Trout Quintet Franz Schubert
The work
Franz Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A is arguably the most instantly recognisable piece of chamber music in the entire repertoire, and it remains overwhelmingly popular with performers, broadcasters, audiences and recording companies alike. This convivial five-movement work by the 22-year-old composer embodies many defining characteristics that contribute to its enduring popularity, but uppermost among these is the relentless joy at its core.
The Trout’s rippling sextuplet accompaniment depicts darting fish and sparkling waters
Schubert spent the summer of 1819 on holiday, a song Paumgartner professed to love, and would utilise the unusual instrumentation of Hummel’s Piano Quintet for piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass, with which he was apparently also familiar.
