IV: Theme & Variations: Andantino

This movement is based on Schubert's song "Die Forelle" ("The Trout"), and is where the quintet gets its nickname from. Nothing more than a simple theme and variations thereof, this movement is one of the most popular in the entire chamber music repertoire. It starts of with the main theme stated by the strings alone. Pretty happy little tune, isn't it? This is the melody from "Die Forelle", with only some slight alterations made to it.

Now the piano makes its entrance in the first variation, with a decorated version of the tune. Meanwhile, the strings play along happily with a rollicking triplet accompaniment.

The violin decides to go a bit crazy for variation 2, cascading triplet runs up and down all over the place. Everyone else tries their hardest to keep some sanity, as they play a simple version of the theme down below. It looks like things might just stay under control after all, but...

Egads! Now the piano decides to go mad in variation 3, running off even faster 32nd notes. Meanwhile, the tune has migrated down to the lower strings, while the upper strings play a cutesy "oom-pa-pa-pa" figure... will this madness ever end?

"No!" says Schubert. Variation 4 goes even further out of hand. Up to this point, the tune had kept its overall shape pretty intact but now it's been transformed into a stormy outburst. The key has also gone into the minor mode, making us wonder if our little trout is okay... but wait! The storm suddenly moves away and the music seems to just hover for a while as the strings exchange some romantic interpretations of the theme.

Now in variation 5 the cello moves on with a flowing, emotional take on the tune. Schubert takes this variation and uses it to set up some clever harmonic movement (should we expect anything less from this master of harmony?). Now, as the cello winds up its melody...

Boom! We've arrived back in our home key of D major! Not only that but our original theme has returned, as happy and giggly as ever. Now we hear a babbling brook running through the piano part as the trout makes its way happily down the stream. Then the violin, and finally the cello take their turns being the babbling brook, as the music winds down to a happy ending. If this doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will!

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