Like many artists with an extensive repertoire, Hermann Prey had a particular piece that was a musical constant throughout his career – Schubert’s Winterreise. From 1952 until his death 46 years later, this song cycle figured frequently in his performances and in his memoirs. Looking back, Prey wrote: “I experienced it again and again. Winterreise affected me so strongly that it cannot be compared with anything else I have experienced on stage.”

This live 1987 recording from a concert at Schwetzingen Palace is a wonderful example of Hermann Prey’s touching interpretation of Winterreise, and listening to him sing this wonderful work never fails to be a moving experience. Prey performed this song cycle more than 70 times with his regular pianist Helmut Deutsch.