What Is Schubert's String Quintet in C Major?

TL;DR

Schubert's String Quintet in C major, D.956, Op. Posth.163 is presented as a live performance by five musicians from the Royal Academy of Music. The planned contextual lecture by Professor Christopher Hogwood was canceled because he was unwell, so Gresham College chose to let the musicians perform the complete work without a replacement lecturer.

Transcript

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this Gresham event. I'm Ro-Roderick Fludd, the, the Provost of the College. And, uh, I'm very happy to see you here, but also we greatly regret the absence of Christopher Hogwood, the Gresham Professor of Music, who is unwell. Um, rather than, uh, seeking to replace him, um, and I'm certainly not... Read More

Key Insights

• Schubert's String Quintet in C major is identified as D.956 and Op. Posth.163, and the event centers on a live performance of the work rather than the contextual lecture that had originally been scheduled.
• The performance is given by five musicians from the Royal Academy of Music: violinists Kate Suthers and Theo Kung, violist Matthew Maguire, and cellists Antonio Novias and Alex Rolton.
• Christopher Hogwood was unable to deliver the scheduled lecture because he was unwell, and Gresham College expressed regret about his absence at the beginning of the event.
• The replacement plan was a performance without a substitute lecturer, because the organizers considered inviting the musicians to play the work more sensible than finding someone else to deliver Hogwood's planned presentation.
• The scheduled appearance would have been Christopher Hogwood's final lecture as Gresham Professor of Music, although the college hoped to place the postponed lecture within the following year's program.
• Christopher Page was announced as the intended next Gresham Professor of Music, with the appointment still subject to the approval of the sponsors at the time of the event.
• Christopher Page is described as Professor of Medieval Music and Literature at the University of Cambridge, a fellow of Sidney Sussex College, and a fellow of the British Academy.
• Gresham College has offered free public lectures since 1597, and the description says its continuing program includes approximately five public lectures each week and more than 1,500 lectures available online for free access or download.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is performed at the Schubert event?

The event presents a live performance of Franz Schubert's String Quintet in C major, catalogued in the description as D.956 and Op. Posth.163. The performance replaces the lecture that had originally been planned. Gresham College chose to proceed with the musicians playing the work after Professor Christopher Hogwood became unable to deliver his scheduled presentation.

Q: Who performs Schubert's String Quintet in C major?

Five musicians from the Royal Academy of Music perform the quintet. Kate Suthers and Theo Kung play violin, Matthew Maguire plays viola, and Antonio Novias and Alex Rolton play cello. The listed instrumentation therefore consists of two violins, one viola, and two cellos, with each performer and instrument identified in the event description.

Q: Why was the planned lecture about Schubert canceled?

The planned lecture was not delivered because Christopher Hogwood, the Gresham Professor of Music, was unwell and unable to attend. Provost Roderick Floud expressed regret about his absence and explained that the organizers decided not to seek a replacement lecturer. Instead, they invited the assembled musicians to perform Schubert's quintet for the audience.

Q: Why did the event proceed without a replacement lecturer?

Gresham College decided that inviting the musicians to perform the Schubert work was the most sensible response to Christopher Hogwood's absence. Roderick Floud said that musicology was not his field and that he would not replace Hogwood himself. The event consequently became a live musical performance rather than a substitute lecture by another presenter.

Q: Was Christopher Hogwood expected to give another Gresham lecture?

The canceled appearance would have been Christopher Hogwood's final lecture as Gresham Professor of Music. However, Roderick Floud said the college hoped Hogwood could still give that lecture within the next few months. The organizers intended to try to fit the postponed presentation into the program for the following year if his health permitted.

Q: Who was announced as the next Gresham Professor of Music?

Professor Christopher Page was announced as the intended successor to Christopher Hogwood, although the appointment remained subject to approval by the sponsors. Page was introduced as Professor of Medieval Music and Literature at the University of Cambridge, a fellow of Sidney Sussex College, and a fellow of the British Academy, as well as a guitarist.

Q: What subjects does Christopher Page study and write about?

Christopher Page is described as an expert on medieval music and its reception. His major work, The Christian West and Its Singers: The First Thousand Years, was published in 2010. He was also writing a book about the guitar from the 16th through the 19th century, which was to become the subject of his first Gresham lecture series.

Q: How does Gresham College make its lectures available?

Gresham College provides public lectures and makes them available for free through its website. According to the event description, the college has maintained a tradition of free public lectures since 1597, offers approximately five such lectures each week, and has more than 1,500 lectures available for free access or download, including transcripts and downloadable event materials.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Gresham College planned this event as Christopher Hogwood's final lecture in his role as Gresham Professor of Music. Because he was unwell and unable to attend, Provost Roderick Floud introduced the event and explained why the college had decided against finding a substitute lecturer for the occasion.

• Instead of presenting the planned musicology lecture, the event features a live performance of Franz Schubert's String Quintet in C major, D.956, Op. Posth.163. The musicians are Kate Suthers, Theo Kung, Matthew Maguire, Antonio Novias, and Alex Rolton, all identified as musicians from the Royal Academy of Music.

• Professor Christopher Page was announced as the intended successor to Christopher Hogwood, subject to sponsor approval. Page is identified as a Cambridge professor, a Sidney Sussex College fellow, and a British Academy fellow. His first Gresham lecture series was expected to focus on the guitar.