Loewe composed two of his most famous ballads, 'Edward' and 'Erlkönig', while still a student in Halle in 1817/18.
Critical Reception
The Viennese, who especially admired Loewe's 'Erlkönig', dubbed him 'the north German Schubert'.
Critical Reception
Loewe's performances of 'Erlkönig' greatly impressed Goethe and his musical guru Carl Zelter in Weimar in 1820.
Composer Biography
Carl Loewe, born just two months before Schubert, was admired by Jérôme Bonaparte, King of Westphalia, who provided him with financial support.
Historical Context
In late eighteenth-century Germany, narrative ballads, often of English, Celtic, or Scandinavian origin, were popular as part of an aesthetic that rejected French rococo artifice.
Composer Biography
Loewe was celebrated as a singer of his own songs, performing internationally and even singing at court in London in 1847 with Prince Albert turning the pages.
Compositional Technique
Loewe found his natural mode of expression in these 'one-man mini-operas', where the singer represented multiple characters and the keyboard provided scenery, lighting, and sound effects.
