Soundtracks:
My Left Foot
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Piano Quintet in A major D667, "Trout"
The Quintet in A major was written when Schubert was spending a vacation
in a guest house in Steyr (Austria) with his good friend Vogl. The beauty
of this quintet was already revealed in its first performance and it became
very popular among chamber music audiences ever-since.
 The
work received its nickname for its fourth movement, the one which Schubert
based it on the melody of one his own songs, "Die Forelle" ("The
Trout"). The popular tune of the famous lied did not leave many options
as to the title of this lovely quintet. It is important, however, to remember
that the work is not a programme piece and it has no extra-musical mentioning,
other than the title it was given.
The ensemble for which the quintet was written is not at all ordinary:
a piano, a violin, a cello and a double bass. Some historians argue that
it was ordered by a violinist who loved "Die Forelle", so much,
that he wanted a chamber piece based on it. The fourth movement was indeed
based on this lied (German song), and it includes a series of variations
on the lied's melody.
The three first movements are a kind of preparation for this movement,
but the fifth movement is a summary of the entire work, full of optimism
and triumphant spirit. This is one of Schubert's calm, worry-free pieces,
consisting solely of nature and beauty, and not a hint of sadness or anxiety.
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