String Quartet No. 10 (Schubert) Explained

Franz Schubert composed his String Quartet No. 10 (D. 87) in E-flat major in 1813.

Historical background

Musicologist Otto Erich Deutsch records that the youthful work (Schubert was sixteen years old at the time) was first performed privately in the Schubert household, by members of the family.^[1] Perhaps in part for this reason, this composition has acquired the nickname of the "Haushaltung" (Household) Quartet.^{[2] [3]}

Author Melvin Berger suggests that the quartet’s nickname has stuck because the piece "is so well suited for home performance,” calling it “technically … quite undemanding” to accommodate the “limited performing abilities” of amateur musicians.^[4]

The quartet was published only posthumously, in 1830, as Op. 125 No. 1.

Movements

1. Allegro moderato (E-flat major)
2. Scherzo. Prestissimo (E-flat major, with Trio in C minor)
3. Adagio (E-flat major)
4. Allegro (E-flat major)

The work is homotonal: that is, all the movements are in the same key — in this case the tonic key of E-flat major.

Sources

• Franz Schubert's Works, Series V: Streichquartette edited by Joseph Hellmesberger and Eusebius Mandyczewski. Breitkopf & Härtel, 1890.
• Otto Erich Deutsch (and others). Schubert Thematic Catalogue (several editions), No. 87.
• New Schubert Edition, Series VI, Volume 4: String Quartets II edited by Werner Aderhold, Bärenreiter, 1994.

External links

• • Web site: Franz Schubert - String Quartet No.10 in E flat major, op.125, performed by the Kiev String Quartet. Anna Vlasinski (YouTube). 2013-03-05.

Notes and References

1. Deutsch, Otto Erich, with Donald R. Wakeling. The Schubert Thematic Catalogue. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, 1995. (Corrected reprint of 1951 edition published by W.W. Norton.)
2. Earsense. String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 125, No. 1, D. 87, "Household" (Haushaltung). Retrieved January 24, 2019.
3. Christiansen, Kai. Van Kuijk Quartet: Program Notes, October 6, 2018 – Schubert, Ligeti, Ravel. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
4. Berger, Melvin. Guide to Chamber Music, 3rd Edition. Mineola, New York: Dover Books, 2001; p. 384.