The Berliner Solisten play Schubert

The Berliner Solisten shine in one of Schubert’s longest and richest works: the Octet D. 803 in F Major. Commissioned by Count Ferdinand Troyer—a close friend and clarinettist of the composer—it was intended as an extension of Beethoven's highly popular Septet for Winds and Strings. It uses the same six-movement structure and instrumental line-up, with the addition of a second violin: most of the musicians involved in the premieres of the two works were also the same. Although the composer was going through a dark period of his life when he composed the octet, his decision to use a major key enhances the work's cheerful and lively character, while its lyrical, deeply pastoral tone beautifully showcases the talents of the Berlin instrumentalists.