I, Franz Schubert

The composer Franz Schubert tells his own story from beyond the grave. In this unique account, Schubert reflects on the successes and failures of his career as a freelance musician in 18th century Vienna. He recalls the best aspects of his life: a sunny disposition, a delight in the natural world, and above all, his many devoted friends. But he also has to recognise the demons which ultimately destroyed him: a highly sensual nature susceptible to severe mood-swings, and a tendency towards loneliness, over-indulgence and despair. A fascinating study of a highly contradictory character who barely made an impact on the musical life of his day, but is now undoubtedly one of the best-loved of all classical composers.Extract : "‘Things that are done, it is needless to speak about. Things that are past, it is needless to blame’, wrote Confucius. Well, he may be right. Certainly, I don’t wish to apportion blame for anything that happened in my life. Quite possibly there is nothing more to say about me anyway. But after so many attempts by other writers, please now allow me my turn. If I am to understand myself, I need to tell my story in my own way.
Don’t expect from these pages any analysis of my music – or every little detail of my life. My intention is solely to journey through my life, trying to find out, if I can, where I took the right turning, and where I went wrong. There were without doubt some successes – but equally, there were many resounding failures. Fortunately none of it matters now, as the great sage said, but it will be a worthwhile journey nonetheless.
There will be extracts from my letters on the way. Like the musical compositions, they reveal my state of mind at the time of writing. This is not vanity on my part – I would never claim to have been a writer of great note or profundity – but these letters have been saved so I will use them. They may help shed some light on that complex personality which was Franz Schubert."