Haupz Blog

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Winterreise

2021-09-16 — Michael Haupt

Franz Schubert has written hundreds of songs, and some song cycles that have gone down in history. An absolute highlight is Winterreise, encompassing a story of lost love and a sad journey through wintry landscapes.

Originally set for piano and solo voice, the cycle has inspired many artists to interpretations of utmost expressivity. One that stands out is Ian Bostridge’s - his range of emotion is simply stunning.

20th century composer Hans Zender went a few steps further. He created an interpretation of Winterreise that is itself composed. It’s way more than just a transcription of the work for chamber orchestra and solo voice. The very first movement makes this clear immediately. Schuberts Winterreise - eine komponierte Interpretation is a gem among not only interpretations of the cycle, but also among 20th century “classical” music output.

Tags: music