Episode 431. Hermann Prey singt Schubert Orchesterlieder

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I’m sure many of you balked when you saw the title of this episode: “But Daniel: Schubert wrote no orchestral songs!” And of course you would be correct. And yet, what about when other composers orchestrate his songs? Therein lies the content of today’s episode. Historical evidence from some of Schubert’s contemporaries and closest associates indicate that he was strict in both tempo and affect in the performance of his Lieder. And yet, in the later 19th century (and beyond) many of his songs were orchestrated by such masters of orchestral color as Reger, Berlioz, Brahms, Liszt, Weingartner, and Mottl. In the twentieth century, individual songs have been orchestrated by such unexpected composers as Britten and Webern. In the late 1970s, Hermann Prey and conductor Gary Bertini made two LPs of the first recordings of these orchestrations and they make for fascinating listening, as these songs are transformed from the distinct genre of Klavierlieder to that of Orchesterlieder. These two records are supplemented by excerpts of a recording of a live performance by Hermann Prey of the world premiere of an orchestrated version of Winterreise by Japanese composer Yukikazu Suzuki. Even less than a year before his death, Prey’s connection to the music of Schubert remains palpable, and the slight vocal vulnerabilities from that performance serve only to intensify and deepen Prey’s interpretation.

RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE

All songs composed by Franz Schubert and sung by Hermann Prey.

Franz von Schober, orchestrated Max Reger: An die Musik, D. 547. Gary Bertini, Wiener Symphoniker [1978]

Wilhelm Müller, orchestrated Yukikazu Suzuki: Gute Nacht (Winterreise, D. 911/1). Hiroyuki Iwaki, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa [live Bad Urach 04.X.1997]

Johann Mayrhofer, orchestrated Johannes Brahms: Memnon, D. 541. Gary Bertini, Münchner Philharmoniker [1977]

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, orchestrated Franz Liszt: Erlkönig, D. 328. Gary Bertini, Münchner Philharmoniker [1977]

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, orchestrated Hector Berlioz: Erlkönig, D. 328. Gary Bertini, Münchner Philharmoniker [1977]

Friedrich Schiller, orchestrated Max Reger: Gruppe aus dem Tartarus, D. 583. Gary Bertini, Münchner Philharmoniker [1977]

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, orchestrated Max Reger: Wer sich die Einsamkeit ergibt (Gesänge des Harfners, D. 478). Gary Bertini, Münchener Philharmoniker [1977]

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, orchestrated Max Reger: Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß (Gesänge des Harfners, D. 480). Gary Bertini, Münchener Philharmoniker [1977]

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, orchestrated Max Reger: An die Türen will ich schleichen (Gesänge des Harfners, D. 479). Gary Bertini, Münchener Philharmoniker [1977]