Meet the Artists of the Schubertiade Salon Series

From Song to Virtuosic Finale — “Trockne Blumen” Variations

Schubert transformed poetry into music of extraordinary beauty, leaving a lasting legacy in the art song.

Six moments musicaux, D. 780 is a collection of six short pieces for solo piano composed by Franz Schubert. Along with the Impromptus, they are among the most frequently played of all Schubert's piano music, and have been recorded many times. It has been said that Schubert was deeply influenced in writing these pieces by the Impromptus, Op. 7, of Jan Václav Voříšek (1822). These pieces have been described as "akin to Beethoven’s Bagatelles in their brevity and quixotic character.

Schubert’s music inspired admiration, wonder, and a sense of genius that reached beyond his own time. Through the words of fellow composers, we glimpse something of the extraordinary place his music came to occupy in the musical imagination.

Our first rehearsal went very well yesterday and we all look forward to the opening concert in just 3 weeks' time!

The "Little Mushroom" Nickname:

Schubert began living a more Bohemian lifestyle around 1816, when he was about 19, as he started to gain financial independence as a composer. H left his father's school-teaching job after failing to secure a music post, and moved in with friends--especially Franz von Schober. This period also saw the rise of the informal musical gatherings later known as Schubertiades. Intended to showcase Schubert's music, especially songs, piano works, and chamber music, these gatherings often took place in private Vienna homes and salons among the composer's friends, artists, and admirers. The quasi-Bohemian style of Schubertiades would also include poetry reading, literature and art discussions, socializing, dancing and drinking. Nevertheless, these gatherings were very important in promoting Schubert's music among his small circle of admirers, especially considering that he gave only 1 public performance during his lifetime, and that wasn't till less than 7 months before his untimely death at the age of 31.

Our second season kicks off next month with another exciting program of Schubert masterpieces. The concert opens with a set of Lieder based on the theme of nature, followed by excerpts from Moments Musicaux and concluding with his brilliant Variations for Flue & Piano "Trockne Blumen." We would like to also welcome baritone Richard Williams and Heather Beaty joining us this second season!