Ed Z. writes:

>Picked up a bargain disc of Schubert Part-Songs for Men's Choir.  The notes
>are not particularly helpful.  They seem to indicate that he wrote many
>part-songs and that many have been adapted into choral settings. ...
>
>Anyone have experience of this aspect of Schubert's output?

It is my understanding that most of these works were written for amateur
ensembles--sometimes even family groups--and that he wrote them with the
original performers' abilities in mine.  (For example, IIRC, the *German
Mass* was written for the chapel choir of an engineering school, which
explains why it is so easy.)

I've never sung any of them, but I do like them.  The 'Red Army' aspect
*may* be from the performance; I can think of a few which--given the wrong
director--could sound that way.

"Bruce Alan Wilson" <[log in to unmask]>