About this edition
Composed between 1817 and 1818, while Schubert was still in his early twenties, the Symphony No. 6 in C Major, D. 589 captures a young composer testing the boundaries of the Viennese classical symphony. Often called the "Little C Major" to distinguish it from the monumental Ninth Symphony that shares its key, this earlier work radiates melodic charm and rhythmic wit, with a finale that unmistakably echoes the Rossini fever then sweeping Vienna. It closes out the first phase of Schubert's symphonic writing, a graceful farewell to the classical models of Haydn and Mozart before his music grew more expansive and personal.
This score reproduces the first edition of the work as it appeared in Franz Schubert's Werke, the pioneering collected critical edition of Schubert's music issued by Breitkopf & Härtel of Leipzig. The Symphony No. 6 was published in Serie I, No. 6 (pages 49–116) of that edition in 1885, under plate number F.S. 6. Remarkably, this volume was edited by Johannes Brahms, one of the towering composers of the nineteenth century, who lent his own editorial hand to establishing a reliable text of a composer he revered. As part of the first comprehensive scholarly effort to gather and standardize Schubert's complete works, this Breitkopf & Härtel edition remains a touchstone for conductors and scholars to this day.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches
- Reproduced from a historical public domain edition
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
Because this historic score belongs to the public domain, we're glad to bring it back into print, offering conductors, orchestras, students, and Schubert enthusiasts an affordable and faithful edition of a genuine musical treasure.
