Franz Schubert; Felix Mendelssohn; Gustav Mahler - Songs of the Seafarer (Arpeggione Ensemble)

Information

Composer: Franz Schubert; Felix Mendelssohn; Gustav Mahler

1. Schubert - Die Schöne Müllerin, D. 795: I. Das Wandern
2. Schubert - Fischerweise, D. 881
3. Schubert - Die Forelle, D. 550
4. Schubert - Schwanengesang, D. 957: XII. Am Meer
5. Mendelssohn - Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt, op. 27
6. Mahler - Es Sungen drei Engel
7. Mahler - Des Knaben Wunderhorn: XI. Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt
8. Mahler - Des Knaben Wunderhorn: III. Lob des hohen Verstandes
9. Mahler - Das Himmlische Leben
10. Mahler - Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen: Wenn mein Schatz hochzeit macht
11. Mahler - Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen: Ging heut’ morgen übers Feld
12. Mahler - Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen: Ich hab’ ein glühend Messer
13. Mahler - Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen: Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz

Will Prapestis, baritone

Aurora Martin, soprano

Arpeggione Ensemble

Date: 2026

Label: Navona

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Songs of the Seafarer presents a thoughtfully curated program featuring the music of Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn, and Gustav Mahler in newly created chamber orchestrations. Conceived as an introspective journey shaped by encounters with water and the sea, the recording juxtaposes Schubert’s “The Trout” with Mahler’s maritime-inspired works and pairs the emotional desolation of “Am Meer” with selections from Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen. Drawing inspiration from Arnold Schoenberg’s Verein für musikalische Privataufführungen, the program explores themes of longing, despair, and transcendence. Throughout the cycle, the sea serves as a powerful metaphor for the depth, uncertainty, and expansiveness of human existence.

Arpeggione Ensemble is an innovative chamber group that reimagines classical music through inventive arrangements, multimedia collaborations, and performances on historical instruments. Inspired by ensembles such as the Mendelssohn Quintette Club, the group creates chamber orchestrations that bring large-scale repertoire into intimate performance settings, offering audiences fresh interpretive perspectives. Arpeggione is committed to accessibility and immersive artistic experiences, presenting projects that combine music with film, dance, theater, and visual art. Its collaborations include work with Peabody Essex Museum, dancer Julian Donahue, artist Nancy Rourke, and environmental artist Susan Quateman. Through performances in schools, libraries, theaters, and community venues, the ensemble continues to expand the reach and relevance of chamber music for contemporary audiences.