Der Leiermann

Der Leiermann, 24th Lieder from Die Winterreise, Music by Franz Schubert to a poem by Wilhelm Müller, performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) and Alfred Brendel (pianist).
If you enjoyed this and wish to see/hear more, please buy or rent a full account of the song cycle, whether it is from this specific DVD, or from another recording,

[@TheLReader]

He did more than just sing, he took us to the scene.

[@brianhealey5286]

Dear Opera Life-oh yes. The song plus that stare and intense face conjures up the image of freezing a pitiful death.

[@cj5273]

He was the GOAT

[@tomliston2824]

If this music doesn't break your heart, you have no heart. Incredible.

[@PyroniusRex]

The story is sad. But I found it hilarious that some guy thought the lyerman was the most pitiful thing ever and wrote a song roasting him talking about how no one wants him not even the dogs. Almost 200 years ago the writer of this song must've hated that guy.

[@humanbeing1675]

@@PyroniusRex Obviously you did not listen to the complete Winterreise and don't understand what this lied is all about. Also, besser mal nichts schreiben.

[@xxmountaindewxx7893]

@@humanbeing1675 Das Lied ist super, aber ein klares Nein zum Leierhass

[@tomefromyou]

Even though I'm not European, but love the song very much, it's make very sad but love it

[@YamiHikariHime]

@@PyroniusRex nah I believe he finds comfort in the lyermann and asks is he will walk with him until he dies?

[@charonsferryold]

I relate to this song in ways I fear I shouldn't. When I was a kid, I knew well the songs of beggars grinding away at their guitars' strings as the winter cold set in. I was told to not even make eye contact with them by my parents. But then, when I started to run away from school, they were the among only people I could turn to and trust. And so I went with the strange old men, and to their songs I lived the darkest years of my life.

[@volkerlinz7214]

This one is for eternity.

[@PorteetroiteTM]

His face froze with the tragic of the song, mesmerzing, fixating, devastating. No one else can ever interpret this song better. Forever Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau !

[@shadowolf4670]

Blixa Bargeld

[@dennisvlasten1258]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqvIZYGueLSdnZI&t=1m55s This Version is also nice in my opinion

[@andeewb]

@@dennisvlasten1258 Very nice, indeed. Quasthoff conveys the sadness in the song very beautifully. But DFD gives you that too plus he makes you realise it's minus 10 and freezing....

[@PorteetroiteTM]

@@dennisvlasten1258 Thank you!

[@yosoyrecto6245]

Great words.

[@elladarko6851]

My mum used to sing this song to me as a child when I couldn’t sleep. I remember thinking about those lyrics for hours and hours, a hauntingly beautiful melody

[@timward276]

That is an....interesting choice for a lullaby.

[@danielakerman8241]

It’s a rather horrifying and nihilistic song for a lullaby, no??

[@s1nd3rr0z3]

@@danielakerman8241 Germans really like writing nihilistic songs for children, like "Ich hab' die Nacht geträumet" which is a folk song written for children about having a dream about your lover dying.

[@helmutzwixk2986]

Scary lullaby.....hard to sing it pp !!

[@danielakerman8241]

@@s1nd3rr0z3 this song wasn’t written for children. It was written for the 19th century music parlor or the recital hall. Schubert wrote the song knowing that he was dying and the song depicts a cold, unfeeling world and implies the protagonist’s ultimate demise from his broken heart… not sure why anyone would sing their kids to sleep with that! 😝

[@OlDoinyo]

Few besides Schubert could use simplicity so powerfully as in this song. Hearing it sung by one of history's greatest talents is a real treat.

[@jorgelopez-pr6dr]

OlDoinyo Yes, and in this song the piano has a minimum intervention, suggesting the old hurdy gurdy sound and the misery of the musician. What is more heartbreaking is that the poet's question remains unanswered.

[@danielcropp8553]

The great film In Bruges brought this great Lied of Schubert's to a wider audience. Both deserve recognition for their exceptionality.

[@dreinornen]

I'm thankful he was here, but I still can't believe he's gone. That whole generation that taught me how to love music. Nearly all of them gone.

[@kallemiettinen2036]

Exellent concetration and he has the story in his eyes all the time

[@rnnyhoff]

A song that tears at the soul, sung with all the heart and wrenching emotion by an artist who can match the majesty of this tale of grief.

[@davidstedeford387]

So so sad; heart-wrenching; and yet somehow so beautiful too. What a song! Genius Schubert! Fischer-Dieskau just perfect!

[@troglodyt1]

"Wunderlicher Alter, soll ich mit Dir gehen?" Die Antwort ist dann wohl ja. RIP Fischer-Dieskau.

[@stellaweng3560]

What gets me about this song is in the last line, which changes the viewpoint from us pitying the leierman to us, the poet/composer/singer casting our lot with his. It is our song the world disdains, it is we who stand in the cold, singing the only song we can. Excellent performances from all.

[@SebastianMeyer79]

absolutely right. not many can see this...

[@pigsbishop99]

+Sebastian Meyer I just saw it and I got the Schubert Lieder at last. The poet deserves credit too for such an amazing piece.. hard to imagine anyone singing more effectively either.

[@wonziba2122]

I rather see death himself talking to him in the last line...

[@Threetails]

+Wonziba I'm inclined to think both interpretations are correct. The theme od Die Winterreise is a descent into despair and death, but a lot of Schubert's frustration as an artist shows in this piece.

[@Lordpoliticallyincorrect]

*Der Leiermann was a necromancer, summoning evil spirits ! That's why dogs were snarling around him !*

[@samdajellybeenie14]

What wonderful tone on that piano. Like bells. Fischer-Dieskau is amazing as always.

[@BanalBehemoth]

In Bruges is a great movie. But like usual, the overwhelming greatness of a single, brief musical selection leads one, intrigued, down an unexpected alley towards something timeless; an overgrown, lamp-lit path from times gone by that won't leave one's soul alone, and that one must seek out...

[@scumm1075]

truly a master-class performance, it really is the little things that make it, things that go beyond musical talent. his icy dead stare he never breaks, or the way he tremolos and rolls his R as he sings of snarling dogs, truly beautiful.

[@CJ-ft9yo]

such a beautiful simplicity to the fixed gaze

[@Kedmenec]

Danke, Herr Fischer-Dieskau ganz herzlich für die Tolle Musik. Ruhe in Frieden.

[@seanreillyireland]

Greatest songwriter of all time. Wonderful performance.

[@telephilia]

How can something be so painful and beautiful at the same time? Such are paradoxes of great art.

[@noahnewport3758]

Dieskau was a god. I am utterly devastated in the best way by his performances. Brilliant and beautiful.

[@giselagrosse7675]

yes

[@daemondif7051]

I shiver at the first chord. Wonderfull music.

[@timward276]

Schubert's piano accompaniments to his songs are one of the things that lifts them to the heights of greatness. That little grace note and mournful scrap of melody that the piece opens with really set the mood.

[@Ouraniax3]

sowohl zu dieser komposition als auch zu dieser stimme kann ich nichts mehr sagen. mir fehlen wie immer die worte, wenn ich dieses stück höre! ein wahres meisterwerk.

[@spgtgb]

There, behind the village, stands a hurdy-gurdy-man, And with numb fingers he plays the best he can. Barefoot on the ice, he staggers back and forth, And his little plate remains ever empty. No one wants to hear him, no one looks at him, And the hounds snarl at the old man. And he lets it all go by, everything as it will, He plays, and his hurdy-gurdy is never still. Strange old man, shall I go with you? Will you play your hurdy-gurdy to my songs?

[@An-Alien-On-Earth]

Why are your lyrics different to the ones in the video? Which is right

[@concentusxl]

"Magico vecchio, devo venire con te? Vuoi far girare la tua ruota per accompagnare il mio canto?" Il grande Fischer-Dieskau ci accompagna ancora con la sua arte.

[@MrBassflute]

RIP to this wonderful musician. His legacy will live on for many generations.

[@amyleefan85]

Ich habe versucht es zu singen aber an so eine Leistung komme ich weiß Gott nicht heran. Einer der großartigsten Baritone die diese Welt gesehen hat.

[@jansbennett8833]

Never heard this before!!! just wow can't stop listening to it..Outstanding voice.

[@Johannludwigamadeus]

Ich werde alt. Da werden diese Lieder bedeutender als alles Sinfonien.

[@cj5273]

Du hast recht veilleicht ha

[@schlesmail1]

The Hurdy-Gurdy Man: certainly the strangest & darkest tune Schubert ever penned!

[@aepceo1]

I love the sound of German and I speak very little of it. I LOVE german opera.

[@atoonslegacy3151]

What an artist the man was! My only problem with his singing of lieder is that I have difficulty listening to anyone else singing them- his voice and interpretation are so much in my head, and he reaches such perfection. I know it isn't fair, and I have heard other great performances, but only Fischer-Dieskau reaches this level of perfection to me.

[@sangryeolhan5734]

l agree you

[@Pikkendorff94]

I agree but dfd has a particular voice, and other versions can be good to acknowledge all the aspects of Schubert’s music. Hermann Prey or even tenors like Wunderlich have very good interpretations.

[@ondinehd6889]

A Toon's Legacy: Oh, yes, absolutely, agree so much with what you are saying!

[@rnnyhoff]

Give Ian Bostridge a listen, well worth your time, in my opinion kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp_Yp6ZorJyam9U

[@martinevaffier5055]

I feel exactly the same. I cannot hear any other singer now. He was the greatest.

[@BuridansEsel1]

Fischer - Dieskau und Thomas Quasthoff sind für mich die besten Interpreten dieses Liedes. Zwei ganz Große der Liedinterpretation, die berühren !!!!

[@Platypi007]

We have lost such a beautiful voice. Thank you, Dietrich, for sharing your gift with us while you lived. You have been a huge inspiration to me in my own study and performance.

[@Renan_Resende]

The way he shows emotion with his eyes...

[@gskim1016]

Wenn ich dieses Lied höre, fühle ich mich schmerz. Er sing sehr kalt und berührt mein Herz tief, obwohl er nicht mit dem schwungvollen Gefühl singt. Man verfallt sich in Einsamkeit und findet das Selbst.

[@shadowjuan2]

There is a kind of medieval feeling to this lieder, what a powerful interpretation.

[@erravi]

Candid Falcon the leier or hurdy gurdy is a medieval instrument

[@dreamangus1505]

Superb - very atmospheric and strange and beautiful piece of music to end Schubert's great and mysterious song cycle

[@CJ-ft9yo]

just so poignant and beautiful and that teutonic fixed gaze is just something to behold ..

[@ingridhonig9201]

Die Winterreise von Schubert ist eines seiner ergreifendsten Werke. Mir geht's unter die Haut .

[@marliesrabisch784]

Dem stimme ich voll zu, und so wie es Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau singt, berührt es das Herz. Ich musste es jetzt 4 mal hintereinander anhören und ansehen, so eindrucksvoll wirkte es auf mich. Und die Tränen strömen über mein Gesicht.

[@mozartianissimo]

RIP, Dietrich. Obrigado por ter existido.

[@bchristian85]

Nobody is able to encapsulate such deep pain through music the way Franz Schubert did.

[@corc1130]

thank you Dietrich

[@austin0348]

He sings this song perfect. He has so much raw emotion going into it. I'm in love

[@seaotter4439]

This is just tearjerking. Especially when you consider that this is _the last composition that Schubert ever wrote._

[@ondinehd6889]

What an extraordinary performance! The range of color, and nuances are just stunning. Such a haunting piece, in this interpretation.

[@Ratelzwatel]

A true performer. Even a continuous close-up of 4 minutes long keeps exciting.

[@allanmarchand864]

Schubert put even the pedal note of the hurdy-gurdy to sound during the entire music, masterpiece.

[@ltnejad]

A masterpiece! When the artist being Schubert or Muller or Dietrich Fischer, etc. looks back, in late life and takes stock of his existence, his hard journey, his losses, the perception of his contemporaries of him and his work, and his sad ending and oblivion. It’s like Dietrich is singing for himself and recalling a personal experience he had two hundred years ago, composed by Muller and Schubert.

[@CJ-ft9yo]

I feel that too very much, his disabled brother starved during the war and his wife died in childbirth - his son was named after him.. just seeing his 2000 mile stare.

[@Maralegar2009]

The first notes always give me intences emotions. Music of the Soul

[@brianhealey5286]

Stunning! It is a struggle to summon the literary skills to provide an accurate word picture of the bleak scene that this rendition evokes. So profoundly haunting! The expression on the face of DFD is so telling.

[@mathematics_and_energetics]

I never before heard this song so beautiful! My greatest respect! Truly outstanding!

[@thierrythomissen4544]

Adieu Maestro ,et mille fois merci

[@juanandresgarciaroman3598]

Atemräubend, breathtaking, sublime...

[@lucamadeus]

absolutely AMAZING performance, heavenly...

[@TheLinda74]

THE LIEDER OF SCHUBERT, THE TALES OF WINTER ARE MY FAVORITES. TRANSMIT A FEELING MELANCHOLY OF SEASON AND GERMAN. DER LEIERMANN is GORGEOUS! AND SUNG BY DIETRICH IS SPECIAL. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ALL Der Lindenbaum is! THANKS FOR THE POST! BRAVOOOOOOOOOOO

[@nouche2gether]

vous restez dans nos coeurs, nos oreilles et nos âmes pour l'éternité...

[@srzar]

Whenever the lonliness overwhelms me i come here.

[@jubjub2112]

Dieskau is a true master . . . he was born to sing this cycle . . . born to sing Schubert . . . among others . . . Die Winterreise is, by far, my favorite song cycle by any composer . . . and this my favorite song of the cycle

[@ArtVandelay99]

My God, so much power, emotion and metaphoric meaning, with so little musical fuss!

[@annasuslova9749]

He does nothing with his arms or body. Only his eyes shine with hope or fade in the end. Он ничего не делает телом, руками... Только его глаза загораются надеждой или гаснут к концу... Гениальное просто.

[@4Topwood]

Very beautiful.

[@SOUHAIL_ELMAKHLOUFI]

Well My name is SOUHAIL ELMAKHLOUFI IM FROM MOROCCO 🇲🇦 , KENITRA CITY AND THIS My favourite music ever IS THERE ANY Moroccan knows this song or just me 🙄 ?

[@dcllaw677]

I’m on the verge of tears.

[@Barbapippo]

"Wonderful" is not enough.

[@Barbapippo]

@Jonathan Beck Evidently, the mask is blocking the passage of oxygen to your brain....

[@telephilia]

One likes to think that both Schubert and Maestro Dieskau have found rest in heaven.

[@KeithOtisEdwards]

The late Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was known as the finest interpreter of Suchubert in our time. There's a reason for that.

[@PhilHarmonicus]

A magnificent performance by two magnificent performers. Bravo.

[@bhupinsingh5]

Can't have enough of this song. Superb lieder!

[@chesteralwes7142]

Schubert is a genius to come up with this simple depiction of a hurry-gurdy player rather than try to set the text in a more typical, melodic manner. Chilling!

[@jamescrawford9883]

What a voice this man had! I have loved it since I was a young man, 65 years ago, at least.

[@Lautarofonseca]

The celestial and the dark merge in this wonderful piece of music

[@erikasono565]

„Er sang uns nun mit bewegter Stimme die ganze ‚Winterreise‘ durch. Wir waren über die düstere Stimmung der Lieder ganz verblüfft, und Schober sagte, es habe ihm nur ein Lied, ‚Der Lindenbaum‘, gefallen. Schubert sagte hierauf nur, ‚mir gefallen diese Lieder mehr als alle, und sie werden euch auch noch gefallen‘; und er hatte recht.“ - so berichtet Spaun, was in Frühjahr 1827 passiert hat. Kein Wunder, dass mehrere Leute heute auch genauso fühlen und "Lindenbaum" wie ein Volkslied beliebt wird.

[@maxineporter8848]

Das stimmt. Und Schubert schickte seinem Freund Lachner mit sechs Liedern von Winterreise für Verleger Haslinger. Haslinger zahlte ihm nur einen Gulden für jede Lied. George Grove nannte die Verleger als "Blutegel"

[@curciogranjas9083]

Simply wonderful !!!!!

[@Joe31ize]

Abfallende Quinten, die die Trauer und Verlorenheit symbolisieren. Sehr schön und mit tiefen kongenialen Verständnis gesungen. Dietrich Fischer Dieskau Schubert Interpretationen und sängerische Ausdruckskraft haben Standards gesetzt für alle nachfolgenden Sänger des romantischen Repertoires. Großartiger Sänger und hervorragende Interpret.

[@mansamusa2505]

2:42 Uhr. Ich kann dieses Lied nicht loslassen. Müsste eigentlich schlafen. Doch es ist zu schön.

[@marliesrabisch784]

Ich musste es mir jetzt 5 mal hintereinander ansehen und anhören, so hat es mich gefesselt. Eindrucksvoller geht es nicht.

[@4Topwood]

A world of desolation explored and expressed in under four minutes as only Schubert and Fischer-Dieskau could do. It's not just the song but the loss that makes me feel so bereft these last days.

[@golfnarayan]

What a beautiful and moving song! Thank you for posting.

[@mlburwell]

Next to his 1948 interpretation of "Ständchen" from Schubert's "Schwanengesang," this is easily my favorite Lied. He puts tremendous emotion into the song. Clearly, he identifies profoundly with its theme.

[@marialuciariccioli4971]

Immenso interprete. Ipnotico.

[@Fabsun]

Absolut großartig!

[@cliffjamesmusic]

a truly stunning performance. Thank you for uploading.

[@suss551]

Das ist sehr kaltes trauriges Lied. Ich bekomme fast Schmerzen.

[@floydpattison6464]

Beautiful, and the drone on Brendal's piano is so evocative.

[@OverFjell]

His gaze; there is almost a hint of empathy there, no?

[@francescagiorgi9760]

Magnificent.

[@pianotiago]

Divino, transcendental.

[@helmutzwixk2986]

Die Todessehnsucht spiegelt dieses Lied wieder. F.Schubert wurde nur 31.Jahre jung!!!!

[@mrgiorgio1962]

Ogni volta che ascolto questo brano (e questa interpretazione ineguagliabile) rimango basito e attonito. Schubert ha scritto sotto dettatura di Dio! Non c'è altra spiegazione!

[@ElRosch10]

R.I.P. und vielen Dank.

[@canalesworks1247]

Devastatingly sublime!

[@jancedricmicheler6122]

Braaaava wunderschön eine fantastische gesantechnick und tolle aussprache woow einfach diskau

[@martynelliott6211]

Amazing I just can't comprehend why anyone would dislike this

I will always be frustrated and sad that Schubert died too young. It's just not fair, really not fair....

[@Sardonicus]

Die Schönheit... ich bin mit Tränen blind.

[@hhoward14]

Deeply touching.

[@Kozi_art]

Oohh yes..! What a beautiful voice...

[@kguvener]

Rest in Peace, Maestro...

[@bernhardmeier-limberg5053]

Grandios! Niemand konnte und kann so singen! Mehr Ausdruck und Gesang geht nicht.