The list of Schubert's drinking songs is long and more distinguished for its singability than for its musical or philosophical depth. But, then, how deep could or should a drinking song get? In this 1816 setting of his friend Johann Mayrhofer's "Zum Punsche" (In Praise of Punch) (D. 492), Schubert's strophic setting is about as deep as a drinking song should get. In dark D minor and marked Feurig (Fiery) with a powerful piano accompaniment, it seems more determinedly resolute than drunkenly dissolute. Although published and often performed as a solo song, Zum Punsche seems to have been marked on the original manuscript as being for Chor (Choir).

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