5 Things to Know About Schubert's Death and the Maiden Quartet

The quartet’s nickname comes from its second movement. That movement is a set of variations based on the piano accompaniment from Schubert’s 1817 song “Der Tod und das Mädchen.”

The song itself is about death and a young girl. The text, by Matthias Claudius, features Death speaking gently to a frightened maiden.

The quartet was written in 1824, seven years after the song. Schubert was already seriously ill when he composed it, which may explain its dark intensity.

The second movement is the only part directly quoting the song. The other three movements are original material, though they share the same grim mood.

The quartet is in D minor, a key Schubert associated with tragedy. This key choice reinforces the work’s somber, death-obsessed character throughout.