Sorry, this episode is not currently available

The Last Year

Clemency Burton-Hill presents Radio 3's breakfast show celebrating the life and work of Schubert.

The Spirit of Schubert - The Last Year.

With 200 hours of broadcasting and more than a thousand performances, over eight and a half days, BBC Radio 3 presents the biggest ever celebration of Schubert, his music and his life. Including performances of all his completed music and unique broadcasts of his unfinished works, Radio 3 devotes its entire schedule to one of the greatest ever composers. When he died at the age of 31 in 1828, he left a vast body of work, and with live daily performances across the UK, specially commissioned completions of his music and unprecedented analysis of the man behind the music, now, for the first time on this scale, BBC Radio 3 unravels the spirit of this prolific composer.

Throughout the day at 1100, 1400 and 1745 Tom Service presents The Schubert Lab - exploring the issues of the day and answering questions about Schubert's life and music.

Today we consider Schubert's last year. He died at the age of 31 in 1828 having written almost a thousand works. He'd contracted syphillis fives years before his death and the works of those final years reached an immediacy and intensity he'd not before discovered. His was a brief life that burned bright, and it's impossible to call these works - when many other composers would just be establishing themselves - a late period. Yet they touch such extraordinary depths, we have to ask how close did he know he was to death. With such a presence of emotion in these pieces, what does that music say about Schubert's understanding of the world. And is the music of the final year of his life an end or a beginning?

Clemency Burton-Hill presents Radio 3's Breakfast Show on the final day of The Spirit of Schubert

Clemency Burton-Hill presents Radio 3's classical Breakfast show.

Show less

2 hours

Last on

Sat 31 Mar 2012 07:00

BBC Radio 3

More episodes

Who Is Schubert?—The Spirit of Schubert

See all episodes from Breakfast

Franz Schubert

D.604 Andante for piano (D.604) in A major

Performer: Gottlieb Wallisch (piano)
- Naxos 8.570118.
Franz Schubert

D.082 Symphony no. 1 (D.82) in D major 3rd MOVT

Performer: Dresden Staatskapelle Performer: Sir Colin Davis
- RCA 82876 60392 2.
Franz Schubert

D.948 Hymnus an den heiligen Geist (D.948) vers. 1 for TTBB...

Performer: Neill Archer, Robert Burt (tenors) Performer: Colin Campbell (baritone) Performer: Robert McDonald (bass) Performer: Monteverdi Choir Performer: Orchestre Revoltionnaire et Romantique Performer: John Eliot Gardiner
- Philips 456 578-2.
Franz Schubert

D.924 12 Grazer waltzes for piano duet (D.924)

Performer: Michael Endres (piano)
- Capriccio WDR3 49242.
Franz Schubert

D.619 Sing-Ubungen for 2 voices and piano (D.619)

Performer: Dame Janet Baker Performer: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Performer: Gerald Moore (piano)
- DG 4355962.
Franz Schubert

D.667 Quintet for piano, violin, viola, cello & db (D.667)"Trout" FINALE

Performer: Finale of Trout Quintet Performer: The Schubert Ensemble
- Champs Hill CHRCD 007.
Franz Schubert

D.990 Der Graf von Habsburg (D.990)

Performer: Lothar Odinius tenor Performer: Ulrich Eisenlohr piano
- Naxos 8557369-70.
Franz Schubert

D.616 Grablied fur die Mutter (D.616)

Performer: Dietrich Fischer Dieskau Performer: Gerald Moore I(piano)
- DG cat no tbc.
Franz Schubert

D.922 Heimliches Lieben (D.922)

Performer: Elizabeth Watts (soprano) Performer: Roger Vignoles (piano)
- Sony BMG 88697 329322.
Franz Schubert

D.511 Ecossaise for piano (D.511) in E flat major

Performer: Michael Endres (piano)
- Capriccio WDR3 49242.
Franz Schubert

D.866/2 Bei dir Allein! (from 4 Refrainlieder) (D.866)

Performer: Michael Schade (tenor) Performer: Graham Johnson (piano)
- Hyperion CDS44236.
Franz Schubert

D.787 Die Verschworenen - Singspiel in 1 act (D.787)...OVERTURE

Performer: Prague Sinfonia Performer: Christian Benda
- Naxos 8570329.
Franz Schubert

D.605 Fantasy for piano (D.605) in C major

Performer: Christoph Keller (piano)
- MGB CTS-M 74.
Franz Schubert

D.957/3 Fruhlingssehnsucht (from Schwanengesang - song-cycle) (D.957/3)

Performer: Bryn Terfel (baritone) Performer: Malcolm Martineau (piano)
- Sain SCDC 4035.
Franz Schubert

D.964 Hymnus an den heiligen Geist (D.964) vers. 2 of D.948 for TTBB, chorus...

Performer: Capella Bavariae
- EMI 0 28474 2.
Franz Schubert

D.947 Allegro for piano duet (D.947) in A minor "Lebenssturme"

Performer: Alfred Brendel, Evelyne Crochet (piano duet)
- Vox Box CD3X 3041.
Franz Schubert

D.804 Quartet for strings no. 13 (D.804) (Op.29) in A minor "Rosamunde"FINALE: Last moveme

Performer: Takacs Quartet
- Hyperion CDA 67585.
Franz Schubert

D.926 Das Weinen (D.926)

Performer: Juliane Banse (soprano) Performer: Graham Johnson (piano)
- Hyperion CDS 44235.
Franz Schubert

D.604 Andante for piano (D.604) in A major
- Schubert: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1, 8 and 15: Gottlieb Wallisch.
- Naxos.
- 6.
Franz Schubert

D.948 Hymnus an den heiligen Geist (D.948) vers. 1 for TTBB...
- Schubert Mass in A flat.
- Philips.
- 12.
Franz Schubert

D.924 12 Grazer waltzes for piano duet (D.924)
- Schubert Dances Michael Endres.
- 3.
Franz Schubert

D.619 Sing-Ubungen for 2 voices and piano (D.619)
Franz Schubert

D.667 Quintet for piano, violin, viola, cello & db (D.667)"Trout"FINALE
- Franz Schubert The Trout Quintet/Schubert Ensemble.
- Champs Hill.
- 5.
Franz Schubert

D.990 Der Graf von Habsburg (D.990)
Franz Schubert

D.616 Grablied fur die Mutter (D.616)
Franz Schubert

D.922 Heimliches Lieben (D.922)
- Schubert Lieder Elizabeth Watts.
- Sony BMG.
- 6.
Franz Schubert

D.511 Ecossaises for piano (D.511) in E flat major
- Schubert Dances Michael Endres.
- 7.
Franz Schubert

D.866/2 Bei dir Allein! (from 4 Refrainlieder) (D.866)
- Schubert The Complete Songs Vol 36.
- Hyperion.
- 5.
Franz Schubert

D.787 Die Verschworenen - Singspiel in 1 act (D.787)- Overture
- Schubert Complete Overtures/Prague Sinfonia.
- Naxos.
- 8.
Franz Schubert

D.605 Fantasy for piano (D.605) in C major
- Englert/Schubert: Keller/Sinfonieorchester Basel/Venzago.
- MGB.
- 9.
Franz Schubert

D.957/3 Fruhlingssehnsucht (from Schwanengesang - song-cycle) (D.957/3)
- Schwanengesang Terfel.
- Sain.
- 3.
Franz Schubert

D.964 Hymnus an den heiligen Geist (D.964) vers. 2 of D.948 for TTBB, chorus...
- Schubert Choral Music Bavarian Radio Choir Sawallisch.
- EMI.
- 22.
Franz Schubert

D.947 Allegro for piano duet (D.947) in A minor "Lebenssturme"
- Alfred Brendel Play Schubert.
- Vox Box.
- 2.
Franz Schubert

String Quartet in A minor, D 804, 'Rosamunde' (4th mvt)
Ensemble: Takács Quartet.
- Schubert/Takacs Quartet.
- Hyperion.
- 8.
Franz Schubert

D.926 Das Weinen (D.926)
- Schubert Complete Songs Vol 35.
- Hyperion.
- 4.