Franz Peter Schubert was born on January 31, 1797 and grew up in a suburb outside Vienna. Schubert was a very talented musician and received a musical education at the Stadtkonvikt, a school for young singers intended to supply the imperial court chapel. His teachers applauded his talent as a young musician. He sang in a court choir until his voice broke and he could no longer sing. His father, an educator, pressured Schubert to follow in his footsteps. Although Schubert was not enthusiastic about the teaching profession, he worked as an assistant and then as a schoolmaster. Throughout his teaching career, Schubert continued to compose music. He retired shortly after his debut to devote himself to music. Schubert lived during the Romantic era and wrote nearly seven hundred songs throughout his life, including symphonies, Lieder, string quartets, and various religious works. Some of his most famous works are “Der Erlkönig” and the “Unfinished” Symphony. Interestingly, however, Schubert's works did not bring him the fame or fortune he deserved. He never had a stable job and lived off teaching and money from his friends. Shubert's work was never performed before a large audience during his lifetime. Rather, it was played for groups of gifted ammeterists, who called themselves Schubertians. Shubert never married. Schubert is believed to have been gay and suffered from syphilis. He died at the age of thirty-one, on November 19, 1828. It was not until almost sixty years after his death that his work was performed before a large audience. One of Schubert's most famous pieces is “Der Erlkönig,” which translates to “The Elf King.” There are specific attributes of the Romantic period that may be...... middle of paper...... never able to hold a stable job. Schubert worked for two opera houses composing operas, which did not work out very well for him. He had difficulty getting his works published because publishers did not want to take risks with a young, non-traditional composer. Towards the end of Schubert's life, he applied to become music director at his former school, Stadtkonvikt, but did not get the job. Franz Peter Schubert's well-deserved recognition was achieved only after his death. He was admired by later composers, including Robert Schumann. Schumann wrote that he "cried all night" after Schubert's death. Schumann loved Schubert's piano music and, as a result, only composed piano music until his marriage. Schubert is recognized as one of the great composers of his time. His life left a major impact on the music of his era and his works are still admired by many today..