Franz Schubert died on this day 195 years ago, aged 31.
- Schubert's father started giving him violin lessons when he was 8, and further musical training from his local church's choirmaster (specifically the piano). He was recognized by and then mentored by Antonio Salieri.
- Schubert was a teenage prodigy, writing over 150 songs- or "lieder"- in 1815 alone, when he was 18.
- Schubert would become a major celebrity during his lifetime, and parties (usually held at the home of one of his friends or sponsors) where he would perform got their own name- "Schubertiades".
- Of his over 600 lieder, his signature song was 1825's "Ellens dritter Gesang" ("Ellen's Third Song")- better known by its opening lyric, "Ave Maria":
- Schubert would perform at a public concert only once- March 26, 1828, the first death anniversary of Ludwig von Beethoven (one of Schubert's prime influences,- Schubert was a torchbearer at his funeral).
- Schubert's premature death has been contested. He was said to have died of typhoid fever, but other theories include longtime exposure to mercury (his health had been declining throughout the 1820s), syphilis, or salmonella.