To anyone who plays chamber music of any sort, Schubert’s music is a wonderful world to enter. It lifts our spirit to a dreamlike state of awe that is quite unique, with its sweeping long lines and pure poetry.

The masterpieces on this album have been ‘Stolen’ away from Schubert’s original instrumentation. Start with the "Arpeggione" sonata, originally written for the eponymous instrument, a bowed contraption with six strings and frets, tuned like a guitar but played like a viola da gamba. Here, it is played on the viola (with gut strings) and an Erard piano (1851). The mellow timbre of the Erard removes any struggle for balance and wonderfully compliments the warmth of the viola sound.

Schubert wrote an immense number of Lieder, songs for voice and piano. Only two call for voice and piano with an extra instrument; ‘Hirt auf dem Felsen’ with clarinet, and ‘Auf dem Strom’ with horn. Since both of these instruments have a similar range to the viola, Ásdís Valdimarsdóttir decided to steal them both for her instrument. It may seem audacious to attempt to play the vocal part of any of Schubert’s iconic Lieder on the viola; however. ‘Die Winterreise’ is strong enough on its own to have a life without the text. Listen and judge for yourself!