Schubert | Introduction and Variations on Trockne Blumen Flute & Piano

Franz Schubert finished work on his song cycle Die schöne Müllerin in November 1823. Two months later, in January 1824, he set about recasting the melody of the cycle's 18th song, ‘Trockne Blumen’ (Faded Flowers), into a set of variations for flute and piano. This Introduction and Variations on ‘Trockne Blumen’  in E minor, D. 802 apparently grew only from Schubert's own notion to further explore his song's melody and not from any special practical impetus; the work may, however, have been composed with Schubert's flautist friend Ferdinand Bogner, a professor at the Vienna Conservatory, in mind. As with many of Schubert’s works, it remained unpublished, and possibly even unperformed, during his lifetime. In 1850, the Introduction and Variations on ‘Trockne Blumen’  were published for the first time as Op. 160, and were immediately and enthusiastically accepted into the flute repertoire.