It is quite widespread a belief that works intended for small ensembles are shorter and less elaborate than those intended for a symphony orchestra. Nothing could be more wrong – among pieces of chamber music you can find elaborate and momentous compositions too. A perfect example is the Octet in F major by Franz Schubert – a masterpiece of Romantic music.

The Austrian composer went down in history as one of the greatest melodists in the history of music. His talent in this area was revealed in symphonic and piano works, songs for solo voice and piano, but also in numerous, sometimes very extensive, pieces for various chamber ensembles. They include the Octet in F major, which will be performed this evening by the NFM Ensemble.

The composition was created in March 1824 at the request of a wealthy nobleman, philanthropist and talented amateur clarinetist – Ferdinand Troyer. The octet consists of as many as six movements and is intended for clarinet, bassoon, horn, two violins, viola, cello and double bass. The first performance took place at the estate of Troyer’s employer, Archduke Rudolf Johann Habsburg. It was to this aristocrat Ludwig van Beethoven dedicated his Trio in B flat major op. 97 ‘The Archduke’, The threads related to the work of Beethoven do not end there. He was the author of the popular, much liked by Archduke, Septet in E flat major. When writing his octet, Schubert followed Beethoven’s example and used practically the same scoring, adding only one more violin. The work, which elaborates on Beethoven’s achievements, aroused understandable interest of Viennese music lovers, because it fully reveals Schubert’s melodic talent, and the melodiousness goes hand in hand with the great colour of the sound. In fact, Schubert referred to his songwriting – the first movement is based on the song Der Wanderer, while the composer took the theme of variations in the fourth movement from his singspiel Die Freunde von Salamanka.