Anselm Hüttenbrenner

Austrian composer Anselm Hüttenbrenner (1794-1868) and his brother Josef were among Schubert's closest friends, mostly artists and civil servants. For Schubert these two and a few other friends were a family substitute but also an expert audience for the first private performances of virtually all his songs and piano works (known as 'Schubertiaden'), and above all they stimulated his creative powers. Schubert described Anselm Hüttenbrenner as his 'coffee, wine and punch brother'.