The Schwanengesang is one of the musical monuments that embody the essence of Romanticism. But did you know that this fourteen-part puzzle was only put together after Schubert’s death? The songs to poetry by Ludwig Rellstab cover a fascinating range of scenes and moods: from babbling brooks in Liebesbotschaft to a chilling dance of the dead in Kriegers Ahnung. In the songs with texts by Heinrich Heine, Schubert goes even further, with soundscapes that were ahead of their time. The cycle ends with Die Taubenpost – a conciliatory farewell. Schubert’s musical testament is revealed in all its multifaceted brilliance by the baritone Georg Nigl and artist-in-residence Olga Pashchenko at a piano dating from Schubert’s time. The breathtaking sound colours bring out the intimacy and drama of Schubert’s music all the more clearly: ranging from lyrical rapture to bitter melancholy, an entire lifetime of emotions unfold in this single collection.
Program
F. Schubert: Schwanengesang, D. 957 | 3 Klavierstücke, D. 946
Performers
Georg Nigl, baritone | Olga Pashchenko, piano (Conrad Graf, 1835)