The Erlkings

For a year I refused to hear them. What trendy band was this, and how dare they traduce the greatest songwriter of them all? Pop arrangements in ENGLISH. Ugh! One day I saw that they were to perform at one of my favourite venues: Wilton’s Music Hall. I went on line to discover more – and heard and saw a performance of ‘Auf dem Wasser zu singen’ that blew me and all my prejudices away.

Not only are THE ERLKINGS paving the way for a new generation of Schubert fans (there were more young faces in the audience than I’ve seen at any other concert hall), they are also offering a new perspective on a repertoire already prized by so many. Every arrangement and translation demonstrates a true love and respect for Schubert as well as a willingness to break from convention and discover new facets of these wonderful songs. As a life-long student of Schubert’s Lieder, I consider THE ERLKINGS to be a most precious addition to his legacy.

Richard Stokes - Professor of Lieder at the Royal Academy of Music, London