´óÏó´«Ã½

This week of programmes about Franz Schubert focuses on five years through his short life, and features one of his string quartets every day.

Today the focus is on the year 1820, when Schubert was aged 23. Donald Macleod looks into Schubert's friendships, people who rallied round helping him out, including paying his rent whilst he worked on establishing himself as a freelance composer. However, some of his friends cheerfully began calling him "The Tyrant" due to Schubert's tendency to occasionally respond to these kindnesses harshly; they began to see a different side to his nature.

Music featured includes an extract from two unfinished works, his oratorio Lazarus and the Quartet Movement in C minor. Plus we hear one of the best loved of all Schubert's Goethe settings, Erlkönig,which was first performed in this year, and the glorious Song of the Spirits Over the Waters.

Erlkönig, D 328
Jessye Norman, soprano
Phillip Moll, piano

Lazarus (Act II - end at chorus)
Martin Egel, baritone (Simon)
Martyn Hill, tenor (Nathanael)
Choeurs de Radio France
Jacques Jouineau, chorus master
Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
Theodor Guschlbauer, conductor

String Quartet No. 12 in C minor, D 703 (Quartettsatz)
Doric Quartet

Psalm 23, D 706
Det Norske Solistkor
Grete Pedersen, conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, piano

Gesang der Geister über den Wassern, D 714
Det Norske Solistkor
Grete Pedersen, conductor
Catherine Bullock and Madelene Berg, viola
Øystein Birkeland and Ole Eirik Ree, cello
Dan Styffe, double bass

Producer: Amy Wheel for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales