The Complete Symphonies Vol.1

Abstract

The abbreviation "D" refers to "Deutsch", that is Otto Erich Deutsch, who created a catalogue of Schubert's works listed chronologically by composition date. This catalogue has been amended several times because historical research led to a new probable date of composition, leading to numbers followed by a letter: for example D 769a, formerly D 900. The compositions of Schubert listed below are grouped generically, by type of composition. Not all thematic groups of Schubert works have a separate numbering that is generally accepted: for example the numbering of the piano sonatas proved particularly cumbersome, see below. Also for the symphonies the numbering from 1 to 10 is only "stable" insofar as no more new symphonies turn up. For most other groups of works there was no real attempt to number them, apart from the general numbering in the Deutsch catalogue. Fewer than 100 of Schubert's compositions received an Opus number during Schubert's life: about half of the Opus numbers are posthumous, and give no indication at all regarding a chronological—or any other—order, except regarding the chronological order of publication. By the end of the 19th century no new opus numbers were added; for new publications the Deutsch number was used.