Schubert’s youthful symphonies are still rather underestimated. The young Schubert has too often been seen as some kind of intuitive natural genius warbling his woodnotes wild. In fact the best of these symphonies are complex and subtle pieces, both richly embedded in Viennese tradition and formally inventive, works of some emotional complexity. The Second Symphony was written between December 1814 and March 1815. The seventeen year old Schubert produced a work which, while there are clear allusions to Mozart (including the G minor symphony) and, especially, to Beethoven (his Second Symphony and the Prometheus overture), isn’t merely derivative. Brahms admired this second symphony.
The Fifth Symphony belongs to 1816. Scored for strings, plus one flute and pairs of oboes, bassoons and horns, it is a work perhaps rather simpler in its emotional language than its predecessor. It is a work which seems consciously to avoid the large gesture – the dynamic level is on the low side throughout and in the absence of percussion or trumpets there are no loud affirmations or objections; the whole air is relaxed and genial and the rhythms are largely without the almost obsessive insistence which characterises parts of the Second Symphony.
Tracks: 01.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 1. Largo - Allegro vivace (Symphony No.2 in B flat, D.125) 02.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 2. Andante (Symphony No.2 in B flat, D.125) 03.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 3. Menuetto (Allegro vivace) (Symphony No.2 in B flat, D.125) 04.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 4. Presto (Symphony No.2 in B flat, D.125) 05.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 1. Allegro moderato (Piano Sonata No.13 in A, D.664) 06.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 2. Andante (Piano Sonata No.13 in A, D.664) 07.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 3. Allegro (Piano Sonata No.13 in A, D.664) 08.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 1. Allegro (Symphony No.5 in B flat, D.485) 09.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 2. Andante con moto (Symphony No.5 in B flat, D.485) 10.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 3. Menuetto (Allegro molto) (Symphony No.5 in B flat, D.485) 11.András Schiff, Philharmonia Orchestra - Schubert_ 4. Allegro vivace (Symphony No.5 in B flat, D.485)
