‘I intend to pave my way towards a grand symphony…’
‘I intend to pave my way towards a grand symphony…’

Franz Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony and His Mature Instrumental Works

Summary/Abstract: Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony in B minor has been shrouded in mystery since its first appearance in 1865. David Montgomery’s book Unfinished History tackles the issues surrounding the work’s disappearance and subsequent publication with a detailed investigation of the manuscript (handwriting, paper type, and so forth) and the composer’s structural revisions. Montgomery concludes that the commonly accepted date of composition (1822) is incorrect and that a date of 1824 is more likely. Shared characteristics between the symphony and the instrumental music Schubert composed during this period underpin his argument. David Beach’s survey of Schubert’s Mature Instrumental Music approaches similar issues from a different angle. He identifies various fingerprints in Schubert’s handling of harmony, phrase structure, motive and form that crystallizes a significant change in style. However, this evolutionary stage in the composer’s technique indicates not only a point of arrival but also the adumbration of a new departure.

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