Die Schöne Müllerin
Die Schöne
Müllerin
is essentially a Romantic song cycle. Despite the common
view that Schubert was a Classical composer, Müllerin
contains a paradoxical juxtaposition of simple Classical
forms and Romantic emotional intensity. This is apparent in
even the simplest strophic songs, such as the final lullaby.
However, Müllerin’s simplicity is superficial. Both
the underlying plot and music are intrinsically complex.
The story is
one of innocence and naivety in the young miller, who sets
out on life’s journey, only to be tragically dragged under
by unrequited love. Throughout, the miller presents to the
audience numerous soliloquies describing his feelings – and
the audience can only listen with pathos as the miller draws
erroneous conclusions and commits himself to them, the
culmination of which is his suicide.
The genius of
Schubert meant that the music, rather than accompanying the
text, becomes a running commentary to it. The emotions are
described almost too explicitly by the music, which in
itself is very carefully constructed. The sense of journey
is expressed in the music by the various key relationships,
the most obvious one being the difference of an augmented
fourth between the first song’s B flat major and the final
song’s E major. Accompaniment figures are used to great
effect, such as the piano’s rippling semiquavers
representing the brook, and the circular movement of
left-hand figures in Halt!, representing the turn of
the mill wheel.
The essence
of Müllerin,
however, lies in the
inconsistency
of human emotions and
in the contrast between those things that are manoeuvrable
and others that are unchangeable.
The
only thing that keeps the story from being one of utter
depression is the continuation of the things that the boy
holds dear to him. Even though he may find comfort only in
the grave, both his love for the girl, and his closest
friend, the ever-flowing brook, can never be destroyed.
The music and
Schubertian lilt flows eternally, whilst anger, and
jealousy, and ultimately despair felt by the miller dies
with him, leaving only the pure emotion Love, from which all
the aforementioned sentiments stem, remaining.
A
performance of Die Schöne Müllerin by a treble will
always be controversial as Schubert intended the cycle to be
sung by a tenor. However, justification lies in the fact
that the miller himself is youthful and inexperienced, which
can be lost when sung by someone inside whom the fire of
animated excitement has died with age. Moreover, the
miller’s obsession with the girl, his over-interpretation of
her every word, his almost tantrum-like fury at the arrival
of the hunter and his subsequent abject despair are
suggestive more of an adolescent ‘crush’ than a mature
relationship. In this context, it seems entirely appropriate
(though not what Schubert intended) for the piece to be
performed by a
younger singer; after all, can anyone be better placed to
understand and express such extreme mood swings than a
teenaged boy?
Die Schöne Müllerin
is a masterpiece which draws on all aspects of human
emotion. Despite the obvious question that naturally arises
with an “unusual” presentation of it, in the end the piece
is all about the eternal music: it is in performance that
the music can be channeled through the singer, rather than
the singer through the music; so that a journey can be made
by performers and audiences alike.
This performance is given
in fond memory of the late Nicholas Wright, of Tadpole
Music, who had the faith and vision to allow us to record
Die Schöne Müllerin, with gratitude for his support and
encouragement.
Harry Sever and Nadanai Laohakunakorn
January 2006
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Nadanai Laohakunakorn
and
Harry Sever
Winchester
College cloisters |
Nadanai Laohakunakorn
Nadanai Laohakunakorn was born in Bangkok and started taking
piano lessons at the age of four. He moved with his family
to the United States in 1994 and settled in South Carolina,
where he continued his piano studies. He began attending
school in England in 2000 and won music and academic
scholarships to Winchester College in 2001. Nadanai
currently studies the piano with Robert Bottone, the Head of
Keyboards at Winchester College. He has performed
extensively in the United States and Thailand and gives
regular performances in Winchester and London. Recent
engagements include performances of Debussy’s first book of
Preludes and Beethoven’s ‘Waldstein’ sonata, as well as a
solo appearance at Draper’s Hall in London at a charity
concert. Nadanai also accompanies the school’s top musicians
regularly and has recently recorded Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin
with Harry for Tadpole Music.
As well as playing the piano, Nadanai plays violin and
organ. He hopes to carry on with his music at university,
although he also has many other academic interests.
Harry Sever
14 year-old Harry started singing lessons at the age of
five, having been ‘spotted’ singing ‘Away in a Manger’ at a
school carol concert by soprano and vocal coach, Evelyn
Jenkins. He continued to study with Evelyn for three years,
until he was awarded a Choral Scholarship to The Pilgrims’
School in Winchester. Harry went on to be Head Quirister of
the Winchester College Chapel Choir, was BBC Choirboy of the
Year in 2003 and, in September 2004, took up musical and
academic scholarships at Winchester College, where he
studies singing with James Ottaway.
Harry has appeared as a soloist numerous times, including
recent performances of Bernstein’s
Chichester Psalms,
Fauré’s
Requiem,
Hear My Prayer,
Bach’s
St John Passion
(2002) and Bach’s
Magnificat
(2004), both in Winchester. In addition, he featured in the
BBC’s ‘Big Sing’ in London in 2003, and also in ‘Easter
Glory’, again for the BBC (Winchester, 2004). Recent
performances include as a soloist in Bernstein’s
Chichester Psalms
at the Barbican in London, and singing the role of Miles in
Turn of the Screw
in Cambridge, as well as First Boy in Glyndebourne
Festival Opera’s production of 'The Magic Flute’. Harry and
Nadanai regularly give recitals of English song and Lieder
in both Winchester and London.
In addition to his concert performances, Harry also has also
featured in a number of broadcasts, including BBC Radio 2
‘Easter Glory’ (April 2004), BBC Radio 3’s Proms series
(July 2003), BBC Radio 2’s ‘Sunday Half Hour’ (December 2003
& January, August and December 2004) and BBC Radio 4’s
morning services (December 2003). He also took part in
Songs of Praise’s
Ascension Day programme in May2005, and has appeared live on
Czech national television as part of a tour to the country
in 2002.
Harry sang at a
televised Variety Club’s tribute lunch to Esther Rantzen,
OBE, joining Katherine Jenkins as a guest artist and also
joined Sir Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John in an
evening at Hampton Court Palace in aid of the Cliff Richard
Tennis Foundation. In March 2005 at the Royal Albert Hall,
Harry joined Aled Jones, Russell Watson, Amici Forever, G4
and a host of guest artists in supporting the SOS Children’s
Charity concert in aid of child Tsunami victims. He
performed alongside Imelda Staunton in the BBC family
Christmas concerts in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in December
2005, with the BBC Concert Orchestra and John Wilson.
Harry’s recordings include
Something’s
Coming
by the Winchester College Quiristers (2002),
Hear My Prayer
by the Winchester College Chapel Choir, on which he is the
featured soloist, (2004), Fauré’s
Requiem
with the Boys Air Choir (2004), and ‘My Own Country’, a solo
album of English songs with pianist Robert Bottone (2005).
He was thrilled to be given the opportunity by the late
Nicholas Wright, of Tadpole records, to record Die schöne
Műllerin, thereby fulfilling a longstanding ambition.
Aside from his
singing, Harry’s musical talent extends to the piano and
viola and organ; he regularly plays the organ for services
at Winchester College Chapel. In addition to this, Harry
also enjoys cricket, soccer, tennis, rackets and drama. His
other interests include opera, films and travel.
Copyright © 2005 Judy Sever |
