Schubert Symphony n.5 – Part 2 [ANALYSIS]

Last updated Jan 8, 2025 | Published on Feb 25, 2021

Winner of a fellowship at the Bayreuther Festspiele, Mr. Griglio’s conducting has been praised for his “energy” and “fine details”. Mr. Griglio took part in the first world recording of music by composer Irwin Bazelon and conducted several world premieres like "The song of Eddie", by Harold Farberman, a candidate for the Pulitzer Prize. Principal Conductor of International Opera Theater Philadelphia for four years, Mr.Griglio is also active as a composer. His first opera, Camille Claudel, debuted in 2013 to a great success of audience and critics. Mr. Griglio is presently working on an opera on Caravaggio and Music Director of Opera Odyssey.
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Table of contents

Menuetto: Allegro molto

Should you need a score you can find one here.

In the first post dedicated to Schubert’s 5th symphony, we briefly touched on the Mozartian influences on Schubert’s musical upbringing and the similarities that Mozart’s G minor symphony, in particular, has with Schubert’s 5th. Well, if there was any more need for some proof in this respect, that would come with this 3rd movement.

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.3 ex.1

From the G minor key to the opening triad in arpeggio to the chromatism, the similarities are under everyone’s eyes. Except for the tempo: Mozart’s is an Allegretto while Schubert’s is an Allegro molto. This, despite the title, gives it more the flair of a scherzo rather than an 18th-century courtly Menuet

The first section ends on a classic Bb. The second section starts naturally in the same key but the most interesting part here is the morphing of the theme. Its mood changes completely: we move from a very strong and assertive forte of the opening to a rather gentle and soft version of it

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.3 ex.2

The 4+4 bars question and answer go on a couple of times, moving down a third

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.3 ex.3

Trio

In pure classical style, the Trio is in G major. The musical material comes straight from the first theme we’ve heard: begins on the same note and then reverses the arpeggio

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.3 ex.6
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Allegro vivace

In the last movement of the symphony, we’re back to a sonata form: an exposition with two contrasting themes, a development, and a recapitulation.

The first theme is, again, exposed first by strings in the classic 8 bars is repeated with the woodwinds, closing the first phrase

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.1

The last element of the first phrase is used to bridge on: 4 bars where we’re not really sure what’s going to happen,

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.2

and we enter a section where that very same element is bounced back and forth between strings and woodwinds

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.3

Notice how the violas and bassoons respond with a chromatic variation of it on bars 28-30

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.4

All of this leads us back to the first idea, which takes a different direction for a moment only to close in on a first repeat.

The second time around though it’s really surprising as we land on a dramatic and unexpected Bb minor in fortissimo

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.5

It’s full of energy. So much so, that it needs to be repeated entirely in F minor landing on its dominant chord of C major, ready for the second theme, obviously in F major. It’s a classic theme in 4+4 bars, forming a 8+8 phrase

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.6

Introduced by the strings, the phrase is repeated by the flute in octave with the first violins.
We land on another minor key moment, which is quickly swept away by the first violins having fun in triplets leading to the end of the exposition

Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.7

The key to this movement is: small strokes from the wrist. And you can drive it as clear and fast as you want to.
Generally speaking, the less you intrude in the orchestra in this case, the easier it is for them to play, especially when they have fast passages, like the triplets at the end of the exposition

    For a full technical analysis, look up the video in the repertoire section

    The development starts with the head of the theme, in a more legato variant. Notice the echo between the low strings and the oboe.

    Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.8

    After 6 bars we move one step up, and the oboe is now doubled by the bassoon. We’re still in the piano dynamic but the addition of the bassoon naturally increases the volume.

    In the sudden forte, both bassoons now double the bass line while the echo is carried out by the violins in octaves. Look, it’s always the same element

    Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.9

    Till the last part of that element is used to move on. First, we hear it in the violins and then in a question and answer section between bassoons-cellos-basses and flute-oboes

    Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.10

    And now Schubert is having fun, playing again with the head of the theme in a typical Mozartian use of chromatism

    Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.11

    He indulges in it for quite a bit, till he finally reaches the recapitulation, which, by the way, is textbook. There is no repeat, of course, and the material of the Bb minor section, starting on bar 283, is used to bridge to the second theme

    Schubert - Symphony n.5 - mov.4 ex.12

    This is very similar to the process Mozart used in the first movement of his second G minor symphony.
    Happy as it began, the movement joyfully ends this lovely and fresh work.

    Notes

    Newbould, Schubert and the Symphony: A New Perspective, pp.110-111

    Notes

    Cover image by Lucas Craig from Pexels

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    Gianmaria Griglio is an intelligent, exceptional musician. There is no question about his conducting abilities: he has exceptionally clear baton technique that allows him to articulate whatever decisions he has made about the music.

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