Australian Chamber Orchestra

Schubert’s Fantasy & Octet

Discover the lyrical beauty and profound emotional depth of one of music’s greatest poets as Richard Tognetti leads an intimate ensemble of ACO musicians in a celebration of Franz Schubert.

Performances & Gigs

Event Details

Category

Performances & Gigs

Event Starts

May 14, 2026

Event Ends

Apr 30, 2026

“Schubert’s genius lies in his ability to absorb suffering and transform it into something luminous.” – Richard Tognetti

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.

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