The quartet in a minor is one of the chamber music works with which Schubert wanted to ''pave the way to the great symphony'' in spring 1824. At the same time he was paving his way to a wider audience, as the ''Rosamunde'' Quartet was the first and onlystring quartet that was not only publicly performed in Schubert’s lifetime but also published in parts. It is fortunate for us that this was the case because the autograph of this much-loved quartet is missing today and the only source for the wor