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Schubert: “Death and the Maiden” Quartet
String quartet · about 38–41 minutes

Schubert: String Quartet in D minor, D. 810 “Death and the Maiden”

Long, intense and hard work for all four players, especially the first violin. For experienced groups with stamina and time to rehearse.
Very demanding
For 2 violins, viola and cello
Players
2 violins, viola and cello
Difficulty
Very demanding, judged by the hardest part
Length
About 38–41 minutes
Written
1824
Also known as
String Quartet No. 14 · D. 810 · Der Tod und das Mädchen
Free parts
Score and parts on IMSLP

Part by part

The piece is rated by its hardest part. Here is how each part compares, so a group can see who will need to practise most.
Violin 1
Very demanding: fast, high passagework in the outer movements and the most decorative variations in the Andante. Stamina matters as much as technique over 40 minutes.
Very demanding
Violin 2
Long stretches of driving rhythm and repeated triplets, and an important share of the variations. Tiring rather than showy.
Advanced
Viola
A full, busy inner part with real melodic moments in the variations. Needs a strong sound in the loud tutti passages.
Advanced
Cello
Carries much of the drive in the outer movements and has melodic moments in the variations. Fast passages in the finale need secure left hand.
Advanced

The movements

I. Allegro. Opens with a loud unison and the triplet figure that drives the whole work. Long and dramatic; deciding on the exposition repeat changes its length a lot.
II. Andante con moto. A quiet, chorale-like theme from the song, then five variations. Keep the “con moto”: it should walk, not drag.
III. Scherzo: Allegro molto. Short and fierce, built on a weighty dotted rhythm that the high and low instruments throw back and forth, with a gentler trio in D major.
IV. Presto. A relentless tarantella in 6/8, ending in an even faster coda. The hardest movement to hold together.

Reading it together for the first time

Start with the Andante: the theme is slow and simple, and the variations show each player where their hard spots are.
Allow a full rehearsal for one read-through. With repeats the quartet runs to about 40 minutes, and the finale needs fresh arms.
Read the Presto well under tempo first. Groups usually lose each other in its long runs.
Free parts on IMSLP include the Peters edition; if you buy, Henle and Bärenreiter both publish urtext editions. Make sure all four players use the same one.

About the piece

Schubert wrote it in March 1824, after a year of serious illness and money worries. It was first played privately in Vienna in early 1826, and published in 1831, three years after his death.
The nickname comes from the second movement, a theme and five variations built on his 1817 song “Der Tod und das Mädchen” (D. 531), a setting of a poem by Matthias Claudius. The theme borrows from the song’s piano part rather than its vocal line. A restless triplet figure keeps returning throughout the quartet, and the finale is a fast tarantella.

Hear it live

Upcoming performances in the cities we list.
Mon
14
Dec
Kaufman Music Center (Merkin Hall)
What Makes It Great? Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” Quartet
Schubert
7:30 PM · Merkin Hall, Kaufman Music Center, Lincoln Center
Concert hall · Favourites · Cheap seats

What to play next

Schubert · String Quartet in A minor, D. 804 “Rosamunde”
Schubert again, one step easier and more lyrical.
Advanced
Mozart · String Quartet in D minor, K. 421
An easier quartet in the same key, also dark and serious.
Advanced
Beethoven · String Quartet in F minor, Op. 95 “Serioso”
Same level, also compact and stormy.
Very demanding
Schubert · String Quintet in C, D. 956
Add a second cellist for Schubert’s String Quintet, just as demanding.
Very demanding
Smetana · String Quartet No. 1 “From My Life”
Same level, another very personal Romantic quartet with a big first-violin part.
Very demanding
More in the full list by difficulty, or browse:
String quartetsViolinViolaCello

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Levels are Rhapsodate’s own rough guide, not an exam grade. Facts checked 2026-10-03 against:
IMSLP: date, free scores and parts (Litolff, Peters, Bärenreiter)
Wikipedia: composition, the song, the triplet motif, publication
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: movements, use of the song, length
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