Octet in F major D 803 for Clarinet (B flat/C), Bassoon, Horn (F/C), 2 Violins, Viola, Violoncello, Double Bass. The model for this composition was BeethovenŒÍs Septet op. 20, whose Divertimento character and six-partlayout were adopted by Schubert, although he merely expanded the instru mentation by adding a second violin. In a letter he numbered his octet amongst the chamber music works with which he desired to blaze a Œñpath tothe great symphonyŒî. It can no longer be ascertained whether the compos ition was commissioned by Count Ferdinand Troyer, who had a musical salon in Vienna and played the clarinet. We only know that Schubert composedthe work at the beginning of 1824, taking only a few weeks to do so and that it was shortly performed at TroyerŒÍs afterwards. Today it is one o f the most popular larger chamber music works.
