String Quintet in C Major, D.956 (parts) by Franz Schubert
For two violins, viola, and two cellos. Edited by Carl Herrmann. Published by C.F. Peters
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was an Austrian composer of the Romantic Era and generally considered one of the greatest composers in the history of Western classical music. Despite his early death at age 31, he was remarkably prolific, leaving behind a vast oeuvre of over 1500 compositions, with over 600 art songs at its center. He left his mark on all genres, including--most consequentially for string players--on chamber music. His individual style grew out of the influences of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven and was characterized by a mastery of melodic writing as well as formal experimentation and significant harmonic innovation.
Schubert's String Quartet in C Major, D.956, his only entry in the genre, is one of his last completed works and perhaps his crowning achievement in chamber music. Scored for a standard string quartet plus an extra cello-as opposed to the more conventional extra viola-it achieves a rich sound in the lower register. Its lyricism, daring harmonic innovation, and expressive depth have made it an enduring masterpiece.
