Franz Schubert
“Music of the angels”—this is how the renowned pianist Arthur Rubinstein describes the Adagio (second movement) of Schubert’s Quintet in C major in the film L’Amour de la vie, dedicated to him. Written for a string quartet with an additional cello, this chamber music masterpiece of the 19th century stands as one of Schubert’s most ambitious and poignant works. Completed in the final days of his life—just two months before his untimely death—it was premiered posthumously.
Like a miniature symphony, the piece possesses an undeniable orchestral dimension, with an ever-present sense of density, tension, unease, and fury unfolding across its four movements. In this work, Schubert achieves a sublime synthesis of expressiveness and structure, blending intricate detail with grand architectural design. Celebrated for its beauty, the quintet has been memorably featured in cinema, from Coline Serreau’s Three Men and a Cradle to Jim Jarmusch’s The Limits of Control.
Join us for this extraordinary musical journey—one of shifting landscapes and strikingly theatrical atmospheres.