“Encountering crows”: bizarre incidents in Schubert’s Winterreise.

Those of us who know and love the songs in Schubert’s last great cycle are familiar with the cameo appearances of crows in a few of the songs: No. 15 Die Krähe (The crow) and no. 8 Rückblick (A backward glance).

They may also recall those other members of the crow family - 25 ravens - who, along with the cocks, are there to remind the protagonist that his “Dream of Spring” has been irretrievably shattered, in no. 11 Frühlingstraum.

© Robert Cotter 2017

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