Schubert — Infinite Intimacy

February 10, 2027 7:00 pm | Central Military Club

Schubert — Infinite Intimacy

Franz Schubert Quartettsatz in C minor, D 703

Franz Schubert Octet in F major, D 803

The festival’s second evening leads us into the poetic world of Franz Schubert, where the sincerity of human feeling becomes pure sonic beauty. Two strikingly different works, the dramatic Quartettsatz (D 703) and the luminous Octet in F major (D 803), span the full emotional range of the young composer.

The musical journey begins with the Quartettsatz, one of Schubert’s most intense and emotionally concentrated works, in which turbulent unrest and inner longing give way to a breathtaking lyrical tenderness. The only completed movement of a planned string quartet, it long remained hidden from the world and came to light thanks to Johannes Brahms, who recognised it as a true masterpiece.

The Octet in F major reveals an entirely different world. Schubert’s most expansive chamber work, inspired by Beethoven’s Septet, unites strings and winds: two violins, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, horn and bassoon. Across its six movements, filled with song, dance rhythms and delightful dialogues between the instruments, the listener enters the welcoming world of the Viennese salons, where music is a joy to be shared. At the emotional heart of the Octet lies the Andante, written as if not in ink but in light, a movement that makes time stand still.

Together, the two works reveal the full maturity of Schubert’s genius. They are brought to life in all their depth by the outstanding violinists Svetlin Roussev and Valeriy Sokolov, together with Lech Antonio Uszynski (viola) and Péter Somodari (cello). In the Octet, they are joined by Petar Naydenov (double bass) and wind virtuosos Borislav Yotsov (clarinet), Gábor Mészáros (bassoon) and Jörg Brückner (horn).