Christian Gerhaher and Gerold Huber, Wigmore Hall

In the crowded world of recitalists, baritone Christian Gerhaher (Melancholie) stands at the vanguard. His pure, instrumental voice is matched by a literary intelligence, and he is able to create a sense of treasured intimacy even on the opera stage. In February, as part of the Wigmore Hall 2015/16 season, he returns to London for an evening devoted to Schubert, Goethe and their twentieth-first century followers. Pianist Gerold Huber, Gerhaher’s regular duo partner, should lend his usual grace and balance to proceedings. Book soon - there is no other singer who quite galvanises London audiences in the same way.

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Proceedings begin with a truly generous selection of Schubert’s Goethe settings, including the three Harpist’s Songs, An den Mond and Nachtgesang. The second half continues in the same fashion but with a more mythological focus, opening with the declamatory hymn Prometheus before featuring Ganymed, An Schwager Kronos and the unfinished Mahomets Gesang – all among the composer’s most dramatic lieder. Together, they show both the supreme variety of Goethe’s verse and Schubert’s incredible mastery of responding to them.
Afterwards, Gerhaher and Huber will perform contemporary icon Wolfgang Rihm’s Harzreise im Winter. First performed by the duo in 2014, it promises to pay homage to Schubert while revealing a new way to approach Goethe’s poetry. The night closes with the world premiere of The Wanderer, a new piece by Huber himself.