Schubert's 'Gretchens Bitte' (Gretchen's Prayer), D. 564, remained either unfinished or its ending was lost, and was completed by Benjamin Britten in 1938 for a BBC commission.
Recording & Production
The inclusion of actress Gabriele Jacoby, who was the poetry coach at the Franz-Schubert-Institut, reflects the album's origins and enhances the perception of the songs through her captivating recitations.
Composition History
Schubert composed six different versions of Goethe's poem 'Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt', illustrating his struggle to find the most convincing interpretation of the text.
Performer Biography
Gabriele Jacoby, the actress on this album, is the daughter of actress Marika Rökk and director Georg Jacoby, and the granddaughter of Wilhelm Jacoby, author of the comedy 'Pension Schöller'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Schubert, an artist of his time, often set poems by living authors, demonstrating an extensive knowledge of contemporary poetry and a gift for selecting excellent texts.
Interpretation
The album aims to showcase various aspects of the female character as understood by Schubert, linking them into 'scenas' depicting longing, innocence, humor, wit, seduction, and desolation.
Recording & Production
The idea for this album, 'Schubert's Women', was conceived in Baden bei Wien in the summer of 2017, after mezzo-soprano Klaudia Tandl and pianist Niall Kinsella were paired at the Franz-Schubert-Institut.
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