SchubertSwansong

Donald Macleod explores the remarkable and prolific final year of Schubert's life,
during which he battled failing health to compose a succession of masterpieces.

1. The Beginning of the End

There are few composers whose genius is so fertile that you can make a whole
week of programmes from a single year of their life. Yet even by Franz Schubert's
remarkably prolific standards, his last 12 months were utterly extraordinary. As his
body entered terminal decline through a mixture of alcoholism and syphilis,
masterpiece upon masterpiece poured from his pen: the String Quintet in C, the
delirious last three piano sonatas, his Mass in E flat, the last collection of lieder,
posthumously titled "Swansong"and many more besides. This week Donald
Macleod takes us through the last year of Schubert's tragically foreshortened life
and death at the age of only 31.
Donald Macleod begins the week with Schubert's lasttypically boozyNew
Year's Eve party, of 1827/8, before introducing his last collection of songs,
cobbled together and titled "Swansong" by his publisher after the composer's
death. We'll hear excerpt from the set, sung by some of the greatest
contemporary interpreters of Schubert's work, all week.
00:01
Franz Schubert
Die Taubenpost (Schwanengesang)
Performer: Christoph Eschenbach, piano
Singer: Matthias Goerne, baritone
00:08
Franz Schubert
Piano Trio In E Flat Major D.929II. Andante con moto
Ensemble: Trio Wanderer
00:21
Franz Schubert
Fantasia in C major D.934
Performer: Vineta Sareika, violin
Performer: Amandine Savary, piano
00:46
Franz Schubert
Impromptu in F minor, D.935 No.4
Performer: Mitsuko Uchida, piano
00:55
Franz Schubert
Liebesbotschaft (Schwanengesang)
Singer: Matthias Goerne, baritone
Performer: Christoph Eschenbach, piano

2. Foreboding and Fantasy

Donald Macleod continues his exploration of the extraordinary last year of
Schubert's life. Featuring excerpts all week from his final song collection
Schwanengesang (Swansong).
In early 1828, as Schubert's close friends become variously engaged and
married, he sinks deeper into loneliness and depression. Donald Macleod
explores Schubert's brooding personality, and the ongoing debate regarding his
sexuality.
00:01
Franz Schubert
SchwanengesangSong-Cycle D.957Kriegers Ahnung
Performer: Simon Crawford-Phillips
Singer: James Rutherford, baritone
00:01
Julian Joseph
Loyalty and Insight (based on Liszt's Consolations)
Ensemble: Julian Joseph and his All Star Big Band
00:08
Franz Schubert
Der Hochzeitsbraten D.930
Performer: Christoph Berner
Singer: Marlis Petersen, soprano, Werner Gra, tenor, Konrad Jarnot, bass,
Christoph Berner, fortepiano
Singer: Anka Vondung
Singer: Werner Gra
Singer: Konrad Jarnot
00:22
Franz Schubert
Der Kreuzzug D.932
Performer: Gerald Moore, piano
Singer: Dietrich FischerDieskau, baritone
00:28
Franz Schubert
Fantasie in F minor for piano duet D.940
Performer: Leon Fleisher, Katherine Jacobson, piano four hands
Performer: Katherine Jacobson Fleisher
00:48
Franz Schubert
SchwanengesangSong-Cycle D.957 (extracts)
Performer: Eugene Asti, piano
Singer: James Rutherford, baritone

3. Dona Nobis Pacem

Donald Macleod continues his journey through Franz Schubert's final year of
lifeand the towering late masterpieces he composed.
As spring turns to summer in 1828, Schubert's attention is taken first with the
touring violin virtuoso Paganini, and then his own deep Christian faith, as he
composes the lastand possibly finestsetting of the Mass.
00:01
Franz Schubert
Psalm 92, D953
Performer: Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor
Singer: Elmar Schoter, baritone
Choir: Capella Bavariae
00:07
Franz Schubert
Rondo in A major D.951
Performer: Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, piano duet
Performer: Nelson Freire
00:21
Franz Schubert
Sanctus; Benedictus; Agnus Dei (Mass in E Flat, D.950)
Singer: Susan Gritton, soprano
Singer: Pamela Helen Stephen, mezzo-soprano
Singer: Mark Padmore, tenor
Singer: James Gilchrist, tenor
Singer: Matthew Rose, bass
Orchestra: Collegium Musicum 90
Conductoer: Richard Hickox
00:42
Franz Schubert
In der ferne; Abschied (Schwanengesang)
Performer: Andreas Staier, piano
Singer: Christoph Prgardien, tenor
00:55
Franz Schubert
Fugue in E Minor, D952
Performer: Yaara Tal
Performer: Andreas Groethuysen

4. Franz is Unwell
Donald Macleod explores music Schubert wrote in his very final weeksa period
that included some of his greatest works, including three piano sonatas and the
String Quintet in C.
Donald Macleod explores the murky question of what actually killed Schubert.
He also introduces music composed in the very final weeks of Schubert's short
lifeincluding two of his remarkable late trio of piano sonatas played by the
acclaimed Schubert interpreter Mitsuko Uchida.
00:00
Franz Schubert
Glaube, Hoffnung und Liebe D.955
Performer: Gerald Moore
Singer: Dietrich FischerDieskau
00:07
Franz Schubert
Piano Sonata in C Minor, D958IV. Allegro
Performer: Mitsuko Uchida
00:18
Franz Schubert
String Quintet in C major D.956III. Scherzo and Trio; IV. Allegro
Performer: Gautier Capuon, cello
Ensemble: Ebene Quartet
00:40
Franz Schubert
Piano Sonata in A Major D.959II. Andantino
Performer: Mitsuko Uchida
00:51
Franz Schubert
SchwanengesangSong-Cycle D.957 (extracts)
Performer: Roger Vignoles, piano
Singer: Robert Holl, bass-baritone

5. Passing into Legend

Donald Macleod explores Schubert's very final works, and the colossal hole he
left in music after his premature death.
Donald Macleod ends this week exploring the final year of Schubert's life by
exploring the immediate impact of his death upon 19th century musical circles. As
well as completing the sequence of songs from Schubert's final collection,
Schwanengesang, he presents a unique, remarkable "rendering" of the
composer's incomplete Tenth Symphony by the modern Italian master Luciano
Berio.
00:00
Franz Schubert
SchwanengesangDie Stadt
Performer: Paul Lewis, piano
Singer: Mark Padmore, tenor
00:06
Franz Schubert
Piano Sonata in B flat major D.960II. Andante sostenuto
Performer: Mitsuko Uchida
00:20
Franz Schubert
Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, D965
Performer: Michael Collins, clarinet
Performer: Malcolm Martineau, piano
Singer: Ailish Tynan, soprano
00:35
Luciano Berio
Rendering [after Schubert]II. Andante
Orchestra: Bergen filharmoniske orkester
Conductor: Edward Gardner
00:48
Franz Schubert
SchwanengesangAm Meer; Der Doppelgnger
Performer: Paul Lewis, piano
Singer: Mark Padmore, tenor

First broadcast: 07 Nov 2016 (b0829gxc)