Page 195 - Winterreise Coverage Book, 2021 - 22
P. 195
The head of the winter hiker, for example, is almost covered by heavy
snowfall, which evokes his joy of "already being an old man." Back in the
tower, everything is thawed away, and his youth is frightened: "How far to
the grave!"
An erroneous game on the Julier Pass, between loss of love and existential
alienation. The back and forth is further enhanced by the idiosyncrasy of
the piano part, which increasingly keeps its distance from the voice, until in
the final song, "Der Leiermann", the accompaniment dies almost
completely. The hundreds of recordings of the "Winterreise" are
accompanied by an inspiring innovation, a kind of cinematic
psychoanalysis. In Benjamin Appl's captivating modulation, it becomes a
poignant revelation of the condition humaine. We also stand at the top of
the pass and look with a unveiled look into the abyss of lost illusions.
Benjamin Appl, James Baillieu: "Schubert – Winterreise" (Alpha)
