For some time Schubert appeared very upset and deep in thought. When I asked him what was troubling him, he would say only, Soon you will hear and understand. One day he said to me, Come over to [Franz von] Schobers [house] today, and I will sing you a cycle of horrifying [schauerlicher] songs. I am anxious to know what you will say about them. They have cost me more effort than any of my other songs. So he sang the entire Winterreise through to us in a voice full of emotion. We were utter dumbfounded by the mournful, gloomy tone of these songs, and Schober said that only one, Der Lindenbaum, had appealed to him. To this Schubert replied, I like these songs more than all the rest; so, one day. will you too. [Joseph von Spaun, Memories of Schubert, 1858]
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 01:36:38 +0000