Fantasy in C Major for Violin and Piano, Op.159 (Schubert)
Movements
i Andante molto ii Allegretto iii Tema e Variazioni – Andantino-Adagio iv Tempo I v Allegro vivace vi Allegretto vii Presto
Notes
Franz Schubert composed his Fantasy in C major for violin and piano in December 1827. It was the last of his compositions for violin and piano, and was premiered in January 1828 by the violinist Josef Slavik and the pianist Carl Maria von Bocklet at the Landhaussaal in Vienna.
The difficult work was “calculated to display Slavík’s virtuoso [violin] technique” and is demanding for both instruments. According to pianist Nikolai Lugansky, the Fantasy “is the most difficult music ever written for the piano”, and “more difficult than all of Rachmaninov’s [piano] concertos put together”.
