First Movement from "Symphony in B minor, no. 8"

Franz Schubert

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General Info

Year: 1822 / 1938
Duration: c. 11:50
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print.

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.

Instrumentation

Full Score
Condensed Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet Solo-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Bass Saxophone
B-flat Cornet Solo-II-III
B-flat Trumpet
B-flat Flugelhorn
E-flat Horn or Alto I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Contra-Bass
Harp
Timpani
Percussion

(percussion detail desired)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759, commonly known as the "Unfinished Symphony," is a musical composition that Schubert started in 1822 but left with only two movements -- though he lived for another six years. A scherzo, nearly completed in piano score but with only two pages orchestrated, also survives.

Schubert's Eighth Symphony is sometimes called the first Romantic symphony due to its emphasis on the lyrical impulse within the dramatic structure of Classical sonata form. Furthermore, its orchestration is not solely tailored for functionality, but specific combinations of instrumental timbre that are prophetic of the later Romantic movement, with wide vertical spacing occurring for example at the beginning of the development.

The first movement, in B minor, opens in sonata form, softly in the strings, followed by a theme shared by the solo oboe and clarinet. A typically laconic Schubertian transition consists of just four measures for the two horns, effectively modulating to the subdominant parallel key of G major.

- Program Note adapted from Wikipedia

Although the original work was in the key of B-minor, the Cailliet arrangement is in C-minor.

Media

None discovered thus far.

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Peninsula Symphonic Band (Palo Alto, Calif.) (Ted Henderson, conductor) - 10 June 2023
Amarillo (Tx.) College Community Concert Band (Kellie Bartley, conductor) – 6 November 2017

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Marche Militaire (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Takahashi) (1818/2016)

All Wind Works

Andante con Moto (arr. Bulla) (1816/2003)
Ave Maria (arr. Klemke) (1825/2006)
Ave Maria (arr. Ticheli) (1825/2004)
Ave Maria (arr. Warner) (1825/)
Deutsche Messe (1827)
Eine Kleine Trauermusik (1813)
Erl King (arr. Daehn) (2013)
First Movement from "Symphony in B minor, no. 8" (arr. Cailliet) (1822/1938)
Impromptu (arr. Hautvast) (2014)
Little Symphony for Winds (tr. Reynolds) (1817-18/2003)
Marche Militaire (arr. Harnsberger) (1818/2011)
Marche Militaire (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Takahashi) (1818/2016)
Marche Militaire No. 1 (arr. Musgrave) (1818/2003)
6 Minuets (1811)
Military March (arr. Sacchini) (1818/2007)
Octet F major (compl. Stamm) (1813/2004)
Rosamunde Overture (arr. Winterbottom)
Sanctus (tr. Curnow) (1827/1996)
Scherzo and Trio in F (arr. Emerson) (1817/1975)
Symphony No. 5 (arr. Hovey) (1816/1973)
Symphony No. 8 Mvmt. 1 (arr. Rollins)
Unfinished Symphony. See: First Movement from "Symphony in B minor, no. 8"

Resources

Schubert, F.; Cailliet, L. (1938). First Movement from Symphony in B minor, No. 8 (The Unfinished Symphony) arr. for Symphonic Band [score]. C. Fischer: New York, N.Y.
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 536.
Symphony No. 8 (Schubert). Wikipedia. Accessed 11 June 2023