About this edition
Schubert's Symphony No. 9 in C Major, D. 944 — known as the "Great" to distinguish it from his earlier C Major symphony — stands as one of the most expansive and visionary symphonies of the early Romantic era. Famously rediscovered by Robert Schumann in 1839 among the composer's papers and championed into its premiere by Mendelssohn at the Leipzig Gewandhaus that same year, the work astonishes with what Schumann called its "heavenly length," its singing trombone writing, and the relentless rhythmic momentum of its outer movements. From the noble horn call that opens the Andante to the driving exuberance of the finale, this is Schubert at his most symphonically ambitious.
This score reproduces the symphony as published in Franz Schubert's Werke, Serie I, No. 7 (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1885, plate F.S. 7), edited by Johannes Brahms. The Breitkopf & Härtel complete edition remains a cornerstone of Schubert scholarship — the first comprehensive critical collected edition of the composer's works — and Brahms's involvement as editor of the symphonies brought the insight of one great composer to the legacy of another. For more than a century, this edition has served as a foundational reference text for conductors, performers, and scholars studying Schubert's orchestral writing.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score (conductor's score), pages 117–238 of the original volume
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches
- Reproduced from a public domain historical edition
- Edited by Johannes Brahms for the Breitkopf & Härtel Schubert Gesamtausgabe
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
This edition is a faithful reprint of a historical score that has entered the public domain, allowing us to bring this monumental symphony into the hands of today's conductors, players, and students at an accessible price. We hope it finds a welcome place on your stand and in your library.
