Schubert’s Fantasy & Octet

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Schubert composed like an oil painter, drawing from a rich palette of melodic and harmonic colours. With a divine lyricism at its heart, his music is imbued with an intimacy and intensity that taps into the full range of human emotion.

Richard Tognetti’s affinity for Schubert is evident in every note he plays. Here, he directs an ACO ensemble featuring a handpicked selection of Australia’s top wind players in two exquisite works that showcase Schubert as a master of chamber music.

Schubert wrote his Octet to emulate his hero Beethoven’s groundbreaking septet – adding an extra violin and revelling in the textural possibilities of the winds and strings together.

The result offers the drama of a big orchestra with the agility of a small ensemble. The Octet is six movements of unbridled joy, studded with moments of darkness and poignancy that make its resolution even more satisfying.

Schubert’s beloved Fantasy in C major for violin and piano was inspired by Paganini’s brilliance and is arranged by Tognetti for the magic of the ACO octet. It is a shimmering and compelling counterpart that completes this heart-warming, life-affirming concert experience.

Pictured: ACO Viola Elizabeth Woolnough. Photo: Simon Lekias

Program

Franz Schubert (arr. Tognetti) Fantasy in C major, D.934
Franz Schubert Octet in F major, D.803

Artists

Richard Tognetti Director & Violin
Helena Rathbone Violin
Stefanie Farrands Viola
Johannes Rostamo Cello
Maxime Bibeau Double Bass
David Griffiths Clarinet
Todd Gibson-Cornish Bassoon
Carla Blackwood Horn

Subscribe to the ACO 2026 Season to save up to 35% on the cost of individual performances. Sign up to our eNews and create an ACO online account to access the Single Tickets presale on Wed 15 Oct.

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