The Magic in Schubert’s Songs

“Truly,” Beethoven remarked in 1827, “in Schubert there dwells a divine spark.” Franz Schubert himself worshiped the older composer and was a torchbearer at his funeral. In the following year, he asked for one of Beethoven’s string quartets to be played at his own sickbed, days, if not hours, before he died at the age of thirty-one.

Many of Schubert’s works contain homages to Beethoven: the Fate theme of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is the animating motif of Schubert’s terrifying song “Der Zwerg” (The Dwarf). His “Auf dem Strom” (On the River, for voice, piano, and horn) takes up the theme of the Eroica’s death march. And the unusual tempo marking of the first song of the Winterreise cycle (Mässig, in gehender Bewegung, moderate, at walking pace), written in the year of Beethoven’s death, might be seen as a valedictory reference to the latter’s piano sonata “Les Adieux” of 1809–1810. Continue reading

Spring green in week Three

Image of the painter Barbara von Enger arriving at the shows in Paris by Adam of Le 21eme. We love the colour story here. Barbara is ushering in spring. See how the colours mingle together like long-standing friends at a drinks party. Yes, my lovelies, Barbara paints a lovely picture here. We adore the little blue hat and the divine green coat!

Art from the Ivory Coast

African mask, early 20th century. Wood and metal. Geography, Guinea Coast, Ivory Coast.
Barbara von Enger wears a daily mask, and around her world a mask is continually being formed. When she is not creating masks herself, you can find her at a museum viewing art.

La Saveur Du Champagne

Image: Barbara von Enger's D&G gold pumps. She's wearing them to drinks, dinner and dance this evening in Vienna!

Jamaica mi Crazy

The image shows the painter Barbara von Enger wearing a Hermes head wrap in the Caribbean; the ideal spot to be during winter. Happy holidays to one and all. Remember to honour beauty and love. Beauty is our nursemaid in childhood and love is vital for survival.

Image: Party footwear from Barbara von Enger's dressing room during Art Basel Miami, 2014.

Barbara von Enger at work in her Atelier

When the painter Barbara Matthews von Enger isn't sitting front row at Versace haute couture show. You can find her painting away at her atelier or roaming about in a nearby forest. We asked Barbara von Enger last week in an interview: How do you nurture your creative spirit? Her response was: "In silent solitude."

Yes, my lovelies, nature nourishes the creative spirit, and purifies the mind, so get out and enjoy a walk in the woods this winter.
The image shows Barbara Matthews von Enger at work in her studio, November, 2014. Photographed by K.Knak