Sabine Jemeljanovna

Being that Schubert was suffering great mental and physical anguish at the time of his Octet’s completion in 1824, it’s surprising that the work is so sunny and optimistic. At a little over an hour, it’s the Austrian composer’s longest chamber work—and his most inspired. With just eight instruments, Schubert crafts an opening movement on the scale of a Beethoven symphony, ideas ricocheting between strings and woodwind, bass and treble. The “Adagio” is a sublime song for clarinet that rivals Mozart for its understated beauty while an ebullient central scherzo, stately variations, and suave minuetto culminate in a finale of intense drama that seems to glance toward Wagner. It’s all stunningly recorded and performed, too—a benchmark performance full of wit, passion, and charm.

The Cistercian order was born at the end of the 11th century around the new monastery of Cîteaux and developed by Bernard of Clairvaux in the following years. Their aim was to return to the basics of the austere Benedictine rule, as opposed to the less stricter developments that had taken place around Cluny. These ideas quickly spread around Europe, producing great architecture and great liturgical music, devoid of embellishments and flourishments then considered unnecessary. Sabine Lutzenberger and her Ensemble PER-SONAT presents the sounds of Cistercian monasteries all around Europe.