Symphony No. 5 (Schubert)

Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 5 in B major,  485, was written mainly in September 1816 and completed on 3 October 1816. It was finished six months after the completion of his previous symphony.

Scoring

The symphony is scored for one flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns in B and E, and stringsof all his symphonies, it is scored for the smallest orchestra. It is Schubert's only symphony which does not include clarinets, trumpets or timpani.

Mozartian influence

In character, the writing is often said to resemble Mozart; Schubert was infatuated with the composer at the time he composed it, writing in his diary on June 13 of the year of composition, "O Mozart! Immortal Mozart! what countless impressions of a brighter, better life hast thou stamped upon our souls!" This is reflected particularly in the lighter instrumentation, as noted above. Indeed, the instrumentation matches that of the first version (without clarinets) of Mozart's 40th symphony. For another example, there is a strong similarity between the opening themes of the second movement of D. 485 and the last movement of Mozart's Violin Sonata in F major, K. 377.

Musical analysis

There are four movements:

I. Allegro

:<score sound="1">

\relative c {

\tempo "Allegro"

\tempo 2 = 90

\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"violin"

\key bes \major

\time 2/2

}

</score>

This is Schubert's first symphony to not start with a slow introduction. What starts the movement is a four-bar structural upbeat similar to the one that begins the finale of his Fourth Symphony before the main theme starts on bar 5.