A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schönstein, Carl

by George Grove

SCHÖNSTEIN, Carl, Baron von (son of Baron Franz Xaver, who died in 1825), was born June 26, 1797 was Imperial Chamberlain and Ministerial Councillor, was twice married, retired on his pension in 1867, and died July 19, 1876. Schönstein was one of the Esterhazy circle in the time of Franz Schubert, and was noted as being at that time, with the single exception of Vogl, the finest singer of Schubert's songs. He had, says Kreissle, like Vogl, a special set of songs which exactly suited his voice, such as the 'Schöne Müllerin'—dedicated to him—'Ständchen,' 'Der zürnenden Diana,' etc.; while Vogl was more attached to the dramatic and expressive 'Winterreise,' 'Zwerg,' etc. Schonstein's position in society enabled him to introduce Schubert's music into the highest circles. In 1838 Liszt heard him in Vienna, and wrote as follows to the 'Gazette Musicale':—'In the salons here I have often heard Schubert's songs given by the Baron Schönstein, always with the liveliest pleasure, and often with an emotion which moved me to tears. The French version gives but a very poor idea of the manner in which Schubert, the most poetical musician that ever lived, has united his music to the words of these poems, which are often extremely beautiful. The German language is admirable for sentiment, and it is all but impossible for any one not a German to enter into the naiveté and fancy of many of these compositions, their capricious charm, their depth of melancholy. The Baron gives them with the declamatory science of a great artist, and the simple feeling of an amateur who thinks only of his own emotions and forgets the public.'

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