About the Album

Melancholy, alienation and masochistic death-longing are the keynotes of this recital, built around settings of poems by members of Schubert’s own circle. At the centre is the ballad ‘Der Liedler’, a naive tale of chivalrous derring-do, melodramatic and fussily episodic yet redeemed by the young Schubert’s harmonic boldness and lyrical tenderness. Schubert was 18 years when old he wrote this song with a text of his schoolmate Franz Kenner. A 'Liedler' is een wandering singer who is not able to marry his beloved because of his low social class. The singer went abroad to become a soldier. At his return his beloved seems to have a love affair with someone else. When the wedding carriage is attacked by a werewolf, the Liedler can save his beloved by hitting the horrible animal with his harp. Unfortunately he loses his life, because he falls together with the werewolf in a ravine. This ballad which has a duration of about 15 minutes is a favourite of Robert Holl, who sang it at several recitals. Besides this song you can listen to famous songs like 'Am Bach in Frühlinge', 'Viola', 'Der Jüngling und der Tod and 'An die Musik'.

Album Tracks