"
• Symphony No. 8, "Unfinished"B minor · 1822 · about 25 minOnly two movements, and no one knows why he stopped
• Symphony No. 9, "The Great"C major · 1826 · about 50 minThe "heavenly length" Schumann discovered