Franz Schubert - Die schöne Müllerin (Georg Nigl; Alexander Gergelyfi)

Information

Composer: Franz Schubert

• Die Schöne Müllerin, D. 795

Georg Nigl, baritone

Alexander Gergelyfi, square piano

Date: 2026

Label: Alpha Classics

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Baritone Georg Nigl and keyboardist Alexander Gergelyfi offer a radically reimagined interpretation of Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin, returning to the work’s intimate roots. Performing on an 1810 Carl Withum Tafelklavier (square piano), the duo trades the projection of modern concert halls for the rich, nuanced timbral range of early 19th-century salon instruments. Inspired by the era's popular "Liederspiel" (song play) tradition, Nigl integrates recitations of Wilhelm Müller’s unspoken poems—including the prologue and epilogue—shifting the musical focus back to the primacy of text and dramatic expression. The result is a profoundly renewed listening experience that reconstructs the delicate balance between voice, word, and accompaniment as Schubert originally intended.

Austrian baritone Georg Nigl is a defining figure in the international classical music scene, widely acclaimed for his dramatic intensity and versatility across opera, concert, and lied repertoire. A frequent guest at prestigious venues like the Vienna State Opera, La Scala, and the Salzburg Festival, he regularly collaborates with world-renowned conductors and visionary stage directors. His vast performance archive spans iconic roles from Mozart, Monteverdi, and Wagner to groundbreaking 20th-century masterworks like Berg's Wozzeck and Rihm's Jakob Lenz. A champion of contemporary creation, Nigl has premiered major works by composers including Olga Neuwirth and Pascal Dusapin, earned Opernwelt’s "Singer of the Year" honor, and built an extensive, award-winning discography.