Schubert: Octet, D803

On this CD:

1. Octet for clarinet, horn, bassoon & strings in F major, D. 803 (Op. posth. 166)
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Alois Brandhofer, Saschko Gawriloff, Gerd Seifert, Rainer Zepperitz, Hans Lemke, Rainer Mehne, Peter Steiner, Wilfred Strehle

Tracks:

I Adagio-Allegro - Berliner Solisten
II Adagio - Berliner Solisten
III Allegro Vivace - Berliner Solisten
IV Andante - Berliner Solisten
V Menuetto: Allegretto - Berliner Solisten
VI Andante Molto-Allegro - Berliner Solisten

Tracks:

I Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Jorg Baumann
II Adagio - Jorg Baumann
III Scherzo: Presto-Trio: Andante Sostenuto - Jorg Baumann
IV Allegretto - Jorg Baumann

Average customer rating:

Schubert: Octet in F D803, Op166

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000007IR
Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

Octet in F: Adagio-Allegro
Octet in F: Adagio
Octet in F: Allegro Vivace
Octet in F: Andante
Octet in F: Menuetto. Allegretto
Octet in F: Andante Molto-Allegro

Average customer rating:

Perfection
don't pass this one by
Cheerful and sunny
The birds must like this piece!!!
Great Piece, Bad Performance

Franz Schubert: Octet In F Major, D803

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000029SF
Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

Octet in F Major, D 803 - Op. post. 166: I. Adagio - Allegro - Pi allegro
Octet in F Major, D 803 - Op. post. 166: II. Adagio
Octet in F Major, D 803 - Op. post. 166: III. Allegro vivace - Trio
Octet in F Major, D 803 - Op. post. 166: IV. Andante - Variations I-VII - Piu lento
Octet in F Major, D 803 - Op. post. 166: V. Minueto: Allegretto - Trio
Octet in F Major, D 803 - Op. post. 166: VI. Andante molto - Allegro - Andante molto - Allegro molto

Amazon.com

Schubert's sunny Octet is sort of an overstuffed version of Beethoven's popular Septet. Scored for a bountiful array of strings and winds, and sporting six full-length movements that collectively last nearly an hour, the piece is another in the great tradition of Serenade music, so effectively cultivated by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and dozens of other minor composers. Beethoven's contribution to the genre, the Septet, turned out to be so much more popular than his more serious works that he grew to hate the piece. Schubert's avowed aim, by contrast, was just this sort of popularity, and he was surely pleased with his success, as he no doubt would have been by this genial performance. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Perfection.......2006-06-21

I am not one to usually let technical flaws on the part of the players pass without a fuss. But here in this absolutely crystalline and Danube-easy performance of Schubert's Octet, I must excuse first violinist Erich Eichorn and his occasional lapses in articulation and intonation. (Even so, I must say, Eichorn does not commit as many crimes as you might think - some of his apparent intonation difficulties seem on repeated listening to be intentional effects.) Otherwise, this recording is a polished gem. The wind players are divine. They possess greater beauty of tone and ease of play than those on any other recording I have ever heard, including Oistrakh. The pacing and blend of the ensemble is unrivaled anywhere, which is the main reason I choose this recording of this piece as my favorite; I suppose playing in the same orchestra helps matters. In short, get Oistrakh or Kremer for all the correct notes, but get this recording for the "real deal" - the soul of Schubert. The other recordings might be a tad more exacting, but this one really proves that Schubert was on the road to sit beside Mozart.

don't pass this one by.......2004-06-07

this is a fine recording of schubert's famous octet. first of all the sound quality is excellent-i compared back to back with recordings on virgin classics as well as phillips and found this one far superior. i can also assure you that everyone is in tune and if you hear any sparrows close you window. thanks for reading.

Cheerful and sunny.......2004-05-16

Schubert's Octet is a cheerful, melodic and frequently lively piece of chamber music; it's one of my favourites. [And unlike some other reviewers, I didn't notice any chirping sparrows on this recording, nor was I reminded of a high school band. Perhaps that means I'm not terribly sophisticated.]

What I did notice was the difference in tempo compared to the Consort of London (Collins Classics label) recording of the Octet. The Cleveland Octet speeds up the first movement adagio - allegro (12:14 vs. 15:10) but slows down the second movement adagio (13:25 vs. 10:48). This is not necessarily a criticism, but came as a surprise after listening to the more delicate touch of the Consort of London version.

They are both good (not excellent) recordings. The choice is clearly a matter of personal taste (and I prefer the Consort of London version). BTW, Gramophone recommends the Vienna Octet performance, but I haven't heart it yet.

Addendum: Finally found the Vienna Octet CD -- it's a Decca remake of their 1958 recording. Beautiful ! Such a light touch, it simply sings! At $12 it also includes Spohr's Octet (78 minutes) which the others omit. Clearly the pick!

The birds must like this piece!!!.......2003-10-24

For the price it is okay - BUT, you can hear some sparrows chirping nearby as this was recorded.

Great Piece, Bad Performance.......2002-03-03

This is one amazing piece. However, the strings in this recording are almost always out of tune, something unexpected for members of the great Cleveland orchestra. Some of the wind playing is beautiful, but that does not make up for the general high-school orchestra sound of the ensemble.

Average customer rating:

Schubert: Octet in F D803, Op166

Manufacturer: MD&G Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000021EP
Release Date: 1997-10-21

Tracks:

Oct in F, D 803: Adagio-Allegro
Oct in F, D 803: Adagio
Oct in F, D 803: Allegro Vivace
Oct in F, D 803: Andante
Oct in F, D 803: Menuetto
Oct in F, D 803: Andante Molto-Allegro

Average customer rating:

Schubert: Octet in F D803, Op166

Manufacturer: Camerata
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001ZLG
Release Date: 1998-02-03

Tracks:

OCTET In F Major D. 803, Op. 166: I - Adagio - Allegro
OCTET In F Major D. 803, Op. 166: II - Adagio
OCTET In F Major D. 803, Op. 166: III - Allegro vivace
OCTET In F Major D. 803, Op. 166: IV - Andante
OCTET In F Major D. 803, Op. 166: V - Menuetto; Allegretto
OCTET In F Major D. 803, Op. 166: VI - Andante molto - Allegro

Average customer rating:

Schubert: Octet D803

Manufacturer: Thorofon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000045AI
Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

Oktett in F, D 803, Op.Posth.166: Adagio/Allegro
Oktett in F, D 803, Op.Posth.166: Adagio
Oktett in F, D 803, Op.Posth.166: Allegro Vivace/Trio
Oktett in F, D 803, Op.Posth.166: Andante Con Var
Oktett in F, D 803, Op.Posth.166: Menuetto: Allegretto/Trio
Oktett in F, D 803, Op.Posth.166: Andante Molto/Allegro

The Nash Ensemble: Schubert, Octet in F Major, D803

Average customer rating:

The Nash Ensemble: Schubert, Octet in F Major, D803

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DP3Y
Release Date: 1990-03-15

Average customer rating:

Schubert: Octet in F D803, Op166

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001HNU
Release Date: 1993-12-21

Average customer rating:

The original release of a period instrument version, now available on budget price - a good version, but there are better ones

Schubert: Octet in F D803, Op166

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DUAR
Release Date: 1992-12-14

Customer Reviews:

The original release of a period instrument version, now available on budget price - a good version, but there are better ones.......2006-12-28

Other than an early recording by the grand-pop' of all chamber ensembles performing on period instruments, the Collegium Aureum, on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (late 70s), Schubert's Octet had remained (to my knowledge) the exclusive game of modern instrument ensembles. Then within a few years came a spate of recordings on period instruments, starting with the Academy of Ancient Music Chamber Ensemble, recorded in the Fall of 1988 (Schubert: Octet in F Major D803, Oiseau-Lyre). It was closely followed by Jaap Schroeder and the Atlantis Ensemble (Schubert: Octet by the Atlantis Ensemble, Virgin, 1989), Hausmusik (Schubert: Octett, EMI Reflexe 1990, now available on a cheap 5 CD box on Virgin) and then this one by a group spawning from the Aston Magna music festival (Harmonia Mundi, 1991). The series was finally topped off a few years later by L'Archibudelli and Mozzafiato (Schubert: Octet L'Archibudelli & Mozzafiato, Sony, 1995). I refer you to my reviews of all these.

This version by Aston Magna is now available on the cheap "Classical Express" collection, and I have reviewed it at length under that entry, to which I refer you (Schubert: Octet Music from Aston Magna). It is a good version, with many qualities (not least a fine, chamber-music atmosphere) but also some flaws, including a rather shrill and sour tone from leader and 1st fiddler Daniel Stepner, thin cello tone from Myron Lutzke, and some pedestrian to plodding tempos in the 3rd and 5th movements. For these reasons, it must give precedence to the recordings of the Academy of Ancient Music, Hausmusik and L'Archibudelli.

Average customer rating:

The first in a spate of recordings of Schubert's Octet on period instruments - and one of the best

Schubert: Octet in F Major D803
Schubert , Monica Huggett , The Academy of Ancient Music Chamber Ensemble , Pavlo Beznosiuk , and Marin Kelly
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E43P
Release Date: 1990-05-16

Customer Reviews:

The first in a spate of recordings of Schubert's Octet on period instruments - and one of the best.......2006-12-28

The grand-pop' of all chamber ensembles performing on period instruments, the Collegium Aureum, had recorded Schubert's Octet on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi in the late 70s (available on CD in Japan, it seems). But other than that, the composition had remained (to my knowledge) the exclusive game of modern instrument ensembles until the late 80s. Then within a few years came a spate of recordings on period instruments, starting with this one by the Academy of Ancient Music Chamber Ensemble, recorded in the Fall of 1988 but apparently released only in the early months of 1990. It was closely followed by those by the Atlantis Ensemble led by the noted baroque violinist Jaap Schroeder (Virgin, 1989 Schubert: Octet by the Atlantis Ensemble), Hausmusik (EMI Reflexe 1990 Schubert: Octett, now available in Europe on a cheap 5 CD box on Virgin), Music from Aston Magna (Harmonia Mundi, 1991 Schubert: Octet Music from Aston Magna) and finally L'Archibudelli and Mozzafiatto (Sony, 1995 Schubert: Octet L'Archibudelli & Mozzafiato). I refer you to my review of all these versions. Some of the members of the AAM had participated in earlier recordings on modern instruments: clarinettist Antony Pay in the classic 1977 version by the Academy of Saint-Martin-in-the-Fields (their 1st recording, on Philips - Schubert: Great Chamber Works - see my review), bassoonist Felix Warnock as recently as two years before this one, with the Chilingirian Quartet on EMI Eminence (a good version, apparently listed only on Amazon.uk, on which it seems well-nigh impossible to get a review published); three of them (Pavlo Beznosiuk, but in the capacity of 1st rather than 2nd fiddler, Antony Pay again and hornist Anthony Halstead) would take part less than two years later in the recording of Hausmusik. Small world, chamber music making in London.

Those used to hearing period instrument ensembles will know that the differences in sound color with modern instruments are not as dramatic with strings and winds as they are with the fortepiano (see my reviews of Schubert's "Trout" by Hausmusik and L'Archibudelli). What they bring to us is a softer-grained string tone, to the point at times of lacking tension and projection, and more vivid and rough-hewn wind tone, especially from natural horn and bassoon (they sound almost kazoo-like here in their little exchange at 12:42 in the first movement). The use of period instrument also tends to go hand-in-hand with a choice of brisker tempos - not systematically, as this is a matter of interpretive choice, and there are plenty of counter-examples in Schubert's Octet itself, but this generalization finds a good example in the present version.

After a rapidly paced introduction, the Academy's Allegro is brisk, urgent, with vigorous accents, much in the same vein as the competing Hausmusik (with which it shares many interpretive features) but slightly more flexible. Individual contributions are outstanding, especially from the wind soloists (with sometimes powerful horn playing by Anthony Halstead. But like some of his colleagues from other versions clarinettist Antony Pay doesn't play the little grace note at 2:44 nor the trill at 10:09), and Monica Huggett's violin tone, while a bit thin, blends well with the rest of the ensemble and has none of the shrillness found in some of her colleagues from other versions. Likewise, the Academy's "Adagio" (2nd movement) is forward-moving and gently flowing. It is graced by Antony Pay's beautiful nuances, hushed pianissimos and wonderful exchanges with Huggett. It may lack the kind of ethereal quality brought to it by some modern instrument ensembles (Fine Arts Quartet from 1962 on Boston Skyline Schubert: Octet In F/String Quartet No.10, Berliner Solisten on Teldec Schubert Octet in F Major Berliner Solisten - see my reviews) at a slower tempo, but the passage at 6:27 has a fine sense of urgency and brooding drama. The ensuing "Allegro vivace" (3rd movement) is boisterous and exuberant, very (and appositely) "hunt-like", thanks to the raw colors of the wind instruments. No modern instrument ensemble that I have heard is capable of emulating such a character, and the Academy is equalled only by Hausmusik's version. They commendably apply no mawkish slow down in the trio, given a lively and urgent character. In the same vein, their utterance of the 4th movement theme is forward-moving and imparted a lively and carefree character, with none of the fussiness that most ensembles bring to it. The ensuing variations do not linger and unfold with outstanding solo contributions from violin, clarinet, horn, and cello and good characterization of each variation's mood, if not always with a great concern for tempo unity: the players' whip-up of tempo and the ensuing urgency given to the fifth variation, followed by a slamming of breaks in the next one, effective as they are, show a striving for effect rather than a concern for architectural cogency, and here I prefer Hausmusik's lesser variance from a basic pulse.

The 5th movement Menuetto is brisk, lively and well accented, and the middle trio wonderfully conjures echoes of the open-air serenade from Mozart's and Schubert's time. The finale is unhurried, played with good-humored bonhomie (and it is here at variance with the brisker approach of Hausmusik) and displays at times a boisterously sonorous horn (5:45). Of note is the textual emendation at 8:18 on the return of the opening "Andante molto" passage, with the repeated violin notes taken an octave higher than written and given the high-pitched sound of piccolo flute - I do not know what might be the basis for such a hitherto un-encountered departure from score, but I do find it a welcome effect. It is all topped off by a brisk and spirited coda.

I'd be hard-pressed to decide which one is the best between this one and Hausmusik - probably the latter on account of its more cogent variations and more spirited finale, but both are excellent, and by a margin the best on period instruments. And don't pass the one by L'Archibudelli, which is in a class of its own. The Academy's recording can now be found on a convenient, mid-priced twofer with their "Trout" Quintet and an earlier recording of the three violin sonatinas by Jaap Schroeder and Christopher Hogwood: Schubert: Trout Quintet/Violin (3) Sonatas/Octet in F.

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