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56 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1825
Διαβάστε και την ελληνική κριτική με εικόνες στις βιβλιοαλχημείες.
Intro
A book illustrated with paintings by Caspar David Friedrich? Check
A book with parallel text: The German original and the Greek translation? Check
A book by a writer I had never read before, by I country I rarely read? Check
In other words, this book was sent to me as a present by a good friend for Xmas.
It was in my wishlist from the moment I discovered it.
It was the first book I read this year. The first I'm reviewing, also this year.
Verse
Wilhelm Müller was a German lyric poet. One of his most famous sets of poems was the one I read, The Winter Journey or Winterreise in German, with 24 poems and written around 1822-1823.
The famous Austrian composer Franz Schubert set Winterreise into music around 1827-1828.
Wilhelm Müller died in 1827 at the age of 32 and Franz Schubert died in 1828 at the age of 31.
They never met each other.
Chorus
This edition also includes an introduction by the Greek translator Dionisis Kapsalis and an epilogue by the German lyric baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau whose recording is available in full on YouTube.
In other words I was listening to the words of Müller being sung by Fischer-Dieskau accompanied with music by Schubert, along with their translation by Kapsalis and decorated with paintings by David-Friedrich.
I read it in about an hour. A very enjoyable hour, on New Year's day, moments before the arrival of our guests that day.
I reread/heard it later that night.