Schubert’s Late Quartets

Schubert Listening Challenge, Part 7

In our previous installment, we looked at Schubert’s late symphonies, which are quite different from the early ones—with the brooding lyricism of the “Unfinished” and the Beethoven-like grandeur of the “Great.” There is a similar distinction between Schubert’s early quartets and his final four, the last two of which we will listen to in classic performances by the Quartetto Italiano.

The parallels continue, as the melancholy (or even despair) of the D Minor, “Death and the Maiden” Quartet (named for the theme of the second movement, which echoes a song that he wrote with the same title) is analogous to the Unfinished Symphony, while the massive structure and towering ambition of the final, G Major Quartet may remind us of the Great Symphony. I will leave the commentary to a minimum, but I will add only that these are cosmic, life-changing pieces that transcend any notion that chamber music is simply pleasant fare to be played in the background at an elegant dinner party.

This music will shake you up, and it's not all sadness and gloom: the end of the G Major Quartet is powerfully life-affirming, or even joyful, much like the end of the Great Symphony.

I hope that you have enjoyed this survey of some favorite Schubert pieces and recordings. In the end, it is an incredible legacy, especially for a composer who died at the age of 31. Let me know in the comments which of the pieces from the series spoke to you especially and why. Also, let me know what sorts of musical surveys you would like to see going forward. I have a bunch of plans in the hopper, but I would welcome your ideas as well.

Happy listening.

Links to the PCF Schubert Playlist:

The PCF Schubert Playlist on Apple Music

The PCF Schubert Playlist on Spotify

Thanks for reading, from my fancy internet cello to yours.

Photo by Dominik Scythe on Unsplash