Because of its extraordinary length, profuse invention, and exceptional variety of expressions, Franz Schubert's Octet in F major, D. 803, was a clear step forward for the ambitious composer, particularly as an attempt to increase his artistic range. Even though it was intended as preparatory work for what would eventually become the Symphony No. 9 in C major, "Great," this expansive "study" transcended the conventions of its time in ways perhaps most comparable to the innovative chamber music of Ludwig van Beethoven. The Octet's many moods are boldly contrasted and balanced in its six movements, and their unusually large scale may be seen as a necessary extension to accommodate everything Schubert had to say. While the work may have something of the "heavenly length" that Robert Schumann extolled in the Ninth, the Octet's character is actually less celestial or abstract than earthly and richly human. Schubert's tone is mostly convivial and gemütlich, yet there are occasional flashes of drama and shadows of the sorrow and depression that afflicted him in his last years, to find deeper expression in the intensely personal string quartets. The Berlin Philharmonic Octet conveys Schubert's expressions with a steady control over their ebb and flow, and these select virtuosi give the work more than a little panache, especially in the jaunty Allegros. This 1998 performance was capably recorded, with such a focused sound that the key clicks of the clarinet are plainly audible, and some of the strings' attacks have a pronounced percussive quality that lends an edge to the otherwise sweet ensemble blend.
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