The First Days of School

Schubert had only about a month to put together the incidental music for the Rosamunde play. As a result, he had to press some already written compositions into service and add them to those newly composed in order to complete the score in time for the first performance on Dec 20, 1823. As it was, the final numbers of the score were ready only two days before the performance, leaving little time for adequate rehearsal. That may be a reason, along with the convoluted nature of the play itself, why there were only two performances before the play was cancelled.