Beethoven and Schubert

Beethoven's life was аs somber as Haydn's was bright and genial. In spite of his fitful outbursts of uncontrollable gaiety, it is impossible to believe that he was a happy man. The last years of his life were embittered, not only by a gradually increasing deafness, which deprived him of his only solace, but, still more, by the ingratitude of a worthless nephew, upon whom he lavished a wealth of affection which might have melted a heart of stone. He died, during a terrific thunderstorm, on the 26th of March 1827. Even in Vienna his greatness was acknowledged then and with reason for it is not to be expected that the present centuries will "see his like again".

One of Beethoven's most talented contemporaries was Franz Schubert. He like Beethoven wrote not for popularity, but in obedience to the dictates of an inward Voice which would not be silenced. Though his Compositions were so little prized during his life-time, that not one tenth part of them were ever either published or performed, their number is almost incredible. For long time his name was known, even in Germany, only by his matchless Songs. That he became better understood is due entirely to the generous ardor of Robert Schumann, who was the first to rescue his greater works from the oblivion to which they were rapidly drifting. Once brought to light, it is not likely that they will ever again be forgotten. Now many compositions of Franz Schubert are very popular and favourite all over the world.

Schubert Die Biene (The Bee)

I was really surprised, when I knew that the author of this famous violin piece The Bee is not Franz Schubert, more exactly – not that Franz Schubert who is the author of Die schöne Müllerin. Do you know that there were two composers with the name Franz Schubert? Actually the real name of Schubert from Dresden was Francois, but in German this name translates as Franz, so this coincidence leads sometimes to confusions. And whole my life I thought that The Bee is written by that famous Franz Schubert! And only when I saw life years of the composer of this piece I began to search any kind of information and opened this fact. The life years of famous Franz Schubert (let us name him “From Wien”) are (1797-1828). He lived a very short life but had written a lot of works.
That other Schubert lived in 1808-1878. There is not much information about him. I know that he was a concertmaster and composer, studied violin by Rolla and Lafont. And now I know that that was he who created The Bee – virtuosic piece for violin. I think The Bee (Die Biene) is the most popular composition of Franz Schubert aus Dresden.