Amadeus Piano Duo plays Schubert Fantasie in F minor, D 940

Franz SCHUBERT
(1797 - 1828)
Fantasie in F minor, D 940
Amadeus Piano Duo
Fami Choi Castro and Sharon Barnea, piano
Recorded live
Aylesbury, 20th October 2022
Programme notes:
The last year of Schubert’s life was extraordinarily productive; the two-cello quintet, his last three piano sonatas, several of the Schwanengesang songs and the Mass in E-Fat major all date from his final year. The Fantasie also dates from 1828 and was dedicated to his pupil, Countess Caroline Esterházy, for whom Schubert had a hopeless love. As might be expected for a work in his final year of life, the Fantasie is an important and original work. It also had the advantage that, when he was playing it with Countess Caroline, their hands would touch from time to time.
The piece opens with a lyrical melody, initially in a minor key, with dotted rhythms and a second subject almost funereal in style. The second movement starts turbulently and leads to a lyrical second theme after which the first theme returns. The third scherzo movement is lively and bright- contrasting with much of the foregoing music. The finale reprises the first movement's primary theme, moves to a fugue on the second theme and then, after a dramatic pause, a quiet merging of both themes.
Schubert was doubtless aware of his sickness and the possibility of an imminent death. This may explain the tragic tone of the whole piece. It was, however, one of the few pieces that he played in public with his friend, composer Franz Lachner, to critical acclaim.

[@Invesdoc]

We love it, great music and so well played

[@mcpiano75]

A lovely performance! Very well balanced and very musical. This work is, I think, much more difficult than it seems. Was this the first time you perform it? Congrats to you both!