Schubert Birthday Tribute: January 30, 2012

On January 31, we celebrate the 215th birthday of the master Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828), here marked with a Noteworthy video featuring the legendary baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau performing selections from the famed song cycle Die schöne Müllerin. Schubert was a master in most every genre of his era, contributing warhorses in the realms of solo piano, chamber, and orchestral music, but it is in the realm of Lieder or art songs that Schubert was perhaps most in his element – contributing some 1000 songs in his short 31 years. Fischer-Dieskau is perhaps the most famous Schubert Lied interpreter, and in this 1992 performance (with pianist Christophe Eschenbach) he performs the first 7 songs of Die schöne Müllerin, starting with the famed "Das Wandern". Fittingly, Schubert is also featured with a FREE 1-Click Concert as part of our "Live and Learn" segment and is a major topic in our new interview with pianist Simone Dinnerstein, both on our Home Page. Tell us about your favorite Schubert pieces and artists!

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau performs selections from Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin