1. A Listening Guide to Schubert’s Fantasy in F Minor
Being one of my very favorite songs, I chose Franz Schubert’s “Fantasy in F Minor, D. 940”, movements I-IV for my presentation. I will help you gain a better understanding and appreciation of Schubert’s work and life with this guide, and hopefully you will learn to love this piece as much as I do.
Sarah Greaves
Salt Lake Community College

2. Biography Early Life Born January 31st 1792.
Talented at an early age with: violin, piano,
vocals.
Enrolled at Stadtkonvikt, a vocal school.
Worked as an assistant at his father’s
school after Stadtkonvikt.
Began composing under the tutelage of
Antonio Salieri, an old instructor from
his vocal school.
Franz Schubert born January 31st 1797 in Austria! His family lived modestly, but was not wealthy. Schubert could not afford a piano growing up. From a young age he was taught about music by his father and older brother, and showed particular talent with the piano, violin, and his vocals. Schubert enrolled at the Stadtkonvikt, which trained young vocalists. He learned about music in greater depth until his vocals were no longer sufficient for his continued enrollment, and so he had to leave the school. He worked at his father’s school as a School Master for the following four years, but continued to study under the tutelage of his instructor from Stadtkonvikt for several years longer.

3. Biography Cont. Young Man
Italian Overture in C Major, performed in public.
Pursues music full-time for his career.
"Die Zwillingsbrüder” is a success.
Schubert’s popularity increases.
By 1815 Schubert was composing pieces that many seemed to enjoy! After having his piece, Italian Overture in C Major, performed in public, the positive response from the audience gave him the boost he needed to drop education and pursue his musical career full-time. Schubert moved to Vienna where he composed with newfound vigor, completing an opera entitled "Die Zwillingsbrüder” (The Twin Brothers), which was a success! Because of the positive feedback from his newest songs for piano and the opera, Schubert became increasingly popular during his lifetime. Being born into a family of modest wealth, he never truly had money to burn, but was able to increase his profits once his popularity rose.

4. Composes popular “Wander
Biography Cont.
Success
Schubert becomes ill.
Composes popular “Wander
Fantasy” for piano.
Composes the Opera
“Fierrabras”.
Unfortunately, he was still unable to make enough money to life a comfortable life, and in 1822 he became very sick. Historians believe he had contracted Syphilis. Struggling to pay for medication he needed for his illness as well as his daily expenses, Schubert was basically flat broke. This didn’t stop him from churning out new compositions of excellent quality, however. Even while sick, he managed to compose the very popular "Wanderer Fantasy" for piano, as well as a song cycle and an opera, "Fierrabras".

5. Later Years and Passing
Biography Cont.
Later Years and Passing
1828 Schubert composes “Fantasy in F Minor”.
Last public performance meets with great success.
Purchases his first piano.
Passes away November 19th 1828 from illness.
In the last year of his life, 1828, Schubert composed “Fantasy in F Minor”, a four-hand piano piece that gained large popularity and is considered his greatest duet to this day. His first and only public performance he participated in occurred in March of that year, and was met with so much success that he was finally able to buy himself a piano. Schubert passed away on November 19th in his brother’s home.

6. Composition History Fantasy in F Minor.
Composed January to March of 1828.
Duet for four hands.
One of Schubert’s last works.
Is still very popular today.
“Fantasy in F Minor” began in January of 1828 and finished composition around March of that same year. Being very ill at this point, it was one of Schubert’s final compositions before he passed away in November of that same year. It is, to this day, considered his greatest duet, being a four-hand piano piece. While the piece was composed and performed in 1828, it after Schubert’s death that his family published it in 1829.

7. Composition History Cont.
First public performance on March 26th, 1828.
March performance was the only public event that Schubert ever played for.
Private duet with Franz Schubert and Franz Lachner on May 9th, 1828.
“Fantasy in F Minor” had two known performances by Schubert himself: one public, taking place March 26th of 1828, and a private performance on May 9th 1828 with himself and Franz Lachner as the performers. Interestingly, the public performance in March was the first and last that Schubert had ever done.

8. Composition History Cont.
Dedicated to Karoline Esterházy.
Schubert loved her, but his feelings were not returned.
He dedicated the piece to her as a show of his affection.
The composition itself was dedicated to Karoline Esterházy, the daughter of a Count to whom Schubert taught music. Schubert was in love with Karoline, but unfortunately this love was not returned. Most likely he was rejected due to both his poor health and poor wealth. Regardless, the piece was dedicated to her.

9. Composition History Cont.
Preformed by Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem.
Published by Summit Records.
Published in 2002.
The recording I chose to study was recorded by Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem in the year The performance was captured and released by Summit Records. Summit Records released each movement in separate pieces rather than as a whole, unstopped and unpaused composition.

10. Listening Guide Part I 0.01 0.35 1.10 Analysis
Theme 1 starts, F Minor, piano.
Theme 1 repeated, mezzo piano.
Theme 2, played in Major.
“Fantasy in F Minor” begins with it’s first theme, a soft, slow melody that flows. This first movement is in Allegro molto moderato form. At .35 seconds, the first theme has already been repeated, only louder this time. At one minute ten seconds, the second theme of the first movement begins, played in major. The melody from this point continues switching back and forth between major and minor, making the rhythm dotty.

11. Listening Guide 2 Part I 1.18 1.40 2.06 2.43 Analysis
Melody alternates between major and minor chords.
Theme 1 reprised, but in major.
Theme 3 quickens the tempo, played in forte.
Return to Theme 1, harmony played at faster tempo.
While the melody alternates between major and minor, at one minute and forty seconds, Theme 1 is once again reprised, only this time it is played in major instead of F minor. The melody and harmony of the bottom hand is softer. A brief third theme quickens the tempo once the reprise ends, and it is played forte in contrast to the mezzo piano of the major theme. At 2.43, we once again return to Theme 1. This time, the harmony is played as a faster pace.

12. Listening Guide 3 Part I 3.03 3.43 4.00 4.27 Analysis
Theme 3, played forte.
Theme 1, played at slower tempo.
Played pianissimo, the tempo slows.
Heterophonic textures cause back- and-forth melody.
Theme 3 picks up again, forte once more. At 3.43 Theme 1 returns for the last time this movement, played at a much slower tempo. At 4 minutes it is played in piano and slows even more, making the notes all very soft. Heterophonic textures at 4.27 cause the top and bottom hands to play the same melody back and forth to each other several times before the music stills.

13. Listening Guide 4 Part II 0.01 0.06 0.22 Analysis Piano to forte fade.
Second movement’s Theme 1, very forceful.
Melody softens, dynamic notes.
The second movement is in Largo form, and begins suddenly, fading from piano to forte notes, and immediately into the first theme. It’s a very overbearing melody, forceful even. At 0.22 seconds, the melody softens, and makes jumps from low to high notes. This movement is quieter but more dynamic than the first.

14. Listening Guide 5 Part II 0.59 1.29 1.55 Analysis
Theme 2, homophonic texture.
Turns to minor chords.
Heterophonic texture, back-and- forth-melody.
At 0.59 seconds, Theme 2 begins with a homophonic texture, the melody being played by the upper hands, and a basic accompaniment by the bottom hands. Theme 2 is brief but played in piano, very softly. The melody here is like gentle wind. At 1.29 the theme changes to minor chords, and at 1.55 there is a back-and-forth between the bottom and top hands, creating a Heterophonic texture.

15. Listening Guide 6 Part II 2.22 2.50 Analysis Theme 1 reprised.
Tempo slows, melody ends.
At 2.22, Theme 1 is reprised at the same pace and tempo as the beginning. At 2.50 the tempo slows and takes on a metronomic pace as the notes climb steadily to mezzo forte and the second movement ends.

16. Listening Guide 7 Part III 0.01 0.12 1.00 Analysis
Third movement’s Theme 1 begins.
Tempo is fast, melody is in major.
Theme 1 repeats.
The third movement is in Scherzo. Allegro vivace form. Theme 1 begins at a much faster pace than the other movements. While still in F# Minor, the sound is strong and has a happy melody. At 0.12 seconds, the theme changes from minor to major briefly, keeping with the quick tempo. The theme repeats many times, alternating between the minor and major parts.

17. Listening Guide 8 Part III 2.52 4.03 5.30 Analysis D Major trio.
Theme 1 reprise.
Dynamic close.
At 2.52, Theme 1 pauses to give way to a less agitated, softer D Major trio. The notes are fast but soft, the melody light and airy. With almost no break, Theme 1 returns at 4.03 in forte and repeats several times. At 5.30 Theme 1 ends abruptly, followed by a short part with dynamic, forte notes, returning to the minor key. With that, movement three ends.

18. Listening Guide 9 Part IV 0.01 1.10 1.39 Analysis
Restatement of Movement I’s Theme 1 in minor.
Theme 1 in major.
Fugue reminiscent of Movement 2.
Movement four begins with a restatement of movement one’s Theme 1, played in minor. At 1.10 the restatement also extends to the theme’s major variation from the first movement. At 1.39 a fugue reminiscent of the second movement plays in forte, minor chords, the melody simple but uneasy.

19. Listening Guide 10 Part IV 2.10 2.43 2.55 3.33 Analysis
The fugue shifts to major chords.
Revisits the beginning of the fugue.
Bottom hands briefly take melody.
Fugue melody is more dynamic.
At 2.10, the fugue shifts to lighter, major chords with a medium tempo. The timbre here is bare but makes the melody easier to hear in its simplicity brings the melody back to minor chords very briefly, before 2.55, when the notes are rapid and the bottom hands play the melody for a moment. This is the beginning of the fugue’s climax. At 3.33 the melody becomes more distinct as the fugue begins a small back-and-forth of minor scales. The range is dynamic here, and the melody jumps from forte to piano and back to forte very quickly.

20. Listening Guide 11 Part IV 4.19 4.23 4.50 Analysis Music stops.
Movement one Theme 1 briefly reprised.
Ending buildup channels the second movement.
At 4.19 the music abruptly halts for a moment before at 4.23 Theme 1 from the first movement is briefly reprised in piano. At 4.50 the ending of the fourth movement channels elements from the second movement but very briefly as the rhythm slow down and eventually come to a loud penultimate note, followed by a very quiet finishing one. “Fantasy in F Minor” has ended.

21. Bibliography
life
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