Shubert F. Symphony in B minor (“Unfiniched”). Score

Symphony Н minor No 8 is one of the mostly often performed compositions by Franz Schubert (1797–1828). The symphony dates 1822. As а tradition, the symphony consisting of two movements instead of four ones (according to the Viennese classical practice) тау have been given the title “Unfinished”. The musicologist Р. Wulfius, researcher of Schubert's creation uttered the following: “The story of the Unfinished Symphony to have appeared is not clear up to this time. To say precisely, nobody knows Schubert's attitude to his offspring. On the one hand, Schubert had doubtlessly conceived the symphony as the cycle of four movements. The preserved drafts may witness it. On the other hand, the page, containing the Scherzo sketch, is cut out of the score, affirming the supposition, that the symphony was implied, but without continuation. Schubert seemed со have sanctioned the symphony as the cycle of two movements. However, when the composer enumerated his compositions in his letter to Probst (August, 1826), he didn't remind about the symphony, which surely makes one doubt his consideration it as the unfinished symphony. Meanwhile he found it possible to present it to the Steirische Musical Union, which member (and later director) was Schubert's friend А. Hüttenbrenner. It couldn't c true if the composer accounted the opus to be not accomplished. In а word, the facts are rather contradictory. They don't really give the straight answer to the question we are interested in. This is still а problem for researchers, whether to regard it finished or not. Meanwhile, the symphony itself has solved this problem, for it has been sounding at the concert stages as one of the most favorite compositions in the world music. It really doesn't provoke the sense of incompleteness. Nowadays the title “Unfinished” is the kind of tribute to tradition, stating the peculiarities of the composition's coming into being, but not its conception's feature” (Р. Wulfius. Franz Schubert, Moscow, 1983, pages 348–349).

The symphony was firstly performed in Vienna on December 17, 1865, directed by J. Von Herbeck. The first publication dates 1866, being issued also in Vienna.