A Pain in the RSS

Like many young singers, my introduction to lied came via the works of Schubert, in particular Die Forelle (The Trout). For my sins, I’ve sat through countless renditions of The Trout, most of them horrible, and more often than not performed by small, tubby boys who’ve been cajoled by their mothers into singing lessons and, ultimately, public humiliation at local eisteddfodau.

As the article in Harper’s Magazine (linked below) suggests, the lyrics are deceptive in their simplicity. What a joy it is to finally divine new meaning from a piece of music which has become so devoid of it for me.

Armed with this knowledge, enduring changing voice renditions of Schubert just became infinitely more endurable, if not enjoyable.

Schubart’s Defiant Trout (Harper’s Magazine)