Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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SCHUBERT 327
other parts of the Masses they are beautifully
employed, and in the Introduction and Allegro
ofthe Symphony they are usedwith anobleeffect,
which not improbably suggested to Schumann
the equally impressive use of them in his Bb
Symphony. Theaccompaniments to his subjects
are always of great ingenuity and originality,
and full of life and character. The triplets in
the Finale to the tenth Symphony, which excited
the mal d propos merriment of the Philharmonic
orchestra (see p. 3216), are a very striking instance.
Another is the incessant run of semiquavers
in the second violins and violas which
accompany the second theme in the Finale of
the Tragic Symphony. Another, of which he is
very fond, is the employment of o. recurring
monotonous figure in the inner parts :
±eto.
etc.
often running to great length, as in the Andantes
of the Tragic and B minor Sjrmphonies ; the
Moderate of the Bl> Sonata ; the fine song
'Viola' (op. 123, at the return to At> in the
middle of the song), etc. etc. In his best PF.
music, the accompaniments are most happily
fitted to the leading part, so as never to clash
or produce discord. Rapidly as he wrote he
did these things as if they were calculated.
But they never obtrude themselves or become
prominent. They are all merged and absorbed
in the gaiety, pathos, and personal interest of
the music itself, and of the man who is uttering
through it his griefs and joys, his hopes and
fears, in so direct and touching a manner as
no composer ever did before or since, and with
no thought of an audience, of fame, or success,
or any other external thing. No one who
listens to it can doubt that Schubert wrote for
himself alone. His music is the simple utterance
of the feelings with which his mind is full.
If he had thought of his audience, or the effect
he would produce, or the capabilities of the
means he was employing, he would have taken
more pains in the revision of his works. Indeed
the most affectionate disciple of Schubert
must admit that the want of revision is often
but too apparent.
In his instrumental music he is often very
diffuse. When a passage pleases him he generally
repeats it at once, almost note for note.
He will reiterate a passage over and over in
different keys, as if he could never have done.
In the songs this does not offend ;
and even
here, if we knew what he was thinking of, as
we do in the songs, we might possibly find the
repetitions just. In the E|> Trio he repeats in
the Finale a characteristic accompaniment which
is very prominent in the first movement and
which originally belongs perhaps to the Ab
Impromptu (op. 90, No. 4)—and a dozen other
instances of the same kind might be quoted.'
This arose in great part from his imperfect
education, but in great part also from the furious
pace at which he dashed down his thoughts
and feelings, apparentlywithout previous sketch,
note, or preparation ; and from his habit of
never correcting a piece after it was once on
paper. Had he done so he would doubtless
have taken out many a repetition, and some
trivialities which seem terribly out of place
amid the usual nobility and taste of his thoughts.
It was doubtless this diffuseness and apparent
want of aim, as well as the jolly, untutored
naiveU of some of his subjects (Rondo of D
major Sonata, etc.), and the incalculable amount
of modulation, that made Mendelssohn shrink
from some of Schubert's instrumental works,
and even go so far as to call the D minor quartet
schlechte Musik-— i.e. 'nasty music' But unless
to musicians whose fastidiousness is somewhat
abnormal—as Mendelssohn's was—such
criticisms only occur afterwards, on reflection ;
for during the progress of the work all is
absorbed in the intense life and personality of
the music. And what beauties there are to
put against these redundances ! Take such
movements as the first Allegro of the A minor
Sonata or the B[> Sonata ; the G major Fantasia-
Sonata ;
the two Characteristic Marches ; the
Impromptus and Momens musicals ; the Minuet
of the A minor Quartet ; the Variations of the
D minor Quartet ; the Finale of the Bb Trio ;
the first two movements, or the Trio, of the
String Quintet ; the two movements of the B
minor Symphony, or the wonderful Entr'acte
in the same key in Rosamunde ' ' ; the Finale of
the tenth Symphony—think of the abundance
of the thoughts, the sudden surprises, the
wonderfiil transitions, the extraordinary pathos
of the turns of melody and modulation, the
absolute manner (to repeat once more) in which
they bring you into contactwith the affectionate,
tender, suffering personality of the composer,
and who in the whole realm of music has ever
approached them ? For the magical expression
of such a piece as the Andantilio in Ab (op. 94,
No. 2), any redundance may be pardoned.
In Schumann's words, 'he has strains for
the most subtle thoughts and feelings, nay even
for the events and conditions of life ; and innumerable
as are the shades of human thought
and action, so various is his music' ^ Another
equally true saying of Schumann's is that,
compared with Beethoven, Schubert is as a
woman to a man. For it must be confessed
that one's attitude towards him is almost always
that of sympathy, attraction, and lovef, rarely
that of embarrassment or fear. Here and there
1 For a comparison of his Sonatas with those of other masters see
Sonata.
2 Om. achriften, i. 206.