Franz Schubert's Winterreise

Today is Franz Schubert's birthday. In his honor, please listen to these selections from his song-cycle "Winterreise" (Winter Journey). Lotte Lehmann has written on her interpretation of this song cycle.
The first song in the cycle is "Gute nacht," here performed by Ian Bostridge (tenor) and Julian Drake (piano) in an ambitious film project.

While the songs were originally written for a tenor voice, some of the most memorable performances are by baritones, bass-baritones, and mezzo-sopranos.


Gerald Moore on the piano and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Erstarrung (Numbness)

In "Die Lindenbaum" we can appreciate the lovely voice of Peter Schreirer (Tenor) and Christoph Eschenbach (piano); his interpretation of Schubert is so full of nuance.


Hans Hotter (bass-baritone) is one of my favorite Schubert voices. Of course, I love the song about the Crow.

DIE KRÄHE (The Crow)
lyrics: Wilhelm Müller

Eine Krähe war mit mir
Aus der Stadt gezogen,
Ist bis heute für und für
Um mein Haupt geflogen.

Krähe, wunderliches Tier,
Willst mich nicht verlassen?
Meinst wohl, bald als Beute hier
Meinen Leib zu fassen?

Nun, es wird nicht weit mehr geh'n
An dem Wanderstabe.
Krähe, laß mich endlich seh'n
Treue bis zum Grabe!



And the last song in the cycle "Der Leiermann," with pianist Alfred Brendel and DFD again.
The two of them rehearse "Rückblick" together: