Schubert - Fantasia in F Minor, D. 940

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Fantasia in F Minor, D. 940 Composed in 1828; premiered privately in 1828 in Vienna Performed by Wu Han (b. 1959) and Jeffrey Kahane (b. 1956), piano Recorded live July 2006 at the Music@Menlo chamber music festival, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Palo Alto, California 0:00 I. Allegro molto moderato 4:29 II. Largo 6:52 III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace 12:23 IV. Finale: Allegro molto moderato Written in the final months of Schubert's life in early 1828, the Fantasia in F minor, D. 940, is widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of the piano four-hands repertoire. Schubert composed the piece in Vienna and dedicated it to his pupil, Countess Karoline Esterházy (1805-1851), with whom he shared an unrequited romance. The work premiered privately in Vienna in May 1828, performed by Schubert alongside his friend and fellow composer Franz Lachner (1803-1890). Divided into four movements played without pause, the Fantasia encapsulates the emotional depth characteristic of Schubert's late compositions.