It’s not even December, and already we’re being assaulted with “Santa Baby” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” the latter one of the more ridiculous notions ever put to lyrics and a sure sign of the decline of civilization.

Franz Schubert’s Wintereisse (“Winter Journey”), a song cycle composed for voice and piano and based on 24 poems by Wilhelm Müller, gets regular rotation on my iPod this time of year. No, it’s not exactly Christmas music, but it sure beats this steaming pile of pomposity.

Here’s the final song, “Der Leierman,” performed by Mark Padmore, tenor, and Paul Lewis, piano (Harmonia Mundi HMU907484):

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  comments(2)