The world of Biedermeier Vienna was not only bright, friendly, and cozy, but also had its dark sides. Poverty, illness, and sudden death were commonplace, and people were confronted with melancholy, the gothic, the uncanny, and the supernatural. The dark sides of this period also include secret societies, rampant censorship, and a wide range of activities that did not take place in the light of day, such as illegal gambling. The 5th annual conference of the Schubert Research Center will explore these phenomena within the larger cultural, historical, and artistic context of Schubert’s time. Schubert himself was said to have a “dual nature” and often “produced songs of the most agonizing beauty in the dark, sacred hours.”
We invite papers that examine topics such as Schubert’s enduring fascination with death in his compositions (beginning with his earliest pieces), the miserable realities of everyday life in Vienna in historical perspective, and the dark Romanticism evident in so much of the art and literature of
the time.
Applications should include a short CV and an abstract of ca. 300 words. These materials should be sent to schubert@oeaw.ac.at no later than 7 April 2025. Most of the costs for travel and accommodation will be covered by the Schubert Research Center. The conference language is English.