Hugo Wolf

Wolf wrote songs and almost nothing else, and he is the composer who took the German song as far as it went. If you sing German repertoire seriously you arrive here eventually; if you are starting out, this is not where to start.

The songs are grouped by poet rather than by opus — the Mörike-Lieder, the Goethe-Lieder, the Spanisches Liederbuch, the Italienisches Liederbuch — and they are published as complete books in high, medium and low keys. Buying by poet rather than by individual song is normal practice with him.

The piano parts are full compositions in their own right and are considerably harder than Schubert's. Accompanists should look at the music before agreeing to the recital.