Schubert's Metamorphoses: C. G. Jung’s Archetypal Theory as a Foundation for Musical Analysis – a Research on the Creative Process

This open access book presents an innovative method of musical analysis based on C. G. Jung’s theory of archetypes to examine the creative process of Franz Schubert. Departing from Jung’s thesis that creative people have special access to psychic archetypal structures that impact artistic language and the creation of artistic works, this interdisciplinary study paves the way for a more differentiated understanding of music, allowing for a deeper exploration of the “soul” of a composition. Schubert’s spontaneous working methods and specific compositional techniques reveal a symbolic archetypal language, which becomes the focus of this research project, covering aesthetic, political, cultural and depth-psychological questions. Avoiding any pathologising interpretations, the findings reveal the connection between musical language, archetypal structures, and the composer’s biographical development, contributing significantly to current debates in Schubert research while also shedding new light on his work and creative process.

Leonor Dill obtained her doctorate in Musicology, Science and Art with the highest distinction from the Mozarteum University/Paris Lodron University, Salzburg. Her dissertation received the Austrian state prize Award of Excellence 2025. She has attended seminars on analytical psychology at the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich since early 2022. Her Master in Piano Performance was obtained at the HEM Genève.