Scandalous Overtures
Franz Schubert: One Too Many Nights Out
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Schubert's friends agreed that he was of two natures. On one hand, he was shy, quiet, and studious. On the other hand, especially after a few drinks, he could unhinge, which amplified when he contracted syphilis in 1822 while on a pleasure jaunt with his drinking buddy, Franz Von Schober. Depression and despair accompanied the physical symptoms of the disease, leaving Schubert despondent. However, the music that he wrote during the last four years of his short life has a depth of feeling and expressive nuance that he might not have otherwise found without falling ill.