Schubert - Ständchen, D.920 - Baker. Hi-res and stereo: www.youtube.com/watch Ständchen, D. 920 (Op. posth. 135) for alto, chorus & piano Composed by Franz Schubert, on July 1827 Text: Franz Grillparzer …More
Schubert - Ständchen, D.920 - Baker.
Hi-res and stereo: www.youtube.com/watch Ständchen, D. 920 (Op. posth. 135) for alto, chorus & piano Composed by Franz Schubert, on July 1827 Text: Franz Grillparzer Janet Baker, mezzo soprano English Chamber Orchestra Chorus Raymond Leppard, Piano Recording date: December 1976 D 920 is one of the three "Ständchen"s composed by Franz Schubert. Anna Fröhlich, one of Schubert's students, commissioned it for Louise Gosmar's birthday. "Gerhard von Breuning has transmitted the story of its origin as told by Anna Fröhlich: Another time Anna told me: 'Whenever the birthday or nameday of [Fräulein] Gosmar... was approaching I always went to Grillparzer and asked him to write something for the occasion and I did this once more as her birthday drew near. () In a few days he gave me the "Ständchen", "Leise klopf' ich mit gekrümmtem Finger.." And when Schubert came to see us shortly afterwards, I said to him 'Look, Schubert, you must set this to music for me.' He: 'Well, let's have a look at it.' Leaning against the piano he read it through repeatedly, exclaiming over and over again 'But how beautiful it is - it's so beautiful!' He looked thus at the sheet of paper for a while and finally said 'There, it is finished now, I've got it already.' And only three days later he really did bring it to me, finished, set for mezzo-soprano (that is, for my sister Pepi) and four men's voices. At this I said to him 'No, Schubert, I can't use it like this, it's meant to be a tribute from [Fräulein] Gosmar's women friends only. You must write me the chorus for women's voices.' I remember quite clearly saying this to him; he was sitting over there in the right-hand window recess of the ante-room. - And soon afterwards he brought it to me, set for Pepi's voice and women's chorus, as it is now.' ... The two versions of "Ständchen" provide one of numerous instances of Schubert rewriting an already finished work. It is a special case in that it was a commissioned work, and the change was not brought about on his own initiative. Schubert often transposed songs, though we usually lack evidence that he did so at anyone else's request." - From "Schubert Studies" by Eva Badura-Skoda, Peter Branscombe "Ständchen is a poem about the meaning of friendship; the sage mentioned in the text is Diogenes, who went around the agora in Athens in broad daylight, shining a light into people's eyes. Most Athenians tended to ignore him, much as modern passers-by would, probably dismissing him as a nutter; but one caring and enlightened fellow finally asked him why he was doing this. "Ah", cried Diogenes, brandishing his lantern, "I am looking for a human"." - Tina Breckwoldt The version for mezzo-soprano and female chorus was performed for the first time at the occasion that it was commissioned for, on 11 August 1827, in the garden of the summer house near Vienna, where Louise Gosmar was staying at the time. It was performed by Anna Fröhlich on piano, her …
Hi-res and stereo: www.youtube.com/watch Ständchen, D. 920 (Op. posth. 135) for alto, chorus & piano Composed by Franz Schubert, on July 1827 Text: Franz Grillparzer Janet Baker, mezzo soprano English Chamber Orchestra Chorus Raymond Leppard, Piano Recording date: December 1976 D 920 is one of the three "Ständchen"s composed by Franz Schubert. Anna Fröhlich, one of Schubert's students, commissioned it for Louise Gosmar's birthday. "Gerhard von Breuning has transmitted the story of its origin as told by Anna Fröhlich: Another time Anna told me: 'Whenever the birthday or nameday of [Fräulein] Gosmar... was approaching I always went to Grillparzer and asked him to write something for the occasion and I did this once more as her birthday drew near. () In a few days he gave me the "Ständchen", "Leise klopf' ich mit gekrümmtem Finger.." And when Schubert came to see us shortly afterwards, I said to him 'Look, Schubert, you must set this to music for me.' He: 'Well, let's have a look at it.' Leaning against the piano he read it through repeatedly, exclaiming over and over again 'But how beautiful it is - it's so beautiful!' He looked thus at the sheet of paper for a while and finally said 'There, it is finished now, I've got it already.' And only three days later he really did bring it to me, finished, set for mezzo-soprano (that is, for my sister Pepi) and four men's voices. At this I said to him 'No, Schubert, I can't use it like this, it's meant to be a tribute from [Fräulein] Gosmar's women friends only. You must write me the chorus for women's voices.' I remember quite clearly saying this to him; he was sitting over there in the right-hand window recess of the ante-room. - And soon afterwards he brought it to me, set for Pepi's voice and women's chorus, as it is now.' ... The two versions of "Ständchen" provide one of numerous instances of Schubert rewriting an already finished work. It is a special case in that it was a commissioned work, and the change was not brought about on his own initiative. Schubert often transposed songs, though we usually lack evidence that he did so at anyone else's request." - From "Schubert Studies" by Eva Badura-Skoda, Peter Branscombe "Ständchen is a poem about the meaning of friendship; the sage mentioned in the text is Diogenes, who went around the agora in Athens in broad daylight, shining a light into people's eyes. Most Athenians tended to ignore him, much as modern passers-by would, probably dismissing him as a nutter; but one caring and enlightened fellow finally asked him why he was doing this. "Ah", cried Diogenes, brandishing his lantern, "I am looking for a human"." - Tina Breckwoldt The version for mezzo-soprano and female chorus was performed for the first time at the occasion that it was commissioned for, on 11 August 1827, in the garden of the summer house near Vienna, where Louise Gosmar was staying at the time. It was performed by Anna Fröhlich on piano, her …