The Fantasie in C major, Op. 15 (D. 760), popularly known as the "Wanderer" Fantasy, is a four-movement fantasy for solo piano composed by Franz Schubert in November 1822. Its structural design follows the classical sonata form. Otto Erich Deutsch (September 5, 1883 – November 23, 1967) was an Austrian musicologist. ... The fantasia (also English fantasy, fancy, German fantasie, French fantaisie) is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. ... Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (January 31, 1797 – November 19, 1828) was an Austrian composer. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ...

The whole work is based on one single basic motive, from which all themes are developed. This motif is distilled from the theme of the second movement. This second movement (set in C sharp minor) is a sequence of variations on a melody taken from the lied Der Wanderer, which Schubert himself wrote in 1816. It is this set of variations from which the work's popular name is derived. In music, a motif is a perceivable or salient reoccurring fragment or succession of notes that may used to construct the entirety or parts of complete melodies, themes. ... In music, a theme is the initial or primary melody. ... In music, variation is a formal technique where material is altered during repetition; reiteration with changes. ... Lied (plural Lieder) is a German word, literally meaning song; among English speakers, however, it is used primarily as a term for European classical music songs, also known as art songs. ... Der Wanderer (D.493) is the name of a Lied composed by Franz Schubert in October 1816 for voice and piano. ...

All four movements follow each other without a break. After the first movement Allegro con fuoco ma non troppo in C major and the second movement Adagio, follow a scherzo presto in A flat major and the finale, which returns to the key of C major. This finale starts out as a fugue but later breaks into a virtuoso piece. In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a name given to a piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... A finale is a closing part, act or movement of a dramatic or musical composition, or more generally any event or procedure with a dramatically concluding effect. ... In music, a fugue (IPA: ) is a type of contrapuntal composition or technique of composition for a fixed number of parts, normally referred to as voices, irrespective of whether the work is vocal or instrumental. ... A virtuoso (from Italian virtuoso, late Latin virtuosus, Latin virtus meaning: skill, manliness, excellence) is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability at singing or playing a musical instrument. ...

The Wanderer Fantasy is considered Schubert's most technically demanding composition for the piano. Schubert himself is reputed to have said "the devil may play it", in reference to his own inability to do so properly.

Franz Liszt, who was fascinated by this piece, transcribed the work for piano and orchestra. Portrait by Henri Lehmann, 1839 Franz Liszt (Hungarian: Liszt Ferenc; pronounced , in English: list) (October 22, 1811 – July 31, 1886) was a Hungarian [1] virtuoso pianist and composer of the Romantic period. ...

External links

• Public Domain Score of the Wanderer Fantasy at IMSLP