PhilaLandmarks Early Concert Series Presents James Reese

James Reese and Daniel Overly will present Franz Schubert’s song cycle Die schöne Müllerin (The Beautiful Maid of the Mill) at the Hill-Physick House on Friday, January 10, 2025 at 7PM. In this hourlong collection of songs with poetry by Wilhelm Müller, we follow an earnest and terribly naive young man as he meets and falls in love with the daughter of the mill where he works. As the piece unfolds, so does their relationship; unfortunately for the young man, it does not unfold happily. We meet other characters in the story: the vibrant green field, the forget-me-not flower, and most importantly, the babbling brook; whose rushing waters provide the background music for the entire tale. As observers, we travel deeper and deeper into the young man’s troubled psychology. His desperation to keep the miller maid drives him to jealousy, paranoia, and ultimately, contemplation of succumbing to his worst impulses. Schubert’s music in this song cycle is truly stunning – it features shatteringly beautiful and simple melodies in conversation with gorgeous, intricate music from the piano. He wrote the piece in collaboration with Müller in 1823 – during the period when Dr. Philip Syng Physick was living and hosting the country’s elite at what is now known as the Hill-Physick House. Hearing this song cycle in the Hill-Physick House will be a fascinating parallel to the intimate living rooms in Vienna where it was premiered by Schubert himself.

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