Text: John Greening
Baritone and piano
Commissioned by Roderick Williams
Duration: 10′
This characterful trilogy of songs sets poems by John Greening that present a vibrant, modern take on each of Schubert’s song cycles. The first draws on ‘Gute nacht’ from Der Winterreise, taking inspiration from Captain Scott’s perilous expedition to the Antarctic in 1911-12. The second, ‘after Ständchen’, has an air of darkness and mystery, with icy clusters and ghostly spread chords. The text of the third song alludes to Schubert’s ‘Mein’ from Die Schöne Müllerin, and the musical setting is characterized by rapid semiquaver figuration in the piano and a vocal line full of dramatic expression.
Programme note
Link to Score:
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/three-songs-after-schubert-9780193531857