Schubert's genius allowed his melodies and harmonies to express a vast range of emotions, from tears to laughter, and his bold modulations created unprecedented horizons within the dance structure.
Historical Context
The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) was famously described by the Belgian representative, the Prince de Ligne, with the phrase: "The Congress is not working, it is dancing."
Historical Context
The Biedermeier period saw the Viennese middle class creating a private world of family and friends to escape public life controlled by Metternich.
Instruments
This recording uses an Érard grand piano with parallel strings from 1892, representing the era of waltzing Europe around the turn of the 20th century.
Composition History
The Ländler, a rustic and slow dance from Upper Austria, gradually lost its slow tempo when it entered Viennese salons.
Composer Biography
Franz Schubert, the composer of the Ländler on this album, was known to entertain gatherings and make them dance with his improvisations, often noting the most successful ones in 'Walzerketten' (sequences of waltzes).
Composition History
Johannes Brahms, a great admirer of Schubert, transcribed Schubert's '17 Deutsche, genannt 'Ländler'' D.366 for piano four hands in 1869.
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