Forellen-Quintett = Piano Quintet »The Trout« / Andante Con Variazioni F-moll Für Klavier = Variations For Piano In F Minor

Franz Schubert composed his Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, known as 'The Trout,' in 1819 while summering in Steyr, Austria. He wrote it at the request of Sylvester Paumgartner, a wealthy music patron and amateur cellist, who specifically asked for a quintet that included the 'Trout' lied as a theme for the variations movement. The work is unique for its scoring, which uses a double bass instead of the traditional second violin, providing a rich, grounded texture that reflects the lighthearted, pastoral spirit of the era.

This specific 1960 release from Deutsche Grammophon, catalog number 136 038 SLPEM, features pianist Jörg Demus alongside the Schubert-Quartett. As a cornerstone of the Deutsche Grammophon catalog during the mid-twentieth century, this pressing represents the label's commitment to high-fidelity stereo recordings of the core Viennese repertoire. The performance is noted for the collaborative, intimate interplay between the piano and strings, capturing the warmth and lyrical spontaneity that have made the Trout Quintet one of the most enduring pieces of chamber music in the classical canon.