Franz Schubert
Master of the art song (Lied)
Most quoted
"I am the unhappiest, most wretched man in the world. Imagine a man whose health will never be right again, and who in sheer despair over this, always makes things worse instead of better; imagine a man, I say, whose most brilliant hopes have come to naught, to whom the happiness of love and friendship offers nothing but the bitterest pain, and whose enthusiasm for the beautiful (at least inspiring) threatens to vanish; and ask yourself, is he not a wretched, unhappy man?"
— from Letter to Leopold Kupelwieser, 1824
"Oh, imagination! Thou greatest treasure of man, thou inexhaustible fount of all art and science! How many friends have I gained through thee, how many enemies hast thou made for me!"
— from Diary entry, 1816
"Music is the wine which inspires one to new generative processes, and I am Bacchus who presses out this glorious wine for mankind and makes them spiritually drunken."
— from Letter, 1826
All quotes by Franz Schubert (370)
I am not a saint, I am a sinner who loves music.
My music is my confession, and my confession is my music.
I am not a hero, I am a man who writes music.
The most profound thoughts are often expressed without words.
I am not a god, I am a human being who composes.
My music is my dream, and my dream is my music.
I am not a legend, I am a composer who hopes to be remembered.
The truest beauty lies in simplicity.
I am not a master, I am a servant of music.
My music is my journey, and my journey is my music.
My compositions spring from my sorrow. Those that cause the greatest pain to the public are those that have caused me the greatest pain.
I never force myself to compose. When I feel like it, I do. When I don't, I don't.
Man is like a ball, which is thrown from one side to the other by the hand of fate.
Oh, imagination! Thou art the greatest treasure of man; thou art the source of all his joys and sorrows.
What I produce is the result of my understanding of music and my suffering.
I am a poor, unhappy man, who is always ill, and who has nothing but his music to console him.
I am the most unfortunate, the most miserable man in the world.
I am nothing but a poor musician, who has nothing to offer but his music.
I am a lonely wanderer, who has no home, no friends, no love, no hope.
I am a stranger everywhere, and nowhere at home.
Contemporaries of Franz Schubert
Other Musics born within 50 years of Franz Schubert (1797–1828).