Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK 22 - Franz Schubert
This week we feature a little of the music of Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828). Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left us more than 600 secular vocal works, seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music and much piano and chamber music.
Monday August 10
Entr'acte No. 3 from the play ‘Rosamunde’.
Rosamunde, written by Helmina von Chézy is mostly remembered for the incidental music written by Schubert. The music and play were premiered in Vienna in 1823. On this video, the opening comments by conductor, Michael Tilson Thomas, seem even more appropriate today than they were in 2011.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8TgwXRlIwI&app=desktop
(9 minutes)
Tuesday August 11
Ave Maria (Schubert)
This video was filmed in Trossach National Park, Loch Lomond, Scotland, and tells the story of the Sir Walter Scott poem Lady of the Lake, which Schubert used as the text on which to set Ave Maria.
Sung by our own Nadine Benjamin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI2OH5mX5Zg
Wednesday August 12
It's time for WAVE2
Click here for WAVE (opens on a separate page)
Thursday August 13
Schubert's 8th Symphony (The Unfinished) 1st movement
He started writing this in 1822 but stopped after completing just two movements, even though he lived for a further six years.
It is sometimes referred to as Symphony No. 7 due to a subsequent re-cataloguing of his work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfmRakIbAFk
Friday August 14
Lieder Day
Schubert wrote over 600 songs or 'lieder'. The German word for song is 'lied'.
One of his most famous song cycles is Die Schöne Müllerin (the pretty Miller’s girl).
The entire cycle is well worth your time but here is just a taster - two songs - Das Wandern and Wohin?
Here they are sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, in his day one of the greatest exponents of lieder. Despite being at the end of his career, there is still a certain magic in his performance and this was the only Youtube video I could find complete with English words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmBqDthi1Fw
In 2008, my good friend and accompanist, Chris had been made aware of a lieder Masterclass for singers and accompanists. It was to be taken by Roger Vignoles, a highly respected accompanist who has performed with some of the world's outstanding singers. We passed the audition and I took my mother to witness my special moment. It took place in Champs Hill, near Pulborough, West Sussex. The owners, Mary and David Bowerman have built a 200 seater concert hall in their ‘garden’. The room is full of original art - paintings and sculpture - of the highest quality. It is an extraordinary place (photos below).
My nerves were at an all time high. Not only had I never sung lieder, but I had also never sung in German. Bryan gave me some help beforehand. I sang two songs from Die Schöne Müllerin and was then critiqued in front of the full house. “Sing this bit again but do it this way” and so on. After 15 minutes or so we were allowed back to our seats and the next duo took to the stage.
It was, of course, an amazing day and my mother thought I was great. It was made even better by a member of the audience coming up to me in the break and uttering words that have stayed with me - “you were born to sing lieder’. Needless to say I have not sung lieder since.
Entr'acte No. 3 from the play ‘Rosamunde’.
Rosamunde, written by Helmina von Chézy is mostly remembered for the incidental music written by Schubert. The music and play were premiered in Vienna in 1823. On this video, the opening comments by conductor, Michael Tilson Thomas, seem even more appropriate today than they were in 2011.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8TgwXRlIwI&app=desktop
(9 minutes)
Tuesday August 11
Ave Maria (Schubert)
This video was filmed in Trossach National Park, Loch Lomond, Scotland, and tells the story of the Sir Walter Scott poem Lady of the Lake, which Schubert used as the text on which to set Ave Maria.
Sung by our own Nadine Benjamin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI2OH5mX5Zg
Wednesday August 12
It's time for WAVE2
Click here for WAVE (opens on a separate page)
Thursday August 13
Schubert's 8th Symphony (The Unfinished) 1st movement
He started writing this in 1822 but stopped after completing just two movements, even though he lived for a further six years.
It is sometimes referred to as Symphony No. 7 due to a subsequent re-cataloguing of his work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfmRakIbAFk
Friday August 14
Lieder Day
Schubert wrote over 600 songs or 'lieder'. The German word for song is 'lied'.
One of his most famous song cycles is Die Schöne Müllerin (the pretty Miller’s girl).
The entire cycle is well worth your time but here is just a taster - two songs - Das Wandern and Wohin?
Here they are sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, in his day one of the greatest exponents of lieder. Despite being at the end of his career, there is still a certain magic in his performance and this was the only Youtube video I could find complete with English words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmBqDthi1Fw
In 2008, my good friend and accompanist, Chris had been made aware of a lieder Masterclass for singers and accompanists. It was to be taken by Roger Vignoles, a highly respected accompanist who has performed with some of the world's outstanding singers. We passed the audition and I took my mother to witness my special moment. It took place in Champs Hill, near Pulborough, West Sussex. The owners, Mary and David Bowerman have built a 200 seater concert hall in their ‘garden’. The room is full of original art - paintings and sculpture - of the highest quality. It is an extraordinary place (photos below).
My nerves were at an all time high. Not only had I never sung lieder, but I had also never sung in German. Bryan gave me some help beforehand. I sang two songs from Die Schöne Müllerin and was then critiqued in front of the full house. “Sing this bit again but do it this way” and so on. After 15 minutes or so we were allowed back to our seats and the next duo took to the stage.
It was, of course, an amazing day and my mother thought I was great. It was made even better by a member of the audience coming up to me in the break and uttering words that have stayed with me - “you were born to sing lieder’. Needless to say I have not sung lieder since.
Weekend August 15/16
The Trout
Probably Schubet’s most famous song. I remember singing it in school.
Here the song is performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, accompanied by one of the all-time greatest accompanists, Gerald Moore. As a combination they were unmatched. There is a good explanation below the video and the English words are there for you to follow the story.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF9DrUXowBo
And here is the 4th movement of Schubert's Trout Quintet in which the composer reused his delightful melody to great effect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwbWvGtaZGo
(8 minutes)
Here is a link the full Quintet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_nKAXM9CY8
(36 minutes)
The Trout
Probably Schubet’s most famous song. I remember singing it in school.
Here the song is performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, accompanied by one of the all-time greatest accompanists, Gerald Moore. As a combination they were unmatched. There is a good explanation below the video and the English words are there for you to follow the story.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF9DrUXowBo
And here is the 4th movement of Schubert's Trout Quintet in which the composer reused his delightful melody to great effect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwbWvGtaZGo
(8 minutes)
Here is a link the full Quintet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_nKAXM9CY8
(36 minutes)