Next Monday is the 184th anniversary of Franz Schubert's death. These are my five reasons to love him, although each of his songs is a good reason. For instance, Abendstern, performed by Anthony Rolfe-Johnson and Graham Johnson.
This week we can listen to the unforgettable contralto Kathleen Ferrier singing the fourth song of the Kindertotenlieder by Gustav Mahler, Oft denk'ich sie sind nur ausgegangen.
The sadness of loneliness. The last song written by Tchaikovsky, Again, as before, alone performed by Georgy Nelepp and Matvei Sakharov.
"The reason why your rendition of my lieder was so extraordinary to me is that you know how to sing melodies. And to think that you must go so far to find a performer of melodies!" Arnold Schoenberg to Conxita Badia, 1932.
