Franz Schubert, one of the greatest composers of classical songs of all time (he wrote more than 600 of them) composed his last 14 songs that make up the collection “Schwanengesang” in 1828 and they were published in 1829 after his death that year. The collection are made up of 7 songs to poems by Rellstab, 6 songs to poems by Heine and 1 song to a poem by Seidl.

These last songs range from the pain of advent love, of the closeness of death when apart from the loved one, of having no friends and home, of leaving the home town and the trauma of loss as well as some notable love songs including Standchen (Serenade). While writing these last songs, Schubert may have felt in his last year at falling love with Caroline Esterhazy who he would have considered unattainable.