String Quartet in D minor (1824)
(Death and the Maiden) played by The Stratton String Quartet
George Stratton (violin), Carl Taylor (violin), Watson Forbes (viola),
John Moore (cello)
Schubert's Quartet in D minor, which is in four movements, takes its name from the slow movement, which is a very beautiful set of variations on his song ' Death and the Maiden'. Indeed this week might easily be called ' Tragic ', for, in addition to the choice of theme for the slow movement, the first movement is imbued with the spirit of resignation and sorrow. It was certainly written about the time that Schubert was going through pecuniary troubles and illness : I am', he said, ' the most unhappy and wretched creature in the world.'