Our Winter concert will only feature one symphonic work:
Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 in C major, subtitled “The Great”
Program Notes
The “Great” Symphony: From Obscurity to Masterpiece
Completed in 1826, Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 remained unheard during the composer’s final years. The manuscript sat in obscurity until 1838, when Robert Schumann discovered it among the archives of Schubert’s brother, Ferdinand. Deeply moved by the score’s “heavenly length*”, Schumann brought it to Felix Mendelssohn, who conducted the historic premiere in Leipzig in 1839.
The work eventually earned the moniker “The Great” to distinguish it from the shorter Sixth Symphony in the same key, but the title soon became a literal description of its epic emotional and intellectual range. This “greatness” is meticulously woven through its four distinct movements:
- I. Andante – Allegro ma non troppo (~13–16 minutes)
The symphony begins with a haunting, unaccompanied horn call in unison, instantly evoking a sense of vast, open space. This introduction gives way to a spirited Allegro that maintains a sense of driving energy throughout. - II. Andante con moto (~12–15 minutes)
Shifting to A minor, the second movement is defined by a “walking” pace. It balances a march-like rhythmic persistence with moments of poignant, lyrical beauty, showcasing Schubert’s gift for song-like melodies even within a symphonic frame. - III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace (~10–15 minutes)
This movement is a tumultuous and energetic dance. It bristles with rhythmic vitality and sophisticated counterpoint, acting as a powerful bridge to the work’s massive conclusion. It is the movement most transformed by the conductor’s choice regarding repeats: without them, it is a brisk ten-minute interlude; with them, it expands into a massive, driving dance that rivals the opening movement in scale. - IV. Finale: Allegro vivace (~11–15 minutes)
The symphony concludes with a movement of relentless, breathless momentum. It is famous for its insistently repeated string figurations—the very passages that once earned the work its “unplayable” reputation in the 19th century. At the heart of this rhythmic whirlwind, Schubert pays homage to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Not telegraphing this reveal, Schubert scores the “Ode to Joy” motif in pianissimo at the beginning of the development section through the clarinet, flute, and oboes, before undergoing a transformation by way of tremolo strings. This sequence acts as a dream-like, brief pause before the movement returns back into its primary drama.
*The quote “heavenly length” comes from an essay written by Robert Schumann in 1840, titled “The C Major Symphony of Franz Schubert,” published in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.
“And the length, this heavenly length, like a thick novel in four volumes by Jean Paul, who can never come to an end, and indeed for the best of reasons: to allow the reader to create for himself in turn.”
In Conclusion
Schubert’s Ninth did more than just honor Beethoven; it fundamentally altered the DNA of the Romantic symphony. By proving that a work could be sustained through rhythmic obsession and “heavenly length,” Schubert opened the door for the maximalist symphonies of the late 19th century from the likes of Bruckner and Mahler.
Ultimately, “The Great” C Major stands as a bridge between eras. It possesses the structural clarity of the Classical period while venturing into the psychological depths of Romanticism. It remains a physical and intellectual marathon for performers—a work that, once concluded, leaves both the orchestra and the audience in that unique state of “sublime exhaustion” that only a true masterpiece can provide.