Passion, solitude, nostalgia, the pain of the world, flight, death — these are the typical themes of Romanticism. Konstantin Krimmel has already explored this era of extreme emotion in Saga, his first recital album (Alpha549). Now, with collaborative pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz, he plunges even deeper into this cosmos. 'I simply love telling stories. Even as a child, I loved listening to old legends and tales', says Krimmel, who is indeed a fabulous storyteller-singer. The two artists have chosen here to compare songs by Franz Schubert and Carl Loewe that embody these great themes. The two composers, both masters of the Lied, had very different destinies: Loewe lived to be 72 years old, more than twice as old as Schubert, who had died aged 31.