The Classicist House with Memorial Room of Franz Schubert in Zeliezovce, Slovakia
Želiezovce (which was once called Zselíz) is a town on the border with Hungary, 150 km. east of Bratislava, 75 km. north of Budapest. At first sight this is not a town where you would make a stop. Broad, busy roads traverse the town and on both sides are greyish socialistic blocks of flats. But then at once you notice the signs showing the way to the Memorial room of Franz Schubert (pamätna izba Franza Schuberta).
The memorial room is located in a humble, classicist house bordering a large park. In the park there stands a decayed palace which belonged to the noble family Esterhazy until 1945. But it was in the house, which was gardenhouse and guesthouse of the family Esterhazy, where Franz Schubert (1797-1828) stayed in the years 1818 and 1824. Invited by the noble family he gave music lessons to the children. Of course he was charmed by the daughters, especially Caroline Esterhazy, to whom he dedicated his Octet in F major op. 166 D 803 (1824).
The rustic rivier Hron flows past the town and through the park of the Esterhazy family there is a little brook, which might have inspired Schubert in composing his Trout Quintet (1819).
There is not much in the museum that reminds of Franz Schubert, but together with the park and the desolate palace one experiences a pleasant tranquillity here of a romantic past. Still, it wasn’t always as quiet in those days. Schubert complains in one of his letters of the dozens of geese held in the parc by the Esterhazy family, making noice as of a chaotic choir.