8 German Dances (414.01)

8 German Dances (414.01) (Although Schubert wrote 9 symphonies and a number of operas and masses, it is chiefly for his chamber music, keyboard pieces and songs that he gained his reputation, with much of his larger scale music not becoming widely known until the late 19th century. He seldom strayed from his native Vienna but built up a strong social network amongst the newly emerging educated middle classes where his music was much appreciated and often performed at private house parties that became known as ‘Schubertiads’. The music publishing business was booming and Schubert responded to the demand for small-scale pieces by producing a large number of simple dance sets for piano. Amongst them are the German dances; charming miniatures in a range of styles and despite their brevity, displaying the expressive genius that served Schubert so well in his more substantial music. Performance notes: The whole set should be played with poise and a light touch; avoid heavy attacks and over-loud dynamics. Tempos should be chosen to give an overall shape to the set. The suggested marking give the opportunity to begin in lively style, relax a bit in no. 2, sing gently in no. 3, add a bit of energy in no. 4, indulge in the unusual harmonies of no. 5, enjoy the suspensions and the ebb and flow of no 6, pick up the energy again in no. 7 and finish with a flourish. The 1st trumpet player will probably want to use a smaller trumpet for some of the movements. The 4th trumpet part can be played entirely on the flugel but for preference the 1st and 8th dances should be played on the trumpet.)