These 16 lieder have been chosen from a possible 600. ln this edition he has simplified the piano accompaniments to the fullest extent, omitting some centres of the chord clusters leaving only the outline of the original piano parts.This makes the accompaniments far less strenuous for the left hand and therefore some of the fast tempos easier to play at the recommended speeds. Because of the ease with which they can be transcribed, famous songs like Heidenroslein have been published before but not necessarily in the same keys as in this edition.
This is an easy copy to read but no fingerings or positions are given to aid the guitarist. The guitar standard is grade III and upward for some of the easier song accompaniments, but lower than this for the singer rising to grade VII. The chosen keys vary from medium low to high voice. The keys could of course be adjusted slightly with the use of a capo.
DJ has not attempted an exact transcription but has instead tried to capture the spirit of the original. Getting the balance right is not easy, as in the past there have been over simplified arrangements of Schubert's piano accompaniments, while others have included every note that it is theoretically possible to play on the guitar. These accompaniments sit somewhere between these two extremes. Schubert doesn't come much easier than this.
Sandra Hambleton Smith (Classical Guitar Magazine)
