A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Spaun, Joseph

by Carl Ferdinand Pohl

SPAUN, Joseph, Freiherr von, musical amateur, renowned for his great affection for Schubert; born at Linz, Nov. n, 1788, of a family originally Swabian, but settled in Austria. Joseph, the second child of Franz von Spaun, Syndicus of Upper Austria, attended the Latin school, passed through a course of philosophy, in 1806 entered the Imperial Stadt-Convict at Vienna, and began to study law. Music was diligently pursued in his new sphere, and Spaun heartily joined, playing the violin, and, as the oldest boy, conducting the pupils' little band. On one occasion he became aware of a small boy in spectacles, who stood behind him playing his part like a master. This was Schubert, who, after he had got over his first shyness, attached himself devotedly to Spaun and confided to him his delight in composing, and his want of music-paper. This want Spauu supplied, and thus secured Schubert's lifelong gratitude. [See vol. iii. p. 320.] In September 1809 Spaun entered the Government service, and in 1811 was placed in the Lottery department; in 1839 became Regierungsrath, and in 1841 Hofrath; in 1859 was ennobled and received the freedom of the city of Vienna, and in 1861 retired. He died Nov. 25, 1865, at his daughter's house at Linz, and, in accordance with his own wish, was buried in the churchyard of Traunkirchen (near Gmunden) where he spent his summers and had a villa. The whole of his official life, except two short breaks at Linz in 1818 and Lemberg in 1825, was passed in Vienna, where he married Fanny von Roner in 1818. He had five children, of whom one son, Joseph, was killed at the battle of Novara.

The list of Spaun's friends includes many interesting names, especially the poets Theodor Körner (whose acquaintance he made in 1813, shortly before Körner's death), Mayerhofer, Grillparzer, Franz von Schober (died at Dresden, Sept. 13, 1882), and the gifted painter Moritz von Schwind—all except Körner closely connected with Schubert's life. After his attachment to Spaun had become confirmed, Schubert always first showed him his new songs, and asked his opinion. Spaun also endeavoured to help him by introductions to musical people. Tn this way Schubert made the acquaintance of Witteczek, the ministerial councillor, who became one of his most devoted adherents, and made a collection of Schubert's works, which he took every pains to render complete, and which has furnished materials for all the biographies and catalogues of Schubert. This he left to Spaun, stipulating that on his death it should pass to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, in whose archives it may now be seen—a monument of painstaking devotion. The collection contains a replica by Rieder himself, dated 1840, of his portrait of Schubert taken in 1825; about 65 vols. printed or MS. containing all Schubert's vocal, and part of his instrumental works; a thematic list of the songs from 1811 to 1828; biographical notices, poems, critiques; a list of the 81 poets set by him from Æschylus to Zettler (including Spaun himself as author of the 'Jüngling und der Tod'); the MSS. bought by Landsberg of Rome from Ferdinand Schubert in 1840; several parcels of articles, letters, notices, extracts from newspapers, poems on Schubert, concert-bills and programmes; and 14 pieces in Schubert's own hand.

[ C. F. P. ]