New Forest Orchestra Concert to showcase the work of Schubert at All Saints Church, Milford

THE work of the composer Schubert will be featured in a New Forest Orchestra concert at All Saints Church in Milford next week.

During his short life, Schubert composed a wealth of music: symphonies, piano and chamber music, operas, incidental music to stage works, and perhaps, above all, over 600 songs including the iconic Die Schoene Müllerin and Winterreise.

Sadly, little of this orchestral music was performed during his lifetime at public concerts. Instead the main vehicle for performance was at Schubertiades – informal gatherings in private homes where songs and poetry were performed before friends and well-heeled patrons.

The first part of the concert will consist of music associated with stage works. The charming Overture to The Magic Harp – which lasted a lot longer (200 years) than the ill-fated play associated with it, which closed after a very few performances!

The scores were rediscovered almost 40 years after the composer’s death, when the two enthusiasts visited Schubert’s nephew as part of their research into his uncle, and found the original theatre parts stored in a cupboard tied up in a bundle and covered in dust.

The second half of the concert will feature a performance of Symphony No 6 The Little C Major – the sub-title is to contrast it with his Symphony No 9 in the same key. It was first performed in a public concert a few months after Schubert’s death in 1828, but not formally published until the 1880s.

In a bid to attract new patrons, the concert has no admission charge. However, it is hoped audience members will make a donation towards the ongoing costs of the orchestra.

The New Forest Orchestra Concert will take place at 7.30pm at All Saints Church, Milford, on Saturday 22nd March.