No other great composer left so many works for piano duet as Franz Schubert: altogether 54 (32 of which have an opus number) including fantasias, dances, marches, variations, rondos, sonatas, etc. Among Schubert’s circle of friends, making music was a much beloved pastime. And even today musicians love to work with these pieces. In the three Henle Urtext volumes featuring Schubert’s four-hand piano music, the works are arranged chronologically.
Volume III contains nine pieces dating from the last three years of Schubert’s life, thus his mature works in this genre. This includes the famous Fantasie in f minor D 940 (see also the individual edition HN 180) and the equally beloved Duo in a minor D 947, which was first published posthumously with the nickname “Lebensstürme”. Both date from spring 1828.