Schubert: Die schone Mullerin

Featuring

Daniel Behle
Sveinung Bjelland
Ab Koster
Franz Schubert

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Composer Biography

Wilhelm Müller, the poet of "Die schöne Müllerin," confided in his diary that he wished for a "tuned soul" to extract the melody from his words.

Interpretation

Daniel Behle, the tenor on this recording, views "Die schöne Müllerin" as a chamber play with various protagonists, where the brook gradually becomes a rival to the miller-maid for the miller's affection.

Composition History

Franz Schubert's "Die schöne Müllerin" was inspired by Wilhelm Müller's collection of poems, which Schubert encountered in early 1823.

Recording & Production

This recording includes an epilogue, "Auf dem Strom," which is rarely performed in concert because it requires a horn player.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Schubert chose to omit the ironic prologue and epilogue from Müller's poem collection, focusing instead on the narrative of the wandering miller's apprentice.

Compositional Technique

Schubert's "Die schöne Müllerin" is notable for its balance between folk song simplicity and sophisticated compositional techniques, including motivic connections and careful key management.

Instruments

The piece "Auf dem Strom" features a horn, which was played by a musician named 'Lewy the Young' (possibly Josef Rudolf Lewy, an early user of the valve horn) at its premiere.