Episode 323. Baritonal Schwanengesang
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The New Year is off to a predictably challenging start. Everywhere we look (California, Canada, New Orleans, and beyond) dreadful things are happening. I am offering in the spirit of solace and condolence a freshly refurbished and expanded bonus episode that I first published three and a half years ago as a pendant to another all-Schubert episode. This one presents all of the songs collected in the posthumously-published song collection Schwanengesang, that includes settings of poems by Ludwig Rellstab, Heinrich Heine, and Johann Gabriel Seidl. Many of Schubert’s late Seidl settings were not included in that collection but they number among Schubert’s most inspired and moving creations. I have included six of those settings at the beginning of the episode. These magnificent and transcendent songs are performed by exceptional baritones and bass-baritones in recordings spanning the course much of the twentieth century. Singers include Alexander Kipnis, Hans Hotter, Mark Reizen, Hermann Prey, Heinrich Schlusnus, Charles Panzéra, Andrzej Hiolski, Walter Berry, Heinrich Rehkemper, Benjamin Luxon, George London, Tom Krause, John Shirley-Quirk, Gérard Souzay [of course!], and many others. May these singers, voicing the divine utterances of Franz Schubert, provide a certain respite for those that are currently suffering.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
All songs are by Franz Schubert, and, unless otherwise noted, are from the posthumous collection published under the title Schwanengesang, D.957.
Johann Gabriel Seidl: Die Taubenpost, D. 957/14 [D. 965A]. Tom Krause, Irwin Gage [1973]
Johann Gabriel Seidl: Sehnsucht, D. 879. Erland Hagegård, Jan Eyron [1970]
Johann Gabriel Seidl: Der Wanderer an den Mond D. 870. Barry McDaniel, Ernest Lush [BBC 1965]
Johann Gabriel Seidl: Am Fenster, D. 878. Bo Skovhus, Helmut Deutsch [1995]
Johann Gabriel Seidl: Im Freien, D. 880. Olaf Bär, Geoffrey Parsons [1989]
Johann Gabriel Seidl: Wiegenlied, D. 867. Wolfgang Holzmair, Imogen Cooper [1994]
Ludwig Rellstab: Liebesbotchaft, D.957/1. Heinrich Schlusnus, Sebastian Peschko [1941]
Ludwig Rellstab: Kriegers Ahnung, D.957/2, John Shirley-Quirk, Steuart Bedford [1977]
Ludwig Rellstab: Frühlingssehnsucht, D.957/3. Gérard Souzay, Dalton Baldwin [1962]
Ludwig Rellstab: Ständchen, D.957/4. Hermann Prey, Leonard Hokanson [live Hohenems 1978]
Ludwig Rellstab: Aufenthalt, D.957/5 [sung in Russian]. Mark Reizen, Abram Makarov [1938]
Ludwig Rellstab: In der Ferne, D.957/6. Hans Hotter, Gerald Moore [1954]
Ludwig Rellstab: Abschied, D.957/7. Heinrich Rehkemper, Manfred Gurlitt [1928]
Heinrich Heine: Der Atlas, D.957/8. George London, Erik Werba [live Wien 1963]
Heinrich Heine: Ihr Bild, D.957/9. Andrzej Hiolski, Jerzy Marchwiński [1967]
Heinrich Heine: Das Fischermädchen, D.957/10. Benjamin Luxon, David Willison [1989]
Heinrich Heine: Die Stadt, D.957/11. Walter Berry, Erik Werba [1970]
Heinrich Heine: Am Meer, D.957/12. Alexander Kipnis, Frank Bibb [1928]
Heinrich Heine: Der Doppelgänger, D.957/13 [sung in French]. Charles Panzéra, Orchestra conducted by Piero Coppola [1934]
Johann Gabriel Seidl: Das Zügenglöcklein, D.871. Robert Holl, David Lutz [1994]
Thank you, Daniel. I loved every minute. I had known a few of these people and briefly met some of them. Time has past so quickly.
I sprained my ankle yesterday when I slipped in the snow, so I am having to take it easy!
Stay well,
Glendower
Dear Glendower, Thank you so much for your note. I have been trailing around myself lately with a torn meniscus and it ain’t fun! Glad to have provided you with some memories and musical enjoyment during your recuperation, and thanks for posting about the episode on your page! Wishing us both a quick recovery! Best, D