# Schubert's 5th



## ScottManson (Oct 25, 2018)

Hi everyone, I have a quick question

I have been listening to Schubert's 5th symphony a lot recently, and I think it is one of my favourite symphonies. I was wondering if anyone could classify it as Classical or Romantic. It seems so Classical and is scored for a small orchestra, but he was definitely a Romantic composer. Can anyone help?


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I think Schubert was still working more as a classical composer then. He is one of those between classicism and romanticism.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Yes, it's a transitional work - closer to the classical style, but woe to the conductor who doesn't get the classical element and thinks he's conducting Mahler or Tchaikovsky. I've played concerts where it's been ruined by those charlatans with a stick. It requires precision, delicacy, and restraint.


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## gellio (Nov 7, 2013)

DavidA said:


> I think Schubert was still working more as a classical composer then. He is one of those between classicism and romanticism.


This. Exactly. I'm glad to see some love for the 5th. Such a charming and wonderful work, but when it comes to Schubert, it will always be about the 4th and the 8th for me.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Sorry to be a naysayer, but I did a time analysis of the 5th not long ago. The first movement has a very few minutes of music, the rest is just repeats. Exposition. Exposition repeat. Development, very short. Recap, basically another exposition repeat. Almost no coda. So basically there's just the expo and a short development. The rest is repetitive padding.

Feeling shortchanged here.  Hear that Franz? I'm mad as heck and I'm not going to take it any more!

Seriously, I rate the 4th highly. I used to like the 5th but now it seems tiresome. But 8 and 9, different though they are, are clearly his masterpieces in the form.

My usual listening is the Minkowski cycle. I have the Immerseel cycle as well but haven't listened to it yet.


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## ScottManson (Oct 25, 2018)

Thanks guys, it's great to hear this. I have not listened to much repetoire, and I love the melodies of this particular symphony. I know his 8th, but I will need to listen to his 4th. Now that I think about it, there is a lot of repetition within the first movement - but I do still love his tunes.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

I really love Schubert's 5th. Its classical in style and although not as profound as the 8th or 9th, I find myself enjoying it more than any other of his symphonies. So I don't claim it to be "better" than the others but I just love listening to it more.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I think Mozart would have loved the Schubert Fifth. I certainly do. It has always struck me as a most "classical" structure pushing its way into the emotional world of Romanticism. I'd much rather just listen to it than analyze it though.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

KenOC said:


> Sorry to be a naysayer, but I did a time analysis of the 5th not long ago. The first movement has a very few minutes of music, the rest is just repeats. Exposition. Exposition repeat. Development, very short. Recap, basically another exposition repeat. Almost no coda. So basically there's just the expo and a short development. The rest is repetitive padding.
> 
> Feeling shortchanged here.  Hear that Franz? I'm mad as heck and I'm not going to take it any more!


This is a common complaint of quite a lot of Schubert. But I think it is at least partly a misunderstanding. Schubert's facility with melody, his gift for producing wonderful tunes, could often mean that he really didn't need to undertake much in the way of development so as to achieve exalted feelings in his listeners (us) - the tunes did the trick. Delightful.

As for recordings - there are many that I love including Kertesz, Solti, Minkowski, van Immerseel, Zinman ... and, of course, Beecham.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Enthusiast said:


> ... and, of course, Beecham,


Of course, most definitely Beecham.


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

The first subject in the 1st mvt, together with the 2nd ballet from Rosamunde, are two of the most "brain-washing" Schubert melodies that I've come across - they stay in my mind for hours, days......


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Enthusiast said:


> This is a common complaint of quite a lot of Schubert. But I think it is at least partly a misunderstanding. Schubert's facility with melody, his gift for producing wonderful tunes, could often mean that he really didn't need to undertake much in the way of development so as to achieve exalted feelings in his listeners (us) - the tunes did the trick.


I was just gonna say exactly the same thing. BTW, I love the 5th too.


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