Schubert: The Music and the Man

Schubert: The Music and the Man By Brian Newbould. University of California Press. Price: Paperback $22.00

We often refer to the first Viennese School as consisting of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Schubert is overlooked partly because many musicologists classify him as a Romantic composer and not a member of the Classical school. The problem, Schubert is both as in many ways, as was Beethoven.

Newbould makes a good case that in either category, Classical or Romantic, Schubert is a major composer on par with the three greats of the Classical Era. Much debate in recent years has been around Schubert about his sexual preferences and the what I consider the creation of idiosyncracies appearing as major personality and morality traits. Newbould gives this the appropriate length, about two pages out of four hundred and ten. Newbould sticks to what we know about him, his music and genius behind it.

It may appear that I am defending this book. I am. A great biography without all the National Enquirer rumors. It avoids all the "reading into" Schubert that is popular today, and that makes it the Schubert book to have.