Over the years, famed baritone Andreas Schmidt and his regular accompanist, Rudolf Jansen have created a very special place for themselves in the hearts of their audiences. They have become Lied interpreters extraordinaire – winning numerous awards for their recordings of Strauss and Schubert. In the ten years since Schmidt first approached this most pessimistic of Schubert's song cycles, the artistic visions of both singer and accompanist have broadened and deepened, making THIS recording an extraordinary musical journey.