# What are your favorite Schubert Lieder?



## Truckload (Feb 15, 2012)

What are your favorite Schubert Lieder? I am referring to the actual compositions themselves, not a particular performance. And please, no fair naming one of the collections. Specific songs only please. I will begin with my two favorites, which are probably the two most obvious.

"Der Erlkönig"





"Gretchen am Spinnrade"


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Off the top of my head I would include Der Erlkönig, Nacht und Träume, Gute Nacht, Ellens dritter Gesang or Ave Maria, An Sylvia, Heidenröslein, Der Leiermann (perhaps my favorite), Der Lindenbaum, Die Krähe, Auf dem Wasser zu singen... these immediately come to mind.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

D052 Sehnsucht
D095 Adelaide
D100 Geisternähe
D120 Trost in Tränen
D343 Litanei auf das Fest Allerseelen
D367 Der König in Thule
D382 Sanft glänzt die Abendsonne
D415 Klage
D457 An die untergehende Sonne
D541 Ganymed
D547 An die Musik
D716 Grenzen der Menschheit
D776 Du bist die Ruh'
D827 Nacht und Träume....

OK, I'll better stop here. There are just too many of them!


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Die Forelle! I pick a happy one and the one I've heard since forever. Also Ständchen, Liebesbothschaft & Aufenthalt since I have practiced them on my guitar


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Nacht und Träume
Am Meer
Du bist die Ruh
Ständchen
Erlkönig
Die Liebe hat gelogen
An Sylvia


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Also, which recordings do people favour, assuming they have a preference? I find that songs are always indelibly associated in my mind with a particular great singer who recorded them. Often, though not always, it will be the first one I heard. Here's my list again with the singers who recorded my favourite performances:

Nacht und Träume *Gerard Souzay*
Am Meer *Friedrich Schorr, Gustav Walter*
Du bist die Ruh *John McCormack*
Ständchen *John McCormack, Richard Tauber*
Erlkönig *Peter Dawson*
Die Liebe hat gelogen *John McCormack*
An Sylvia *John McCormack*

Edit: sorry, I missed the part about 'Not particular performances'.


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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

Erstarrung, but you need to hear an exceptionally slow performance to notice the beauty of some passages. Here's the slowest recording of it that I've heard, recorded in Berlin in 1918 - a hundred years ago:


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Chordalrock said:


> Erstarrung, but you need to hear an exceptionally slow performance to notice the beauty of some passages. Here's the slowest recording of it that I've heard, recorded in Berlin in 1918 - a hundred years ago:


It is rather slow. Often the tempi on old recordings are not the ones we expect to hear today, but in this case I wonder whether the record has been transferred at too slow a speed, since Jadlowker's vowels sound less pleasing than usual. It's an interesting record though, and it's good to see some love here for the old singers.


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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

Figleaf said:


> It is rather slow. Often the tempi on old recordings are not the ones we expect to hear today, but in this case I wonder whether the record has been transferred at too slow a speed, since Jadlowker's vowels sound less pleasing than usual. It's an interesting record though, and it's good to see some love here for the old singers.


It seems to be at the correct speed, since the pitch is at C minor, a minor third above the A minor the piece was composed in, just like the recording by Jonas Kaufmann and I assume tenors in general.

I have to confess it was this recording that opened my ears to this piece. I did like it before as well, but it wasn't until this recording that it became my favorite Schubert piece. In addition to the slow tempo, I think the piece benefits from this rather straightforward singing instead of the kind of excessive characterisation and "acting" you hear in Fischer-Dieskau's recording with Brendel and in many modern renderings.

Another recording of this piece that I really like is the one by Mertens and Mathot on period piano and with a period style of singing.


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Chordalrock said:


> It seems to be at the correct speed, since the pitch is at C minor, a minor third above the A minor the piece was composed in, just like the recording by Jonas Kaufmann and I assume tenors in general.
> 
> I have to confess it was this recording that opened my ears to this piece. I did like it before as well, but it wasn't until this recording that it became my favorite Schubert piece. In addition to the slow tempo, I think the piece benefits from this rather straightforward singing instead of the kind of excessive characterisation and "acting" you hear in Fischer-Dieskau's recording with Brendel and in many modern renderings.
> 
> Another recording of this piece that I really like is the one by Mertens and Mathot on period piano and with a period style of singing.


A lot of transposition went on in those days and musical pitch was different in different times and locations- don't ask me, I'm mystified by all that technical stuff- so often, determining the correct playback speed is a matter of intuition and whether the voice sounds right. In the case of that Erstarrung, the speed is plausible, but I still suspect it should be played ever so slightly faster. Of course I don't have your musical knowledge, and I wouldn't know what the key is.

Quite right about Fischer-Dieskau.  On my favourite Winterreise (Souzay/Baldwin) it is also not overacted, but the tempo is quite fast. I think I tend to overlook the Jadlowker records which don't have the vocal pyrotechnics he was known for (Ich baue ganz, Ecco ridente etc.) so it's nice to hear him in Lieder.

'Period style of singing' sounds worthy of investigation!


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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

Figleaf said:


> A lot of transposition went on in those days and musical pitch was different in different times and locations- don't ask me, I'm mystified by all that technical stuff- so often, determining the correct playback speed is a matter of intuition and whether the voice sounds right. In the case of that Erstarrung, the speed is plausible, but I still suspect it should be played ever so slightly faster. Of course I don't have your musical knowledge, and I wouldn't know what the key is.


You have unmasked my ignorance. All I know about playback speed is that I can change it on my computer, and I sometimes do so to get the kind of tempo I want. Windows Media Player only has three playback speeds, slow, normal, and fast, but surprisingly the fast setting is sometimes very appropriate (e.g. "Salve flos Tusca gentis" by the Hilliards, who seem to have slowed it down just to make their Dufay album more varied). You can get a little more options with ReClock, but you can only use it on videos (thank goodness for youtube).


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Chordalrock said:


> You have unmasked my ignorance. All I know about playback speed is that I can change it on my computer, and I sometimes do so to get the kind of tempo I want. Windows Media Player only has three playback speeds, slow, normal, and fast, but surprisingly the fast setting is sometimes very appropriate (e.g. "Salve flos Tusca gentis" by the Hilliards, who seem to have slowed it down just to make their Dufay album more varied). You can get a little more options with ReClock, but you can only use it on videos (thank goodness for youtube).


Maybe listen to some professionally made transfers of Jadlowker's records, i.e. those uploaded from CDs rather than 78s, and see if you notice a difference in timbre and vowels. Of course, that's not to say that the speeds I'm accustomed to are necessarily correct. Sometimes there can be controversy. Best to listen to a variety of originals and transfers, and take a view.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Auf dem Wasser zu singen by Schubert 
Renée Fleming.


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## helenora (Sep 13, 2015)

for me Die Taubenpost


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## Stirling (Nov 18, 2015)

"Des Baches Wiegenlied" 



"Nacht und Träume" 



"Trockne Blumen" 



"Erlkönig" 



"Gute Nacht" 



"Der Leiermann" 



"Ave Maria" 



"Wohin"


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## jenspen (Apr 25, 2015)

Where to start? The following list for tonight (wth special thanks to Elly Ameling and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau):


Nacht und Träume There is a key change there that is heart stopping

Im Frühling - Still sitz ich an des Hügels Hang (the words aren't much but they inspired great lyricism in Schubert)

Das Lied im Grunen - best bushwalking song ever and God knows how the singer manages to take a breath

Auf dem Wasser zu Singen - the rhythm of the waves...

Die Götter Griechenlands - Schöne Welt, wo bist du? - Schiller's text but the song reminds me a bit of Wolf's setting of Goethe's "Anakreons Grab" - regret for the ancient world.

An den Mond - Ich auf der Erde am Himmel Du - one of Schubert's walking rhythms

Geheimnis - Uber meines Liebchens Auglein (slyly sexy setting of Goethe's version of a Persion love poem)

Abschied - Ade! du muntre, du fröhliche Stadt (the ultimate student song)

Auf der Riesenkoppe - lyrical patriotism 

Frühlingsglaube (Hans Gal, who escaped the Holocaust, ended his book on Schubert with this the hopeful words of this song) - "Es blüht das fernste, tiefste Tal: Nun, armes Herz, vergiß der Qual! Nun muß sich alles, alles wenden."

Nachtviolen (perfect and mellow miniature)

An die Entfernte - So hab’ ich wirklich dich verloren? (a song of lost love - Goethe inspires Schubert again)

Das Fischermädchen (seduction song - Heine the inspiration for this one)


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## popovichee123 (Jun 15, 2016)

Der Tod und Das Mädschen does it for me. Bass/Bari voice works best with this one.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

popovichee123 said:


> Der Tod und Das Mädschen does it for me. Bass/Bari voice works best with this one.


I prefer this one.:tiphat:


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

As Jenspen said, "Where to start?". Taking songs that aren't part of a cycle (I don't count _Schwanengesang_), and limiting myself arbitrarily to 15:

Auf dem Wasser zu singen
Gretchen am Spinnrade
Auf der Bruck
Nacht und Träume
Die Taubenpost
Erlkönig
Litanei auf das Fest Aller Seelen
Der Doppelgänger
Der Musensohn
An die Musik
Ganymed
Der Zwerg
Am Meer
Rastlose Liebe
Ständchen ("Leise flehen")


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

One of my very favorites hasn't been mentioned yet:






"Des Fischers Liebesglück" (in my favorite performance, by Karl Erb)


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2016)

If I have to choose one song it has to be this one.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I have very little Schubert lieder (or other Schubert) and this may be all of what I have
but I do like it so I guess it's my favorite Schubert Lieder.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> I have very little Schubert lieder (or other Schubert) and this may be all of what I have
> but I do like it so I guess it's my favorite Schubert Lieder.


We can live with that


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Taubenpost, Standchen, Der Leiermann, Erlkonig, Am Meer. Plus pretty well all the rest!


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> As Jenspen said, "Where to start?". Taking songs that aren't part of a cycle (I don't count _Schwanengesang_), and limiting myself arbitrarily to 15:
> 
> Auf dem Wasser zu singen
> Gretchen am Spinnrade
> ...


That's a pretty great list Reichstag. Just add Der Leiermann and it's perfect.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Florestan said:


> I have very little Schubert lieder (or other Schubert) and this may be all of what I have
> but I do like it so I guess it's my favorite Schubert Lieder.


Nice set Flo. And contrary to Woodduck's damning verdict on Janowitz's singing on another thread, I think she sings the Lieder extremely beautifully.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

Barbebleu said:


> That's a pretty great list Reichstag. Just add Der Leiermann and it's perfect.


Thank you. I deliberately omitted the Lieder from the two great song-cycles (Müllerin/Winterreise) but, had I not done so, my list would certainly have included Der Leiermann. And "Ungeduld", "Wohin?", "Eifersucht und Stolz", "Des Baches Wiegenlied", "Erstarrung", "Frühlingstraum", "Die Krähe", "Die Nebensonnen", etc etc etc...

Majestic works, all of them.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Barbebleu said:


> Nice set Flo. And contrary to Woodduck's damning verdict on Janowitz's singing on another thread, I think she sings the Lieder extremely beautifully.


Yep, I got it not for Schubert but for Janowitz. Even more wonderful is that there is a second volume to this, which (shame on me) I don't have (yet):


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Yep, I got it not for Schubert but for Janowitz. Even more wonderful is that there is a second volume to this, which (shame on me) I don't have (yet):


Not for long I guess


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## dieter (Feb 26, 2016)

Nacht und Träume
Auf Den Strom
Auflosung
An dem mond
Du bist die Ruh
Der wanderer an dem mond
Alinde
Auf der bruck
Auf den wasser zu singen
Meeres stille
Der Zwerg
Das Zugenklocklein
Ellens Gesang 1-3
Wiegenlied
Mignon 1-3


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## kangxi (Jan 24, 2014)

A real rarity is D943, Auf dem Strom, because it comes with an obbligato horn accompaniment and is seldom included in any CD recital. You specifically said you didn't want performances, but in this case I'll give you one. I'd heard this song a number of times, but it didn't register as something special. Then I came across it on youtube sung by Peter Anders and it blew my mind apart. I urge you to try it out, but give it 5 - 10 listenings before it sinks its hooks into you. Schubert, the cunning rascal, presents it in such a simple, limpid way that on first acquaintance it sounds superficial. Give it time and it's anything but.

Also, another rarity is Beim Winde: utterly captivating.

Not so rare, but not yet mentioned, are the 2 versions of Thekla. The early one is good but the second utterly sublime.

The British columnist Bernard Levin once said that Schubert was a funnel: what poured out in an effortless stream is what we listen to, but what went in at the other end he didn't dare speculate.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

As I am doing the Part songs very soon, they growing one me every day.


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