This is the time of year when Schuberts famous song cycle Winterreise (Winter Journey) is performed. Here is a performance by Ian Bostridge and Julius Drake. I heard this at Jordan Hall when Julius performed it with Canadian baritone Gerald Finley last year. It was a very moving performance, especially when you follow the translation of the lyrics into English and understand what the songs are about. The last song, the Hurdy Gurdy Man is particularly sad because it describes an organ grinder (novelty street performer who plays a barrel organ), an old man out in the cold with numb fingers, standing barefoot on the ice, playing the hurdy gurdy and trying to get some money, but his plate is always empty, people walk past and ignore him while dogs growl at him. It made me think of beggars and homeless people out in the cold, even in Boston. Julius Drake and Ian Bostridge will be performing this on February 7th in Washington DC. Tomorrow night I will hear Julius and Matthew Polenzani performing works by Beethoven, Liszt, Ravel, Barber and Satie at the University of Connecticut. https://youtube/watch?v=wqmz4gE15cU
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 02:04:38 +0000
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