Epistel "An Herrn Josef von Spaun, Assessor in Linz" (Letter "To Mr. Josef von Spaun, Assessor in Linz," D. 749) is a unique song in Schubert's oeuvre. The title character was one of Schubert's best friends; he had been moved to Linz in September 1821 as part of his job with the Austrian civil service. Schubert had written him a letter in November of that year to which Spaun did not respond, and Matthäus von Collin, a mutual friend, wrote a poem parodying Spaun's apparent faithlessness as a recitative and aria in the manner of an Italian opera. Schubert in turn set von Collin's poem as a real Italian recitative and aria without a trace of parody. The opening recitative is extremely dramatic, with excessive histrionics on the part of the vocalist against raging tremolos and frenzied diminished seventh chords in the piano accompaniment. The recitative reaches its height in a series of repeated high C's for the vocalist and then moves into an aria of extraordinary fury and pathos. While one doubts that Schubert's own personal feelings at Spaun's lack of response to his letter were quite so enraged, the anger of his song is wholehearted and deeply felt.

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