If I had to describe the concert review in one word, I would choose: Volltreffer (a bullseye). Every song that evening was among my top favourites. The duo baritone Benjamin Appl and pianist Simon Lepper were like a pair of experienced dance partners: completely in sync, with perfect pacing and elegant movement. I especially enjoyed their interaction during Wolf’s Mörike-Lieder.
The concert started with Mendelssohn’s songs: Neue Liebe, Auf Flügeln des Gesanges, Schilflied, and Frühlingslied. This felt like a sequel or continuation of my London trip, where I went to Benjamin and Sholto’s concert – In Mendelssohn’s Light – at Wigmore Hall. Sheer beauty with a pinch of nostalgia.
I love Robert Schumann’s Song Cycle, Op. 39. I am so glad the first time I heard this complete cycle live was Benjamin’s interpretation. The Gothic elements in Waldegespräch and Auf einer Burg, the religious Mondnacht, the melancholic Wehmut, and many more. Benjamin changed a word in Frühlingsnacht, and I liked that.
George Butterworth’s A Shropshire Lad (poems by A.E. Housman) was heartbreaking because of the fate associated with both the poems and the composer. Neither Housman nor Butterworth could have predicted the tragedy of World War One when they wrote the poetry and music. Butterworth was killed by a sniper at Pozières during the Battle of the Somme on August 5, 1916—exactly 110 years to the day of this concert. On the catastrophic opening day of that same battle, July 1st, 1916, nearly 20,000 members of the British Expeditionary Force died. The poems observe the loveliest cherry tree and transient blossoms (life). The book Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo perfectly captures the fate of a British soldier in the Battle of the Somme. The songs and the book broke my heart.
I have been hoping to listen to Benjamin’s interpretation of Wolf’s Mörike-Lieder for a long time. I had heard a few scattered across different concerts, but this evening, it was extraordinarily satisfying to listen to my absolute 11 favourite songs all at once.
When the concert ended, I thought nothing could be better than this. And yet, Benjamin did it: as an encore, he showered us with Schumann’s Widmung. What a wonderful surprise, the soaring happiness and sincere gratitude were contagious.
The concert was wonderful despite the sauna temperatures and poor ventilation. Because the windows had to be opened the entire time, we heard some sounds from the street, too. Initially, I found this a bit unfortunate, but a friend reminded me: “Doesn’t this shape the uniqueness of the concert?” The birds, bells, cars, and wind were part of the music. Because of the hot weather, we were given free drinks, and a gentleman let me go ahead of him when we were queuing for water. The most precious part was that I shared this concert with two of my friends without having planned it in advance.
After the concert, my night reading was a collection of Schiller’s poetry—a treasure I had found in a secondhand bookshop before the concert. When I read Die Macht des Gesanges, I contemplated the meaning of the poem and nodded: this was exactly how I felt while listening to the Liederabend.
Liederabend
05.08.2026 | 8.00 P.M. | Kulturzentrum Prediger Schwäbisch Gmünd
Baritone: Benjamin Appl
Pianist: Simon Lepper
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Further Reading:
Concert Diary: In Mendelssohn’s Light
https://thejourney-writing.com/2026/07/concert-diary-in-mendelssohns-light.html
Mendelssohn’s Elijah (Elias) – Reflections After the Performance
https://thejourney-writing.com/2026/03/mendelssohns-elijah-elias-reflections.html
Concert Review: Franz Schubert Master Storyteller
https://thejourney-writing.com/2025/10/concert-review-franz-schubert-master-storyteller.html
Concert Review: “Fischer-Dieskau 100 – Ein Leben in Liedern”
https://thejourney-writing.com/2025/05/concert-review-fischer-dieskau-100-ein-leben-in-liedern.html
Concert Review: Liederabend | Schumann & Kurtág
https://thejourney-writing.com/2026/02/concert-review-liederabend-schumann-kurtag.html