In a recent class with three intermediate students (8th-11th grade), we compared the music of Franz Schubert and Max Richter. Schubert was a prolific Austrian composer, writing at the end of the Classical period and the beginning of the Romantic period. During his brief life, he wrote over 1,500 works. He was known for his storytelling abilities: long, singing lines, dramatic mood swings, an improvisatory style that seems to wander at times, and emotional intensity.

Max Richter is a contemporary German-born pianist and composer known for blending classical techniques with electronic, ambient, and minimalist styles. He names J.S. Bach as a key influence, and has championed the works of minimalists such as Arvo Pärt and John Cage. He drew inspiration from Schubert’s Winterreise when creating his 2010 album Infra.

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of this studio class, sharing the repertoire I introduced to my students, the discussion questions that guided our conversation, and a composition activity that students didn’t want to end.

For show notes + a full transcript, click here.

Resources Mentioned

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this episode are affiliate links, which means if you decide to purchase through any of them, I will earn a small commission. This helps support the podcast and allows me to continue creating free content. Thank you for your support!

Ep. 083 - Bernstein & Bill Evans: Inside My Recent Intermediate Studio Class

Ep. 077 - A New Approach to Teaching Group Classes

Schubert Piano Sonata No. 20 in A Major, D. 959: II. Andantino (Mitsuko Uchida)

Richter “Andante” from In a Landscape (Max Richter)

Schubert Impromptu No. 3 and Richter Infra 3 (Coversart)

Songs Without Words(Felix Mendelssohn)

Schubert Moments Musicaux No. 6 in A-flat Major (Alfred Brendel)

Vladimir’s Blues (Max Richter)

Max Richter Piano Works(Max Richter)

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