Symphony in C Major D 944 / Overture to The Magic Harp (Die Zauberharfe)

Inspired by the "Sparks of God"

"Whoever is able, let him quietly do…" or so went the quote attributed to Beethoven. A quote that served as both a challenge and an inspiration to Franz Schubert, as he attempted to master the large-scale symphonic form. As with many composers to follow, Beethoven's mighty "Ninth" served as a powerful inspiration, to re-concieve the symphonic form, and with Schubert's last symphony, the dimensions were pushed even further, pointing the way to Bruckner's later works.

The premiere on March 21,1839 at the Leipzig Gewandhaus under the direction of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was a tremendous success... "The symphony sounds as confident as if Beethoven never left us" wrote one critic.

The companion piece on the CD is Schubert's overture to "The Magic Harp", D644, composed in1820. "The Magic Harp" was a "mystery-play" of sorts, to which Schubert contributed the Overture, several choruses, melodramas and ither musical interludes.
Contemporary critics treated the libretto rather unceremoniously, but praised Schubert's musical contribution. Today, as with the music for "Rosamunde", the overture to "The Magic Harp" is appreciated as a small, brilliant youthful work of the composer.