22-23 Program Book - Flipbook - Page 85
Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759 “Unfinished”(1828)
FRANZ PETER SCHUBERT
(January 31, 1797-November 19, 1828)
Franz Schubert is one of very few “Viennese” composers actually born
in Vienna. His family was active in music and Franz showed early talent
while playing viola in the family string quartet. He began composing by
age 12. Musically, melody was most important to him, and melody is what
has captured the attention of scholars, musicians, and audiences. In his
short life, he wrote over 1,500 pieces in all genres and is best known for his
artsongs (Lieder). His first pieces for orchestra appeared in 1813, and his
first six symphonies show strong influences of Haydn and Mozart.
The first movement begins with a haunting melody in the low strings,
followed by a solo shared by oboe and clarinet that continues the mysterious
mood. The second theme offers a remarkable contrast that reinforces one
of Schubert’s greatest strengths, a beautiful lyrical melody in the strings. A
long development section explores both themes in a wide variety of keys,
timbres, and dynamics, and the recapitulation revisits both themes, ending
with a gradual fade punctuated by two loud chords.
The second movement is slower, beginning with a pleasant lyrical theme,
followed by a more plaintive melody, once again featuring the strings,
clarinet, and oboe. There are several moments where the full force of the
orchestra is used, and the contrasts are quite striking. There is no true
development section as each melody is explored on its own. The movement
closes gently. It is fascinating to try to imagine what might have come next
if the composer had been able to finish the work.
CLASSICAL SERIES: SCHUBERT’S “UNFINISHED”
Schubert started his Eighth Symphony in 1822. Musicologists have offered
theories on why the piece was left incomplete; Schubert may have begun
a finale that wound up being used elsewhere, but conclusive evidence
remains elusive. The reason we have even two movements is due to the
fact that in 1823, the Graz Music Society gave Schubert an honorary
diploma, and he felt obliged to dedicate a symphony to them in return. He
sent his friend Anselm Hüttenbrenner, a leading member of the Society, an
orchestral score he had written in 1822. It consisted of the two completed
movements plus the first two pages of the start of a scherzo. Researchers
found later found a piano draft of the rest of the scherzo in Schubert’s
personal papers. Attempts by scholars at completing the work have been
made, but the two extant movements have enough musical substance to
stand alone. The symphony is a popular, established part of the standard
orchestral repertoire today; it should be noted that, like his Symphony No.
9, the “Unfinished” Symphony was not performed in Schubert’s lifetime. It
received its first public performance in 1865 and was finally published in
1867.
Schubert’s Eighth Symphony has been called the first Romantic symphony
by some scholars due to its emphasis on the lyrical impulse within the
dramatic structure of Classical sonata form. Stylistically, his music is a
worthy immediate successor to the music of Beethoven in the expansion
of forms and a knack for creating long, beautiful melodies, serving as a
bridge to the music of Robert Schumann and beyond.
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