HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

THIS book is one of a series known as the CHILD’S OWN
BOOK OF GREAT MUSICIANS, written by Thomas
Tapper, author of “Pictures from the Lives of the Great Composers
for Children,” “Music Talks with Children,” “First
Studies in Music Biography,” and others.

The sheet of illustrations included herewith is to be cut
apart by the child, and each illustration is to be inserted in its
proper place throughout the book, pasted in the space containing
the same number as will be found under each picture on the
sheet. It is not necessary to cover the entire back of a picture
with paste. Put it only on the corners and place neatly within
the lines you will find printed around each space. Use photographic
paste, if possible.

After this play-work is completed there will be found at
the back of the book blank pages upon which the child is to
write his own story of the great musician, based upon the facts
and questions found on the previous pages.

The book is then to be sewed by the child through the
center with the cord found in the enclosed envelope. The book
thus becomes the child’s own book.

This series will be found not only to furnish a pleasing and
interesting task for the children, but will teach them the main
facts with regard to the life of each of the great musicians—an
educational feature worth while.

This series of the Child’s Own Book of Great Musicians
includes at present a book on each of the following:

Printed in U. S. A.

Copyright, 1916, by Theo. Presser Co.
Printed in the U.S.A.

BORN

DIED

[Pg 3]

The Story of the Boy Who Wrote
Beautiful Songs.

One might say of Schubert that he was born
with a spring of melody in his heart and a song on
his lips.

Can anyone make a melody more lovely than
this?

FROM SCHUBERT’S SONG “TROUT.”
Listen

Play it or have someone play it to you.

Is it not worth remembering all one’s life?

Schubert composed many kinds of music, but
his songs are most loved by everybody.

They are sung all over the world.

And just because he never let a song come from
his lips that did not first come from his heart.

Is not this a jolly one?

FROM SCHUBERT’S SONG “WANDERING.”
Listen

[Pg 4]
Schubert’s full name was FRANZ PETER
SCHUBERT.

He was born in Vienna, in a very simple house
that looks quite old-fashioned.

Over the doorway there is a bust of Schubert, a
few inches high.

And a sign on the house says: Franz Schubert’s
Birthplace.

FRANZ SCHUBERT’S BIRTHPLACE.

Dates are easy to remember if we write them.
So you must ask your teacher when Schubert was
born and put in the date in the next sentence.

Franz Schubert was born in………

At that time the great American authors Washington
Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, and William
Cullen Bryant were all boys.

IRVING.

COOPER.

BRYANT.

[Pg 5]
You may not know so much about them now,
but some day they will be quite as good friends as
any you will ever make.

Even though these boys were a little older than
Franz Schubert, let us always think of them together.

Then, of course, we should think of Schubert
together with the composers who lived when he did.

Here are some whose names you can remember
very easily.

VON WEBER.

ROSSINI.

CZERNY.

DONIZETTI.

Czerny was born in the year 1794, and wrote
many studies for the piano.

How much older was he than Franz Schubert?

Von Weber wrote operas and conducted them
himself. He was born eleven years before Schubert.

Rossini was an Italian composer of operas, born
in 1792, five years before Schubert. Schubert’s life
was so short, however, that Rossini lived forty years
longer than the great song writer.

Donizetti was an Italian opera composer. One
of his well-known operas was Lucia di Lammermoor.
He was born in 1797, just as Schubert was.

[Pg 6]
Franz’s father was a schoolmaster, and so was
Franz himself for three years.

He taught the little children of Vienna their A-B-C’s,
and how to do sums. Of course, he helped
them to learn to read.

Sometimes we find it quite hard to take one
piano lesson or violin lesson a week.

But from the time when Franz Schubert was a
very little boy he had lessons every week for violin,
voice, and piano.

A little later he began to study harmony with a
very famous man who knew
Mozart. His name was
ANTONIO SALIERI.

ANTONIO SALIERI.

With so many lessons
and with school work just
as we have it, Franz must
have been a very busy
boy.

He was quite poor and
often very hungry; but in
spite of that he was always good natured and full
of fun.

At eleven years of age he became a singer in the
chapel of the Emperor. It was here that Salieri was
director.

Franz sang in the choir until he was nearly seventeen.
Then he became a schoolmaster, because,
of course, he had to earn his living.

[Pg 7]
Wherever he was
Franz was thinking
music and composing it.
Once he wrote a song
called The Serenade at a
table outside an inn.

An artist has made
a picture of this.

SCHUBERT WRITING “THE SERENADE.”

Once Schubert was
seen by his boyhood
friends busily writing a
new song. So quick did he write that the ink was
hardly dry on one sheet before the next one was done.
He was writing the music to a beautiful fairy poem
by the great German poet Goethe. The poem is
called The Erl-King, and tells how the fairy Erl-King
chases a father who is rushing on horseback with
his dying child in his arms.
Finally, just as the father reaches
his courtyard the child dies. It
is a beautiful song sung by the
greatest singers.

Goethe, the great poet, is
not known to have met Schubert.
He paid little attention to his
music.

Here is his picture.

JOHANN WOLFGANG GOETHE.

Sometime you will learn about Joseph Haydn,
who died in Vienna when little Franz was twelve
[Pg 8]
years old. Papa Haydn, as he was called, was music
master in a famous family called the Esterhazys.

Let us put a picture of Joseph Haydn here just
to remember that he was an old man of seventy-seven
when little Franz was a boy of twelve.

JOSEPH HAYDN.

Well, Franz Schubert also lived for a time with
the Esterhazy family. He was piano teacher to the
children of Count Johann. Franz was then twenty-one
years old.

In what year was he twenty-one?

A good friend of Schubert’s was Michael Vogl.
He was a famous singer, who did all he could to
make Schubert’s songs known.

They took little vacation trips together and were
good companions. When you read more about this
singer’s friendship for Franz Schubert you will like
him for being so kind to one who had very little
pleasure in life.

[Pg 9]
He looks like a good friend even in a picture—do
you not think so?

SCHUBERT ACCOMPANYING VOGL AS HE SINGS.

Once when Schubert and Vogl were enjoying a
vacation tour in the mountains, Franz read Scott’s
Lady of the Lake, which was printed in the year
1810, when Schubert was thirteen years old.

Schubert set some of this poem to music. A
fact you will remember when you read it in school.

Perhaps you could remember at the same time
that Scott was a little older than Schubert and just
one year younger than Beethoven.

Beethoven lived in Vienna at that time and
Schubert with two friends went to see him. Beethoven
was very deaf, and those who met him had
to write down what they wanted to say with a large
pencil, such as is used by carpenters. Schubert was
so modest and nervous upon meeting the great master
that he could not even write his replies.

[Pg 10]
Here is the picture of the way Beethoven looked
as he walked down the street in those days:

BEETHOVEN IN VIENNA.

Once when Schubert was very ill a friend sent
him some books to read. They were The Last of the
Mohicans, The Spy, The Pilot, and The Pioneer.

Now these books were written by the American
author, whose name you must find for yourself.

SCHUBERT’S WORK ROOM.

[Pg 11]
See what a simple work room Schubert had.
Here are his Clavier and chair and a few books.

Schubert had music in his mind and soul all the
time. It is said that one of his favorite walks was
down by a mill, where he was inspired to write some
beautiful songs.

SCHUBERT BY THE MILL IN THE WOODS.

This is the way that Franz Schubert wrote his
name.

[Pg 12]

FACTS ABOUT FRANZ PETER SCHUBERT.

When you have read this page and the next
make a story about Schubert’s life. Write it in your
own words. When you are quite sure you cannot
improve it, copy it on pages 14, 15, and 16.

1. Schubert was born in Vienna.

2. His birthday was January 31, 1797.

3. He died in Vienna in 1828.

4. When Schubert was born Beethoven was
twenty-seven years old.

5. Schubert was a schoolmaster.

6. He had his first music lessons from his father,
who was also a schoolmaster and who played the
violin.

7. His brother taught him to play the piano, and
he studied singing so as to join the Emperor’s Choir.

8. Then he studied harmony with a famous man
named Salieri.

9. When Franz was thirteen he composed two
piano pieces, at fourteen he wrote two songs, and
when he was sixteen he wrote a symphony.

10. When he was eighteen Franz wrote more
than a hundred songs.

11. He composed The Erl-King when he was
nineteen.

12. In all, Schubert wrote over six hundred
songs, lots of piano pieces, nine symphonies, and
many other compositions.

13. What other composer also wrote nine symphonies?
[Pg 13]
Perhaps you may not know this; if not,
ask your teacher.

14. Schubert made many good friends.

15. With them and his music he found all his
happiness.

16. Once when he was very ill he read some
books by an American author. Do you remember
the author’s name?

17. Do you remember the name of any one of
the books?

18. One of Schubert’s most beautiful symphonies
was called The Unfinished, because he did not
live to complete it.

TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHUBERT.

1. Where was Schubert born?

2. When was Schubert born?

3. Name two American authors who were boys
when Schubert was born.

4. Name two composers who lived at the same
time.

5. What was the father of Franz Schubert?

6. Who taught Schubert harmony?

7. Give the name of a famous song by Schubert.

8. What famous musician died in Vienna when
Schubert was twelve years old?

9. Who was the noted singer who helped to
make Schubert’s songs famous?

10. When did Schubert die?

[Pg 14]

THE STORY OF FRANZ PETER SCHUBERT

Written by…………………………………

On date……………………………………