=Schubert’s Influence on Music=.—In abundance of resource, poetic feeling and true imagination, Schubert has brought new forces into music. His influence on romantic composers was widespread and deep. Schumann was a thorough admirer of Schubert. Schumann’s songs could hardly have come into existence but for those of Schubert, and the latter’s short pieces for piano were undoubtedly as potent an inspiration for his piano works. Brahms, too, had a real reverence for Schubert, that is plainly exhibited in his works. Despite the differences of their artistic individuality, there are traces of Schubert in the former’s songs as well as in some of his short piano pieces. Liszt’s partiality to Schubert was untiring in its zeal. He played his piano music, transcribed the “Hungarian Divertissement,” arranged some of the marches for two hands and for orchestra; he made a version of the fantasy in C for piano and orchestra, which is still popular; and, finally (perhaps his greatest service to Schubert) he transcribed no less than fifty-seven of his songs for piano. In this form he created an interest in Schubert where the original versions were unknown, and did much to spread their renown. In spite of all shortcomings, Schubert’s genius was so remarkable, and his immediate effect upon the Romantic movement so apparent and his legacy to the musical world so imperishable that it is difficult not to agree with Sir George Grove when he wrote: “There has never been one like him and there never will be another.” REFERENCES. Grove.—Dictionary of Music and Musicians, article on Schubert. Frost.—Life of Schubert. Von Hellborn.—Life of Franz Schubert. Dvořák.—Franz Schubert. (Century Library of Music.) QUESTIONS. From what rank in life did Schubert come? Give the leading incidents in his life. What kind of man was he physically, mentally and socially? How did Schubert compose? In what forms of composition did Schubert work? What form of composition did he especially enrich? Which of his productions have the greatest vogue today? What influence did Schubert exert on music? Who did much to spread a knowledge of his works? Name some composers who have felt his force. LESSON XLIII. WEBER. MENDELSSOHN. Schubert’s operas had no appreciable effect on the Romantic composers, for the simple reason that they were never heard on account of the absurdities of their librettos and the weakness of their stage situations. At about the same period, a slightly older composer was beginning a series of works destined to place German Opera on a firm basis, to exercise a decided influence on Wagner, besides contributing not a little to the development of piano technic.