FRANZ SCHUBERT: DIE SCHÖNE MÜLLERIN

Classical and Modern Music

Format: Digitalno + CD

Code: 119491

EAN: 3838898119491

ZKP RTV Slovenia in cooperation with Radio Slovenia - Ars Programme is releasing a CD and digital album of Franz Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin performed by baritone Lucas Somoza Osterc and guitarist Žarko Ignjatović. 

Die schöne Müllerin is the first true song cycle that Franz Schubert (1797–1828) composed for voice and piano in 1823, based on the collection of verse novellas of the same name by Wilhelm Müller. It is a characteristic Romantic creation, full of emotion and exceptional expressive power, which immediately resonated with audiences. Schubert elevated the art song to impressive artistic heights, completely transforming the approach to this musical form. The cycle remains a staple of the repertoire for any outstanding singer and undoubtedly ranks among the pinnacles of European music. From the beginning, it has been a testing ground for many artists and a model for great composers. Much has been written about Die schöne Müllerin and Franz Schubert, one of the most beloved composers of all time, so I would prefer to share a few facts and stories specifically connected to our ensemble. Why the guitar (and not the piano)? In the early decades of the 19th century, the guitar was at the height of its popularity. Due to its gentle, lyrical sound and practicality, it was an indispensable companion at Viennese salon concerts. It is known that Schubert practically never owned a piano during his lifetime, and a guitar is said to have hung on the wall above his bed. Though Schubert likely didn’t play the guitar, he also (unfortunately) didn’t write music for it. His original compositions for the instrument amount to a mere one and a half pieces, and those come from his early creative period. Still, there is a hidden connection. Schubert’s relationship with the guitar might be compared to Bach’s relationship with the lute. The great German composer didn’t play the lute, but it’s surely no coincidence that he owned two hybrid instruments (Lautenklavier) that imitated the sound of the lute. Schubert, on the other hand, left us the beautiful Arpeggione Sonata for an instrument that is a curious blend of the guitar and cello. In any case, the structure of most of Schubert’s songs fits the guitar perfectly, and some of his piano accompaniments are distinctly guitar-like. The guitar was always present at so-called “Schubertiades,” and even during the composer’s lifetime, many guitarists arranged his works for the instrument. The cycle was first fully arranged for tenor and guitar around 1980. Guitarist Konrad Ragossnig and the legendary singer Peter Schreier performed it with great success worldwide, setting new milestones. In Slovenia, tenor Mitja Gregorač and guitarist Jerko Novak performed it several times in the early 1980s, though it was never recorded in full. This latest arrangement from 2018 for baritone and guitar comes from the pen of American guitarist and composer David Leisner, professor of guitar at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. Leisner has done exceptional work, living up to his reputation as a top-notch musician. His arrangement is deeply faithful to the original and, at the same time, presents a significant challenge for performers. Schubert and Lucas Schubert’s melodies have been with me since the very beginning of my vocal studies. At the age of 16, I sang his famous An die  Musik for the first time, and from that day onward, I’ve never parted from this musical genius. In 2007, I began studying the Die schöne Müllerin cycle with my teacher Guillermo Opitz in Buenos Aires, and I performed several of its songs in my early concerts, always with piano accompaniment. It wasn’t until 2020 that I had the opportunity to sing the entire cycle in the version for guitar and voice. While Schubert is already subtle with the piano, the guitar takes him into an even more intimate and expressive atmosphere. The cycle intertwines a whole range of emotions: from ecstasy and euphoria to longing, anger, and, finally, deep sorrow. It is always a pleasure to sing this cycle, though it is technically demanding, and interpreting it remains a challenge every time. Schubert and Žarko During my studies, I would confidently make bold statements that Schubert’s art songs were outdated, dusty salon music. Of course, that wasn’t the only foolish thing I said back then. As a naïve young man from the provinces, I was full of revolutionary zeal, determined to put an end to the sentimentality of old music. Luckily, there’s always a good soul who guides a lost sheep back onto the right path. It was 1980, in the living room of my Zagreb friends Pip(p)o and Nadia. Pipo owned over 2,000 LP records and had a high-end hi-fi setup, but above all, he was a passionate erudite who spoke with enthusiasm about every composer, piece, and performance. Our discussions stretched late into the night, through the haze of cigarette smoke and the aroma of whisky, until the first morning trams. Nadia patiently served us and smiled benevolently while Pipo generously introduced us to the unknown world of Wagner, Stravinsky, and Shostakovich. He was in love with Sviatoslav Richter, whose records were a must. When I bought Richter’s double Schubert album, which included the final Piano Sonata in B-flat Major, D 960, there was no turning back. The doors had finally opened, and I stepped, completely enchanted, into the magical world of Schubert’s music.

The entire project was very demanding, both technically and musically, which is why it developed slowly and required a great deal of effort. The preparations spanned over two years and involved various aspects. On the one hand, there were numerous rehearsals and consultations with esteemed experts (such as pianist Breda Zakotnik and bass-baritone Marcos Fink), and on the other, there were logistical preparations. The management of Radio Slovenia and the Slovenian Philharmonic granted us the opportunity to record the entire material in the Marjan Kozina Hall of the Philharmonic, renowned for its exceptional acoustics and atmosphere. The Radio Slovenia recording team was also top-notch, including music editor Anamarija Štukelj Cusma, producer Janja Velkavrh, and sound engineer Matjaž Mastnak. Never before had Lucas and I been more aware of human interdependence than during these preparations. Perhaps the quarantine and the sense  of confinement we all felt during the pandemic contributed to this realization. At first, it was just Wilhelm Müller and Schubert, but then came an endless stream of people without whom this recording would not have been possible. Our heartfelt thanks to all of them.

- Žarko Ignjatović

Baritone Lucas Somoza Osterc and guitarist Žarko Ignjatović have been collaborating for five years. Commissioned by the Glasbena Matica Ljubljana, they prepared the famous song cycle Die schöne Müllerin (Op. 25, D 795) by Franz Schubert and performed it in its entirety for the first time in October 2020 at the Knights’ Hall in Križanke in Ljubljana. In addition to the concert in Ljubljana, they have performed at various other venues, including Radio Slovenia (ARS Chamber Studio), Novo mesto, Slovenj Gradec, a gala concert organized by the Slovenian Embassy in Budapest, the renowned Argentine Writers’ Association Hall in Buenos Aires, Pula, Cekin Castle in Ljubljana, Tischler Hall in Klagenfurt, and elsewhere.

Lucas Somoza Osterc

Lucas Somoza Osterc was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied vocal technique with Professor Victor Srugo and graduated in 2010 with a degree in opera and concertsinging from the Instituto Superior de Arte at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. In 2008, he made his debut in the role of Mercutio (Gounod, Romeo and Juliet) for Juventus Lyrica at Teatro Avenida in Buenos Aires. At the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet in Ljubljana, he has participated as a soloist in various productions. At the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, he performed the role of Guglielmo (Mozart, Così fan tutte), and in Bad Wildbad, he appeared in Rossini’s opera Il viaggio a Reims. He recorded the solo part of the suite Estancia with the BBC Philharmonic for Chandos Records and also collaborated with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Cardiff. 

Žarko Ignjatović

Guitarist Žarko Ignjatović graduated from the Academy of Music in Zagreb (Croatia) under Prof. Darko Petrinjak in 1983 and from the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Graz (Austria) in the class of Prof. Marga Bäuml-Klasinc in 1987. He completed his postgraduate studies at the Salzburg Mozarteum under Prof. Eliot Fisk in 1995. He attended numerous master classes all around the world (held by Julian Bream, John Williams, etc.). He has been living in Ljubljana since 1984 and teaches at the Faculty of Education at the University of Maribor (Slovenia). In addition to giving solo concerts at home and abroad, he has dedicated his career to chamber music. So far, he has released two solo albums, two albums with guitarist Jerko Novak, one with cellist Nebojša Bugarski, a digital album with mezzosoprano Barbara Jernejčič Fürst and, most recently, in 2022 Dialogue with clarinetist Slavko Kovačič.