The Schubert Ensemble

The Schubert Ensemble of London was a popular quintet with an unusual makeup: a standard piano quartet with the addition of a double bass player, the same instrumental forces needed to perform Schubert's Trout Quintet. The group's choice of repertory staples generally favored works by Romantic composers, with Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Brahms foremost on the list. The ensemble also included a variety of later fare on its programs and commissioned and premiered new works from some of the most prominent composers in the U.K. Its first major recording was, not surprisingly, the Schubert Trout Quintet, coupled with the Hummel Op. 87 Quintet, released in 1988. The group's final album was issued in 2016, pairing the piano quartets of Saint-Saëns and Chausson. The Schubert Ensemble members decided to disband after the 2017/2018 season, giving its final concert on June 30.