In 1823, composer Franz Schubert (1797–1828) became seriously ill. The following year, he learned he was dying and wrote his String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, known as “Death and the Maiden.” Schubert first wrote a song with the same name in 1817, and the melody from that song appears in the second movement of this string quartet. There is no doubt that Schubert intended for all movements of this work to evoke the painful feelings of fear, anger, and grief associated with death.

This arrangement for string orchestra preserves all of Schubert’s original writing for the two violins, viola, and cello. The added bass often doubles the cello and, in lighter moments, performs pizzicato parts that are appropriate for the time period. Bowings and some suggested fingerings have also been added to help players and directors in rehearsal.

Students absolutely love playing this work, and this edition gives student orchestras access to one of the greatest pieces of chamber music ever written. Once you hear “Death and the Maiden” performed with bass, you’ll never want to hear it any other way.

Dr. Christopher Selby is a thirty-year veteran public school orchestra teacher, and he is the lead author of the Habits of a Successful String Musician method book series published by GIA. He is an active clinician and conductor and has presented sessions at numerous Midwest Clinics, American String Teachers Association (ASTA) national conferences, and state conferences across America. Dr. Selby currently directs the award-winning high school orchestras at the School of the Arts in Charleston, South Carolina.