The ''Adagio and Rondo Concertante'' (''Adagio e Rondo concertante'') in

F major F major (or the key of F) is a major scale based on F, with the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative minor is D minor and its parallel minor is F minor. The F major scale is: : F major is th ...

for

piano quartet A piano quartet is a chamber music composition for piano and three other instruments, or a musical ensemble comprising such instruments. Those other instruments are usually a string trio consisting of a violin, viola and cello. Piano quartets for ...

, 487, was composed by

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...

in 1816. A "brilliant" work designed as a display piece for the piano soloist, it is not only one of the few works the composer wrote in this style, but it is his first complete composition for piano and string ensemble, preceding the "Trout" Quintet" by three years.

Background

Schubert apparently composed the quartet at the request of Heinrich Grob, the brother of Therese Grob, who at the time Schubert hoped to marry. Offered to

Diabelli Anton (or Antonio) Diabelli (5 September 17818 April 1858) was an Austrian music publisher, editor and composer. Best known in his time as a publisher, he is most familiar today as the composer of the waltz on which Ludwig van Beethoven wrote ...

after Schubert's death, the composition was not published until 1865.

Performance history

The first known public performance of the quartet was on 1 November 1861 at the

Ludwig Bösendorfer Ludwig Bösendorfer (10 April 1835 – 9 May 1919) was an Austrian piano manufacturer, son of Ignaz Bösendorfer and inheritor of his father's company Bösendorfer. He modernized the construction of the company's pianos, and made the company well k ...

Salon in Vienna.

Structure

The composition, which is written for a standard

is in two movements played continuously: # ''

Adagio Adagio (Italian for 'slowly', ) may refer to: Music * Adagio, a Tempo#Basic tempo markings, tempo marking, indicating that music is to be played slowly, or a composition intended to be played in this manner * Adagio (band), a French progressive m ...

'' - # ''

Rondo The rondo is an instrumental musical form introduced in the Classical period. Etymology The English word ''rondo'' comes from the Italian form of the French ''rondeau'', which means "a little round". Despite the common etymological root, rondo ...

: Allegro vivace'' The composition takes around 14–16 minutes to perform.

References

;Notes ;Sources * * * * * * *

External links

* * {{Schubert chamber music Chamber music by Franz Schubert Compositions for piano quartet 1816 compositions Compositions in F major Compositions by Franz Schubert published posthumously