Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major

Ihave o en joked that there is no great philosophical question which cannot be answered simply by listening to Schubert. But it is more than a light-hearted jest. For Schubert – the 225th anniversary of whose birth falls this month – is the magic elixir of life. He is the musical Heineken – reaching the parts no other composers can. In times of joy, he energises and encapsulates the mood of celebration. In moments of sadness, he o ers solace and understanding. In the midst of re ection, he inspires with a vision of the eternal. And in tough times, he consolingly holds out the hope of something be er.

His life was cut tragically short at 31, but he le behind a musical heritage which is, in my view, unsurpassed. It is invidious to pick just one piece. But in tough times, his

String Quintet in C Major

– one of the last pieces he wrote – is the piece which has always brought me comfort and hope.

roughout this work, there are vast changes of light and colour, as Schubert moves from despair to hope. But the second movement in particular epitomises all that is wondrous about Schubert. If you are relaxing in the sun on an enchanting summer a ernoon, he speaks to the beauty around you. If you are in the depths of despair, and without hope, he brings balm and reassurance that all will be well. Its sublime simplicity, and exceptional emotion, is always to what I will turn when the going is tough.

“In moments of sadness, Schubert o ers solace and understanding”