Schubert: Winterreise (Live from Wigmore Hall)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Composed at the end of his life, Schubert's cycle Winterreise contains some of the bleakest, most shattering music ever written; he himself described it as "spine-chilling." As always, he turned literary dross into musical gold, transforming the relentless self-absorption of Müller's Wanderer, who reflects everything he sees back upon himself, into a heartbreaking human tragedy. It is the music that mirrors the barren wintry landscape in the soul's hopeless desolation on this journey whose numbly desired destination is death. In a great performance, these 24 songs--most of them slow, two-thirds in minor keys--can be overwhelming and this one, recorded live at London's Wigmore Hall (with applause at the beginning and ovations at the end), must be one of the greatest. Goerne's voice, famous for its incomparably pristine purity and velvety mellowness, is capable of an incredible variety of color, nuance and inflection; every note is infused with sustained expressiveness. But Brendel's piano also sounds extraordinarily beautiful; together they almost literally paint images, moods and feelings--not in the usual sense of "word-painting," (though Goerne has a way with coloring specific words), but rather through their infinite, loving attention to subtle changes in harmony and melodic contours, their phrasing and rhythmic flexibility. Brendel knows just how to bring out important lines and how to control dynamics and articulation; his preludes and postludes are miracles of setting and maintaining atmosphere. They favor slow tempi. There is a sense of limitless time in their poised transitions, long pauses, their affectionate lingering over significant words and notes. Yet the continuity and cohesion of each song as well as of the whole cycle are never broken; the musical and emotional concentration never flags from first note to last. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

Brandenbutg Concerto No.3 In G First Movement
Overture No.3 In D Second Movement
Violin Concerto In E First Movement
Prelude In C minor
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude (Chorus From Cantata No.147)
Overture No.2 In B minor Minuet And Badinerie
Oboe Concerto In D minor Second Movement
Brandenburg Concerto No.4 In G Third Movement
Musical Offering - Fuga canonica
Easter Oratorio - Overture
Minuet In D minor
Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, Vom Himmel herunter(From Choral Prelude BWV 650
Brandenburg Concerto No.1 In F Second Movement
Art Of The Fugue - Contrapunctus 9
Concerto For Flute, Violin, Harpsichord And Strings. Triple Concerto - Third Movement
Overture No.4 In D - Réjouissance
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Water Music - Alla Hornpipe
Xerxes - Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
Messiah - And The Glory Of The Lord
Concerto Grosso In A Minor, Op. 6, No. 4 - Larghetto Affettuoso
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 4 Allegro
Water Music - Air
Messiah - For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Concerto Grosso In B flat, Op. 3, No. 2 - Largo
Salomon - Sinfonia, Act 3
The Choice Of Hercules - While For Thy Arms
Water Music - Allegro (Suite No. 1)
Suite No. 5 In E - Air With Variations
Jephtha - How Dark, O Lord
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 5 Alla Siciliana - Presto
Mi Palpita Il Cor (Solo Cantata) S'un Di M'adora
Water Music - Andante Allegro Da Capo
Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra in E-flat: First Movement
Symphony No. 94 in G: Surprise Symphony-second movement
Concerto for Violin No. 2 in D: Third Movement
Flute Trio No. 31 in G: Second Movement
Symphony No. 31 in D: Hornsignal-First Movement
String Quartet No. 17 in F, Op. 3, no. 5: Serenade Quartet-Second Movement
Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra-Third Movement
Concerto for 2 Horns & Orchestra in E-flat: Second Movement
Symphony No. 88 in G: Fourth Movement
String Quartet No. 77 in C: Kaiser Quartet-Poco adagio cantabile
Notturno No. 1 in C: Second Movement
Symphony No. 98 in B: Londoner No. 4-Fourth Movement
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - first movement
Piano Concerto in A - second movement
Flute Concerto in D - Rondeau
Serenade - Minuet
Violin Concerto - first movement
Symphony No. 40 in G minor - first movement
Clarinet Concerto - second movement
Turkish March
Divertimento - Minuet
Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat - first movement
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67-First Movement
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, no. 2: Moonlight Sonata-First Movement
Overture
O welche Lust (Prisoners' Chorus)
Ha, welch ein Augenblick (Pizarros's Aria)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Second Movement
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 61: Third Movement
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13: Pathétique-Second Movement
Sympony No. 6 in F, Op. 68: Pastorale-First Movement
Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 80: Choral Fantasy - Finale
German Dance No. 1 In C
Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 In G-Flat
Heidenroslein
Ave Maria
Der Lindenbaum
Quintet In A 'Trout Quintet' - Andante
Mass No. 6 In E-Flat - Kyrie
Die Schone Mullerin Des Mullers Blumen
German Dance No. 2 In G
Piano Sonata In B-Flat
Nachtgesang Im Walde
Winterreise - No. 15: Die Krahe
German Mass - Zum Sanctus (Heilit, Heilig Ist Der Herr)
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished' - Second Movement
Waltz No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 18 Grande Valse brillante
Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, no. 2
Etude in G-flat, Op. 10, no. 5
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21-Second Movement
Mazurka in D minor, Op. 33, no. 2
Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28, no. 15 Raindrop
Etude in C, Op. 10, no. 1
Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, no. 2
Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 Fantasy Impromptu
Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35-Third Movement
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor - first movement 113.String Seranade - Waltz
Violin Concerto - second movement
The Sleeping Beauty - Waltz
Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Swan Lake - Waltz
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers
Orchestral Suite No. 4 - Mozartiana - Third Movement
Swan Lake - Dance of the Swans
Symphony No. 6 in B minor - Pathétique - Third Movement
Hungarian Dance No.5
Lullaby
Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in E-flat, Op.117, no. 1
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 77 - Third Movement
Waltz, Op. 39, no. 15
Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B-flat, Op. 83 - Second Movement
String Quintet in G, Op. 111 - Second Movement
Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76, no. 7
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
German Requiem Selig sind die Toten (Final Chorus)
Die Fledermaus - Overture
Kaiser Waltz, Op.437
Thunder And Lightning Polka, Op. 324
Roses From The South Waltz, Op. 388
AnnenPolka, Op. 117
Vienna Blood Waltz, Op. 354
Eljen A Magyar Polka, Op. 332
Wine, Women and Song Waltz, Op. 333
On The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 134
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg - Overture
Tannhauser - Die Pilger sind's (Pilgims' Chorus)
Tannhauser - O du mein holder Abendstern (Wolfram's Aria)
Lohengrin - Act 3 Prelude and Bridal Chorus
The Flying Dutchman - Jo-ho-he Traft ihr das Schiff (Senta's Ballad)
The Flying Dutchman - Steuermann, lass die Wacht (Sailors' Chorus)
Die Walkure - Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Aria)
Die Walkure - Ride of the Valkyries
Siegfried Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Schmiede mein Hammer (Siegfried's Forging Song)
Tristan und Isolde - Liebestod
Thus sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Don Juan, Op. 20
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64, I.Nacht
Don Quixote, Op.35, first movement: Introduction
Salome, Op. 54, Dance Of The Seven Veils
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59, Finale: Hab' mir's gelobt ihn lieb zu haben
Piano Concerto 2 In C minor, Op. 18 - First Movement
Vocalise, Op.34, No. 14
Prelude In G Sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G minor, Op. 40 - Third Movement
Symphony No. 2 In E minor, Op. 27 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 In F sharp minor, Op. 1 - Second Movement
Rhapsody, Op. 43 On A Theme By Paganini
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Liebestraum No.3 in A-flat
Piano Concerto No.1 in E-flat - third movement
Angelus
Mephisto Waltz No.1 (Dance in a Village Tavern)
Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H
Dante Symphony - Finale. - Purgatorio - Magnificat
Les Préludes
Boléro
Daphnis et Chloé first movement: Nocturne
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Shéhérazade - first movement: Asie
Ma Mère l'Oye - fourth movement: La Belle et la Bête
Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
La Valse
Slavic Dance No. 1 in C, Op. 46, no.1
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 'From the New World' - second movement
Humoresque, Op. 101
Slavic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, no. 8
Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 22 - second movement
Romance for Violin and Orchestra In F minor, Op. 11
Symphony No. 7 in D minor - third movement
Melodie (Songs My Mother Taught Me)
Carneval Overture, Op. 92
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104 - third movement
Symphony No.4 In A, Op. 90. Italian - First Movement
Frühlingslied In A, Op. 62, No. 6
Wedding March (From A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61)
Duetto In F, Op.30, No.6 (From Songs Without Words)
String Symphony No.9 In C. Schweitzer Symphony - Third Movement
Concerto For Violin, Piano And String Orchestra No. 1 In D minor - Second Movement
Symphony No.3 In A minor, Op.56 Scottish - Third Movement"
Notturno (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
String Symphony No. 12 In G minor - First Movement
Venetian Gondola Song In F Sharp minor, Op.30, No.6
Scherzo (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Violin Concerto In E minor, Op.64 - Third Movement
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - Morgenstimmung
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - I. Prelude. Allegro vivace
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - IV. Air. Andante religioso
Arietta, Op. 12, no. 1
Homage March from Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Solveig's Song
Wedding Day at Troldhauen, Op. 65, no. 6
The Last Spring, Op. 34, no. 2
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op 46 - Anitra's Dance
Nordic Melody Op. 63
Notturno, Op. 54, no. 4
Elegie, Op. 47, no. 5
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Arabic Dance
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - Allegro
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 97 - Rhenish - first movement
Traumerai (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
Mondnacht (from Eichendorff-Liederkreis, Op. 39)
Aufschwung (from Fantasietucke, Op. 12)
Triolett, Op. 114, no. 2
Tanzlied (No. 1 from Duets, Op. 78)
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 - second movement
Frühlingsgruss
Abschied (from Waldszenen Op. 82)
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 - Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Manfred Overture, Op. 115
Romance in F sharp, Op. 28, no. 2
Die Rose stand im Tau
Liebesgarten (from Four Duets, Op. 34)
Warum? (from Fantasiestucke, Op. 12)
Kennst du das Land, Op.79, no. 29 (from Lieder der Mignon, Op. 98a)
Von fremden Landern und Menschen (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)

Album Description

An extraordinary 20-CD collection of great works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, Dvorak, Grieg and Liszt. It also features worldrenowned artists such as Sir Neville Marriner, Martha Argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Hermann Prey, Reiner Goldberg, Sylvia Sass, Jochen Kowalski, Peter Schreler and many more. This exquisite, copper metallic, deluxe boxed set is the perfect gift for the classical music neophyte.

Customer Reviews:

Mill. Classical review.......2007-05-13

This is a great set of recordings for the money, the only problem was I've had to clean some of the CD's before they played correctly.

classical music for the unitiated.......2007-04-01

This set is a good way to start listening to classical music. It's very well produced and easy to listen to. I purchased it to use as part of my world history high school class. It would have been nice to have some bio information on the composers. However, the product is exactly as advertised and good value for the money. The students were intrigued by how many of the excerpts they had heard before.

Some little gems there that I had forgotten!.......2007-03-30

Although I studied classical music at school, I had all but forgotten it until I bought this set. I heard several tracks I haven't heard for over 30 years, and I had been humming Brahms's 'Hungarian Dance no. 5' for years without ever knowing what it was and it was on the disc, so that was nice.

I found it to be a very good selection overall, but I felt too much had already been heard on TV, which of course is what lots of newcomers to classical music might appreciate. I managed to find about 2 hours of tracks that I wanted to keep, which works out quite expensive per disc, but I did find some wonderful music I had completely forgotten about, so it was worth it. All in all, it represents good value, and I have only knocked one star off as so much of it had been used in adverts.

It is definitely a good introduction to classical music, and it has made me want to listen to more of it, so I don't regret this 'expensive' purchase one bit!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

A very helpful collection.......2007-03-24

I define this set as an excellent way to find out who you like, and who you don't, among 20 of the important composers. It opens the door to purchasing more complete pieces by composers you do like, and can save a lot of time and money in the process.
To criticize the set for not containing more composers, or more than just snippets of those who are in the set, is missing the point: it is a helpful introduction to finding your way in the huge maze of classical music. It succeeds admirably in this.
Sound quality is uniformly very good on an audiophile system.
Highly recommended.

Excellent!.......2007-03-08

A great way to start a classical music collection. It's nice to have a full CD of each composer. It makes it easy to keep track of selections/composers I already have and what composers I still need to puchase to complete my collection.

Schubert: Die Winterreise / Fischer-Dieskau

Average customer rating:

A haunting cd for those winter days !
Schubert's Winterreise
Hearing Schubert's Winterreise
A Great Interpetation
good but he surpasses himself in 1971

Schubert: Die Winterreise / Fischer-Dieskau

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Great Recordings Of The Century - Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin / Fischer-Dieskau, Moore
Schubert: Goethe-Lieder / Fischer-Dieskau, Demus, Moore
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Schubert: Schwanengesang; 4 Lieder
Great Recordings Of The Century - Janet Baker Sings Mahler / Barbirolli, et al

ASIN: B000001GQE
Release Date: 1996-02-13

Tracks:

Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Gute Nacht
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Die Wetterfahne
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Gefrorne Trn
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Erstarrung
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Der Lindenbaum
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Wasserflut
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Auf dem Flusse
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Ruckblick
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Irrlicht
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Rast
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Fruhlingstraum
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Einsamkeit
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Die Post
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Der greise Kopf
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Die Krahe
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Letzte Hoffnung
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Im Dorfe
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Der sturmische Morgen
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Tauschung
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Der Wegweiser
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Das Wirtshaus
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Mut!
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Die Nebensonnen
Winterreise D 911, Op.89: Der Leiermann

Amazon.com essential recording

Any great concert singer is likely to have a lifelong obsession with Schubert's greatest song cycle, which tracks the winter journey of a jilted lover wandering into the snow finding ever-greater depths of alienation. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau seemed to record the piece every 10 years or so, but this 1966 outing is said to be his favorite, and it's easy to understand why. All of his customary intelligence is in full evidence, but the voice is particularly resplendent. While this carries an obvious sensual appeal--and every two minutes or so he does something that takes your breath away--the voice also illuminates his overall interpretive concepts with a clarity that can be achieved perhaps only by a voice in its absolute prime. Particularly gratifying is his emotional directness; later performances could be so refined, so worked over that the emotionalism (such an important part of this piece) seemed more remembered than felt. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

A haunting cd for those winter days !.......2007-04-10

This is one of the best versions of schubert's winterreise.It has been remastered in state of the art sound,and is very lovely to listen to.The baritone sings very expressive and intelligently.Fischer-dieskau has a very rich tone to his voice here,which reminds me of a stroll through the gardens of a bavarian castle on a cloudly and gloomy winter's day.
A classic!

Schubert's Winterreise.......2006-11-07

I'll keep this short and sweet.
This is Schubert's greatest song-cycle and I've yet to find a better album to listen to in the middle of winter.
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau probably has more vocal control, sensitivity and tonal colour than any vocalist I've ever heard. I've never heard a recording of his that didn't amaze me and I believe this to be the best thing he's ever done. And that's saying something considering the wealth of material he's recorded.
The atmosphere on this is, quite frankly, a miracle. There has never been an album shrouded in such a wintery chill.
I could listen to this everyday for a long period of time and never tire of it. Believe me because I've done just that. So go ahead and check it out. You'll regret not doing it sooner.

Hearing Schubert's Winterreise.......2006-07-03

For reasons I don't fully understand, I have developed a custom over the past several years of listening to Schubert's Winterreise at around the time of the Fourth of July. Perhaps it is the contrast between the hot summer days and the icy, wintery setting of Schubert's songs. In addition, the one-day summer break, encouraging reflection in the midst of a busy year, draws me to Schubert's music. But more so, while occupied with public celebrations, such as fireworks, parades, and company (which I also enjoy), I find it valuable to do something private,pensive, and deeply sad. It is the feeling of being alone. Thus, this year, as in several years past, I have reheard "Winterreise".

Winterreise is a cycle of 24 poems by Wilhelm Muller that Schubert set in 1827, just months before his death. The singer is a man who has just been rejected by a woman he has met in a town to which he has wandered. "A stranger I arrived/ a stranger I depart again", he sings at the outset of the work. The work covers a range of feelings from rejection through loneliness, despondency, self-criticism, anger, dashed hope, thoughts of suicide, heartbreak, and, at the end, madness. It is wrenching music, utterly sad. It captures feelings that those who have been alone will know, regardless of musical sophistication. For all the sadness of the score, I never fail to feel restored upon hearing it.

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau recorded at least seven studio versions of "Winterreise" during a long career. I am most familiar with his recordings with his long-time accompanist, Gerald Moore; but I find that this recording, dating from 1966, with pianist Jorg Demus surpasses the versions with Moore. The phrasing, dramatic power, and passion of Fischer-Dieskau's singing on this recording are extraordinary. In virtually all of these songs, Fischer-Dieskau displays contrasts in the protagonist's mood and feelings. Many of the songs begin with slow and melancholy lines as Fischer-Dieskau works up to climactic passages of fury and despondency and then, frequently, falls back again. He makes great contrast between a declamatory singing style, almost approaching speech, and a flowing lyricism. Demus's accompaniment is smoldering and subdued. He sets the stage for Fischer-Dieskau with the many preludes Schubert composed for the songs, some of which are tone-paintings for the falling of the snow, the coldness of ice, the blowing of the wind, the flying of crows, and the isolation of the heart.

Among the songs that moved me on this hearing of "Winterreise" were no. 4, "numbness"; no. 5. "Der Lindenbaum", the most famous work of the cycle; no. 12, "Loneliness"; no. 14. "the hoary head" ; no. 15, the haunting "the crow"; no. 19, "deception" with its heartbreaking line "Ah, anybody as wretched as I/ yields gladly to this bright deceit"; and the two final songs of madness, nos. 23 and 24, "The Phantom Suns" and "The Organ Grinder."

Anyone who know what it is to be alone will love "Winterreise" regardless of the time of year. This recording is an unparallelled way to get to know this music.

Robin Friedman

A Great Interpetation.......2006-02-22

Fisher-Dieskau is at his best, portraying so much emotion it's almost hard to believe. The listener feels so connected to the story, and you just can't wait for the next piece to start. Highly reccommended to anyone who is serious about voice. Take note of how he nails the phrasing and uses it to portray all of the emotion.

good but he surpasses himself in 1971.......2005-12-15

DFD has a great voice here, yes. but I yhink in 1971, with still great vocal flexibility, achieves greater richness in phrasing (1st song as an example). And Demus!!! With repeated listening he plays quite boringly for my taste. For me a great combination is pregardien-staier (1825 fortepiano, with fantastic colours not available in modern steinways) or that 1971 DfD-Moore. Buy this only if you are a completist or can`t find these 2 recommendations. This is very good, but he recorded later a better version.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Winterreise
I must be out of step
A Mild Winter
Just adding my praise to the fray of more eloquent voices
A Journey Through the Winter of Schubert and Muller

Schubert: Winterreise

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Die Schone Mullerin
Ian Bostridge - Schubert Lieder, Volume II
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Ian Bostridge - Liederkreis Op. 24, Dichterliebe Op. 48 & 7 Lieder
Ian Bostridge - Songs of Faure, Debussy & Poulenc

ASIN: B0002I8UGG
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

Gute Nacht
Die Wetterfahne
Gefror'ne Tranen
Erstarrung
Der Lindenbaum
Wasserflut
Auf Dem Flusse
Ruckblick
Irrlicht
Rast
Fruhlingstraum
Einsamkeit
Die Post
Der Greise Kopf
Die Krahe
Letzte Hoffnung
Im Dorfe
Der Sturmische Morgen
Tauschung
Der Wegweiser
Das Wirtshaus
Mut
Die Nebensonnen
Der Leiermann

Amazon.com

The Bostridge-Andsnes team has emerged as one of the top lieder recital duos on disc, and their devoted fans will want their controversial interpretation of Schubert's greatest song cycle. The controversy lies in what many will feel is Bostridge's excessive emphasis on textual explorations. For his admirers, this is his great strength, and here he sings Schubert's grim cycle with a dramatic intensity that portrays the desperation of the young protagonist. This is indeed a frozen winter's journey, presented with an admirable sense of drama and intimacy. But some will find it difficult to make the trip, considering Bostridge's staccato dramatics more an acting than a singing performance. In several songs, including "Auf dem Flusse" and "Rückblick," he ventures perilously close to the edge of what many listeners will accept. The singer contributes a booklet note that explains his interpretive stance and his textual changes. Andsnes, on his part, contributes some stunning pianism that's worth hearing. A fascinating journey then, if too individual a trip for many lieder fans to take. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Winterreise.......2007-01-10

I own the version with Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau and could never really get into it. I thought I would give this version a try because of positive reviews because Winterreise is so famous. I am glad I did. I find Ian Bostridge's singling to be subtle, yet dramatic and emotional. I am a big fan of pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. His playing brought out melodies in the music that I just didnt hear before.A soft, non-bombastic recording that retains the melancholy and drama.

I must be out of step.......2007-01-08

Since Ian Bostridge and Leif Ove Andsnes both garner their fair share of raves at Amazon, I doubt I'll influence anyone by differing. EMI has a long-term commitment to these artists, a token of their standing in the world of clasical msuc, but I find their Winterreise (which I also heard live in Carnegie Hall) wrong-headed. In Lieder singing there has to be a balance between natural songfulness and artistic license. For me, Bostridge crosses the line. He overstates every emotion, underlines every point he makes, and projects every word of Mueller's not exactly great poetry with intense drama.

But I am not a fair judge. The reason I flew to NY to heqr this concert was, in part, to see if I really did find Bostridge's voice creepy. I did and do. There's no accounting for these quirks of personal taste. As for Andsnes, I sat and listened for any particular insights much less revelations, but all I heard was recessive, polite playing that was only a cut or two above any outstanding professional accompanist. So there it is. Fling your arrows.

A Mild Winter.......2006-07-12

I have been a fan of Ian Bostridge for many years, and have always been most enamored of his numerous recordings of Schubert lieder. Needless to say, I was thrilled to pick up a copy of his recording of Winterreise. Before I bought this disc I was already in posession of two other recordings of this cycle (Hampson and Goerne, respectively). It was impossible for me to not compare Bostridge's attempt with that of Goerne and Hampson. While I've enjoyed both the aforementioned recordings equally, I found the Bostridge considerably less palatable. This is not to say that the entire recording was a disaster; a song cycle as immense as Die Winterreise often becomes a collection of small triumphs and small failures.

To me the Andsnes/Bostridge version is just a bit too uneven to garner a full five stars. It pains me to say that most of the gaps in quality come from Bostridge rather than Andsnes. There are occasions in the cycle in which Bostridge affects a style of singing that is far too mannered to be effective. Die Post is perhaps the biggest sore thumb in the cycle. The whole song comes off as plodding and labored, with Bostridge's vocal swells often resulting in compromised pitch accuracy. Bostridge's thick voiced interpretation of the song must have rubbed off on Andsnes whose ordinarily crisp, effervescent style sounds chunky and rhythmically imprecise. A minor distraction throughout the entire work is Bostridge's tendency to spit out his German, making one think that some of the more consonant rich songs may have required a toweling off of the mic after they were recorded.Der Leiermann is a rather perplexing interpretation of a stark song with stark imagery. To those familiar with standard versions, Bostridge's take is surprisingly clipped,a sound as barren as the landscape of Winterreise. Whether or not this is effective is up to the listener to judge.

In short, this is a recording that takes many risks vocally, and doesn't totally succeed. While Bostridge was most likely trying to create an emotional rendition of Die Winterreise, it sometimes tips the scale, becoming rather ham-fisted. Be aware, however, that thare are still some wonderful moments on this CD. Bostridge's superb sotto voce makes its normative round of appearnces, and Andsnes' accompaniment is nothing if not stellar (with the above mentioned exception). I'll end here with a caveat to the buyer: This is a Winterreise that will challenge the listener, as much a difficult journey for the listener as the singer.

Just adding my praise to the fray of more eloquent voices .......2005-09-04

I have listened to this disc only a few times but already Ian and Leif Ove have both given me an appreciation, even a liking, of Schubert that I had not expected. Grady Harp has noted Ian's emphasis on the poetics, and I think that this aspect is actually what makes me like it so much. One has the impression that the music and the text are given equal consideration by the performers and that Ian is very conscious of what he is singing. I am tempted to call it an intellectual interpretation, not that such a description would detract from the musicality or musicianship of these artists.

My only complaint is that Ian tends to aspirate very heavily on consonants at the end of words, so the T and S in particular are very sharp, almost spat/hissed. At times it can be distracting or even annoying (I don't remember German ever sounding like that). Nevertheless, this disc will be inhabiting my CD player for quite some time to come.

A Journey Through the Winter of Schubert and Muller.......2005-04-01

WINTERREISE is not only a demanding song cycle for the listener with its dramatic implosions and dark verse relentlessly sad; it is likewise a treacherous work for both singer and pianist. The twenty-four songs that comprise this cycle challenge the extremes of both baritone and tenor ranges and though it has been recorded frequently, it has rarely found the right voice that can convey the power of both the music and the poetry.

Until now. Ian Bostridge owns a voice that surveys the highs and lows of the range Schubert seemed to cruelly challenge the performer. Whether his is an extended tenor voice or an extended baritone voice is for the individual to decide. His high notes are clarion: his low notes are robust and rich. The real marker of success for this particular cycle however is the marriage of words to music, and it is this power of communication that sets Bostridge apart. While others have tried to convey the pathos of these songs, they usually resort to mannerisms that simply become annoying. It is true that Bostridge concentrates on word values and succeeds where others fail, and if some find this poetic emphasis demeaning to the musical line then there are other versions available.

As far as the total experience of the 'Winterreise' credibility, it depends greatly on the musicianship on both the keyboard as well as the vocal cords. Whoever is responsible for the partnership idea of placing Bostridge and Leif Ove Andsnes together deserves kudos. Their temperaments are so similar that it is uncanny. While other pianistic collaborators offer solid support, Andsnes is an equal voice. His mastery of the 'Schubertian sound' is amazing. The journey here is truly a partnership and it is hard to imagine another as effective for this cycle. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, March 05

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Exquisite Singing and Interpretation
Quasthoff on the verge--touching greatness but not yet there
performance
The essence of bass-baritone sound
Weighty and Moving

Schubert: Winterreise
Franz Schubert , Thomas Quasthoff , and Charles Spencer
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach: Cantatas/Thomas Quasthoff

ASIN: B00000DFKL
Release Date: 1998-10-13

Tracks:

Winterreise, D.911: Gute Nacht
Winterreise, D.911: Die Wetterfahne
Winterreise, D.911: Gefrorne Tranen
Winterreise, D.911: Erstarrung
Winterreise, D.911: Der Lindenbaum
Winterreise, D.911: Wasserflut
Winterreise, D.911: Auf Dem Flusse
Winterreise, D.911: Ruckblick
Winterreise, D.911: Irrlicht
Winterreise, D.911: Rast
Winterreise, D.911: Fruhlingstraum
Winterreise, D.911: Einsamkeit
Winterreise, D.911: Die Post
Winterreise, D.911: Der Greise Kopf
Winterreise, D.911: Die Krahe
Winterreise, D.911: Letzte Hoffnung
Winterreise, D.911: Im Dorfe
Winterreise, D.911: Der Sturmische Morgen
Winterreise, D.911: Tauschung
Winterreise, D.911: Der Wegweiser
Winterreise, D.911: Das Wirtshaus
Winterreise, D.911: Mut
Winterreise, D.911: Die Nebensonnen
Winterreise, D.911: Der Leiermann

Amazon.com

Written the year before Schubert's death, these 24 songs describe a journey that takes us ever deeper into the frozen landscape of the soul, and this superb performance evokes and communicates every nuance of their wintry bleakness and despair. Quasthoff is a fabulous singer; his voice is dark, perfectly focused, infinitely variable in color and inflection; his intonation and diction are impeccable; his breath control is unlimited. Quasthoff identifies completely with both words and music; his deeply inward expressiveness makes these heartbreaking songs almost unbearably moving. The piano sound is a bit dry and remote, but the playing is splendid, setting mood and atmosphere, creating and underlining character and emotion. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Exquisite Singing and Interpretation.......2007-01-05

Of the lower voices on the scene right now, Thomas Quasthoff is by far and away my favorite. He combines an incredible range with incomparable vocal quality (the warmth of his voice is evident on this recording) and a willingness to depart from "beautiful" when the text calls for something different. His peers mostly offer the same sound, all the time - a sound that plays best in large halls. While Quasthoff can fill the larger halls at will, it is his versatility that makes his lieder so wonderful.

This is a wonderful recording of Winterreise - Quasthoff and Spencer make the cycle sound effortless, almost to a fault. Their interpretation at times seems too cautious, particularly in view of Quasthoff's usual readiness to take interpretive risks. He chooses the "low voice" arrangements which place the songs in the heart of his range, sometimes at the cost of excitement at the top. Nonetheless, they capture the essence of the music and text. "Der Wegweiser" and "Das Wirtshaus," for example, are perfect.

With that qualification, I have played it again and again. He's the best.

Quasthoff on the verge--touching greatness but not yet there.......2006-01-09

By 1998 when this Winterreise was recorded, Thomas Quasthoff had thoroughly mastered lieder style. He sings with beautiful articulation and understands the poetry. But good as his performance is, it doesn't take risks. In a few short years Quasthoff would discover the incredible range of color and tone that he uniquely delivers today. The earlier Quasthoff produes a firm, steady baritone with only a few tonal changes. In addition, he had yet to join forces with his current, superlative accompanist, Justus Zayan. At their best they are the only match for Pears and Britten to be heard. On this CD Charlges Spencer plays proficiently but no more. The recorded sound is rock-star close (lips touching the microphone--we could use a little more breathing room.

performance.......2003-11-15

Quasthoff is magical in live performance as well as on disc, even better in fact. Yes that's correct-he performs on stage and i would advise anyone who has an opportunity to hear him live to do so. PSPA or whatever his name is should know he performs live, being from Boston-he just performed Schwanengesang last year in Jordan Hall (Boston). He has also recently ventured into opera, so i don't know where that review came from. And by the way, Dieskau's "technical perfection"? He had many things but technical perfection was not one of them. Buy this disc.

The essence of bass-baritone sound.......2001-06-20

I own five copies of Winterreise - Prey, Fischer-Dieskau, Goerne, and Hampson in addition to this one. All the rest take a very baritonal approach - Goerne seems to want to be a tenor most of the time. Quasthoff has a completely different sound; rich in quality throughout the registers. Note that he is also singing the standard Peters "Low Voice" keys.

Emotionally, this is also very satisfying. The craziness is not on the surface as with Hampson or (to some extent) Prey. In the last song, Leiermann, this a little disconcerting - there one almost expects the weirdness. But elsewhere, the approach is to grasp the musical core first, and then find the expressiveness in the words, not to tell an overall existential story. But each song is done very powerfully.

Weighty and Moving.......2001-03-16

I agree that Mr. Quasthoff's interpretation conveys less personal forlornness than some other renditions. Yet his more narrative approach dramatically conveys the tragedy inherent in the story. His heavy voice, especially in the low range, is perfectly suited to songs such as "Gefrorne Tranen," which calls for a true "bass" sound. I think it's a matter of personal preferance. Matthias Goerne's recording is my personal favorite; to my ear he has the more beautiful voice, and he conveys a more aching sense of loss. It's a recording I could listen to every day. Quasthoff's is equally moving and gorgeous, just different.

Average customer rating:

A Major Document of an Incredible Oeuvre...

Schubert: Lieder

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AYQCIK
Release Date: 2005-12-13

Customer Reviews:

A Major Document of an Incredible Oeuvre..........2007-03-12

.
Of over 600 songs, Fischer-Dieskau and Gerald Moore realized over three-quarters: these are those. Gerald Moore was of course as important to this project as Fischer-Dieskau.

DGG's sound is excellent.

This set is a remarkable document of art.
.

Average customer rating:

One of the best of the Masterworks series
Will not buy this
Worth it!
Great way to jumpstart a schubert collection
Better to Pick a Few First-rate Performances

Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00062FLJC
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

One of the best of the Masterworks series.......2007-07-06

Brilliant Classics' "Masterworks" series, if you can get them cheaply (and currently they go for about $1/CD from Amazon's France Web site), are a great way to amass a significant library of the works of several great computers. The production values and the performances themselves are uneven, and the interpretations are not always historically-informed (unlike the bulk of Brilliant's "Complete Editions" of the works of Bach and Mozart). But there are numerous gems in the rough in The Masterworks, and the economic value is unsurpassed, even if you were to throw away half of the CDs in each set.

You're unlikely to throw away much of this Schubert collection though. This seems to be the finest of the Masterworks sets, with a succession of solid, often first-rate performances of most of the major Schubert works. Here's what you get:

- The symphonies, performed by The Hanover Band in a historically-informed style. Very interesting performances perhaps marred by an odd recording balance that makes the woodwinds sound distant. Takes up four CDs
- The six Latin masses. Also the Deutsche Messe in the version with wind instruments. Five CDs in all
- Edison Denisov's completion of Schubert's unfinished dramatic work Lazarus (2 CDs, Helmuth Rilling's premier recording)
- The last four string quartets (including the Quartettsatz) with #9 thrown in. Also the octet, piano quintet ("The Trout"), string quintet and both piano trios. In short all the canonical chamber works. Performances are strong, and well recorded
- Two CDs of violin/piano duets, including Op. 137 and Op. 162
- 19 of the 21 "canonical" piano sonatas (missing #7 and #12) as well as the Moments Musicaux, Impromptus, German Dances, Wanderer Fantasy and several other piano works, 11 CDs in all. As with the chamber music, the performances and recordings are strong, often stunning
- Two CDs of piano duets, including the Divertissements and D. 617
- Song cycles: Die Schöne Müllerin, Winterreise, Schwanengesang, and four CDs of standalone songs, including such "standards" as Erlkönig and Gretchen am Spinnrade. The singers are a bit uneven here, ranging from standouts Robert Holl, Deitrich Fischer-Dieskau and John Shirley-Quirk to the somewhat shrill Arleen Augér

Missing from the collection is Rosamunde, and a number of famous songs: Die Forelle (The Trout), Death and the Maiden, Ellens Gesang III (the so-called Ave Maria, D. 839), Der Hirt auf dem Felsen and Der Wanderer. But you do have almost all the important instrumental works, and most of the vocal works generally considered to be essential, with some padding added in the form of minor works such as the parochial Deutsche Messe, the German Dances, and the modernist-informed completion of Lazarus by the 20th Century Russian composer Denisov.

As with the other Masterworks sets, there are no program notes. You'll need to do your own research. Answers.com is a good starting point for Schubert compositions. There are also no song texts or translations provided, so again you'll need to track down your own. Try "The Lied and Art Song Texts Page" for lieder lyrics and translations. Hunt down a good price on this collection, browsing one of Amazon's European sites if necessary, and treat yourself to many hours of lovely music for the cost of a modest night out.

Will not buy this.......2007-03-16

I can't see D965 or D945 on this 40 disks worth of Schubert. Bizarre! There are so many great songs missing it scares me.

Worth it!.......2006-12-19

One of the best in "The Masterpices" series. Many of the discs (the symphonies in particular) were licensed from Nimbus and other full-line labels. Not all that long ago these discs would have set you back $18 to $20 a piece. That said, I still wouldn't part with my Hyperion collection. 40 CD's at this price... you can't go wrong.

Great way to jumpstart a schubert collection.......2006-12-19

Hartmut Holl, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Stephanie Brown, and Jaime Laredo as well as the Stuttgart Bach Collegium performing Schubert are hardly "left-behind artists and ensembles" as the previous naysayer states. These are licensed from major label releases and from the original masters issued at a bargain price, especially for the number of discs you get. Sound quality ranges from good to excellent. Good for all Schubertians and anyone who wants to jumpstart a Schubert collection.

Better to Pick a Few First-rate Performances.......2006-11-14

This is a bargain in dollar/listening time ratio, but who cares? There are many second-rate performances by left-behind artists and ensembles. Obviously the economics of resurrecting disks that don't require royalties has been the driving factor of selection. (On the other hand, the complete edition boxed sets of Bach and Mozart, which you'll find if you look, are stupendous successes artistically.)

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Schubert: Winterreise

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Schubert: Lieder
Mahler Lieder: Des Knaben Wunderhorn

ASIN: B0001HAH8W
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Tracks:

Gute Nacht
Die Wetterfahne
Gefror' Ne Tranen
Erstarrung
Der Lindenbaum
Wasserflut
Auf DEm Flusse
Ruckblick
Irrlicht
Rast
Fruhlingstraum
Einsamkeit
Die Post
Der Greise Kopf
Die Krahe
Letzte Hoffnung
Im Dorfe
Der Sturmische Morgen
Tauschung
Der Wegweiser
Das Wirtshaus
Mut
Die Nebensonnen
Der Leiermann

Average customer rating:

Schuberts' Songs Without Words - Mischa Maisky
One longs for the words, but the sounds are lovely
Another way to hear the beauty of Franz Schubert
sing a little song for me
wonderful performances, great recording....

Franz Schubert: Songs Without Words

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GS5
Release Date: 1996-09-17

Tracks:

Sonata For Arpeggione And Piano In A Minor D 821: Allegro moderato
Sonata For Arpeggione And Piano In A Minor D 821: Adagio -
Sonata For Arpeggione And Piano In A Minor D 821: Allegretto
Lieder: Der Neugierige D 795 No.6
Lieder: Lied der Mignon D 877 No.4
Lieder: Tauschung D 911 No.19
Lieder: Der Leiermann D 911 No.24
Lieder: Nacht und Traume D 827
Lieder: Am Meer D 957 No.12
Lieder: An die Musik D 547
Lieder: Die Forelle D 550
Lieder: Stchen D957 No.4
Lieder: Der Einsame D 800
Lieder: Der Mund der Bach D 795 No.19
Lieder: Heidenroslein D 257
Lieder: Litanei auf das Fest Allerseelen D 343
Lieder: Du bist die Ruh D 776

Customer Reviews:

Schuberts' Songs Without Words - Mischa Maisky.......2006-01-07

This is pure velvet chocolate. What a relaxing and uplifting experience! Such finesse and teamwork between Mischa and his accompanist. This is one I listen to frequently and deeply. If cello is your love this album is for you.

One longs for the words, but the sounds are lovely.......2005-11-27

Maisky does his best to imitate a voice in these cello transcriptions of 14 Schubert lieder. (Some of the most famous--Die Forelle, Nacht und Traum--are mixed in with lesser known songs.) In that regard he is very successful--he knowss how to inflect with his bow the same words and syllables a singer would inflect. And his tone is romantic and tender throughout. Yet at some level this is Schubert as background music, and that's not fair to the composer's genius. Schubert was the greatest master at setting words to music, so let's not deprive him of that.

Another way to hear the beauty of Franz Schubert.......2004-10-30

SCHUBERT: SONGS WITHOUT WORDS is an elegant recital by pianist Daria Hovora and cellist Mischa Maisky that allows us to hear Schubert songs, beautifully rich as they are with the texts as sung by many of our finest singers, here solely for the instrumental line. Somehow the interplay between melody and accompaniment (always an equal partnership in Schubert's hands) is heightened by this experience.

Not that the entire album is appropriated by the cello standing in for a vocalist: the opening work is "Sonata for Arpeggione and Klavier" and is one of the highlights of the CD. But just listen to the performances of 'Standchen', 'An die Musik' and 'Du bist die Ruhe' and hear the extraordinary marriage between the piano and cello, singing as beautifully as any other version. This is one of those CDs that bears keeping out for multiple listenings in the late evening. Grady Harp, October 2004

sing a little song for me.......2004-03-09

Substituting the cello for voice in Schubert's songs may have been an enticing idea, but for me one that fell flat on too many of his nursery rhyme simple songs that would have benefited from a nuanced and inflected voice - and for heaven's sake, in this day and age of advanced editing, production, and mastering, must we put up with the non-musical bow scraping so evident without an obscuring orchestra throughout this recording? The Arpeggione Sonata is great fun...the dancing tunes remind one of Viennese naked drunken frolickers...or maybe not.

wonderful performances, great recording...........2002-08-15

OK, I own a zillion CD's but if I were headed to the provervial desert isle...this would be one to be sure to slip into one of my wallet sleeves.

First off, the music is unbelievably beautiful -- you get a first class performance of the Arpeggione. Maisky's tone just melts.

But then, there's the addition of the Schubert songs - and here's where this album is peerless.

I'd recommend this recording to anyone who loves cello music, Schubert or just frankly is looking for some new repertoire -- a wonderful gift for that classical music friend you don't know what to give.

Average customer rating:

A cult recording!

Fischer-Dieskau Sings Winterreise

Winterreise
Schubert , Fischer-Dieskau , and Moore
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006I0DH
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Tracks:

Gute Nacht
Die Wetterfahne
Gefror'ne Tranen
Erstarrung
Der Lindenbaum
Wasserflut
Auf Dem Flusse
Ruckblick
Irrlicht
Rast
Fruhlingstraum
Einsamkeit
Die Post
Der Greise Kopf
Die Krahe
Letzte Hoffnung
Im Dorfe
Der Sturmische Morgen
Tauschung
Der Wegweiser
Das Wirtshaus
Mut
Die Nebensonnen
Der Leiermann

Customer Reviews:

A cult recording!.......2007-03-23

It's only fair to concede that Schubert made of the Lied his major artistic contribution. Somehow Franz drew the unconscious curtain, that remained nestled during centuries in the German feeling. On the other the cultural environment was propitious, due the echoes of the Romantic voices still resounded in the world. To my view, the arousing of the Romanticism with such vigor was product of the final distillation of the French Revolution. With the arrival of a new audience, neither precisely illustrated nor involved in art, the Opera was a very pleasant substitute for entertaining, undoing you are an analphabet, you might enjoy the spectacle, that was an expanded reflect of the environment they lived.

So the Romanticism began to emerge as a logical answer of an artist confined by the noisy voices of the masses without the kind support of the ruling aristocracy that had been put in disbandment and confined to listen chamber music and symphonies inside the frontiers of their castles and palaces.

So these conditions allowed Schubert focused with major earnestness to this musical genre, that claimed to manifest itself, but that obviously needed of a genius like him to materialize itself without hindrances or deformations.

Schubert just made free use of models and forms of his musical predecessors. Himself a pathfinder, .he never followed the footsteps of his ancestors. So Schubert made a musical canvas that depicted with pristine eloquence the inner demons of the existential anguish, that easily may link with let' s say Gustav Mahler through his song of Earth or Kindertotenlieder.

That's in resume, the transcendental importance of these compositions that carve in relief the gestalt of those times.

Fischer-Dieskau Sings Winterreise.......2005-10-18

Schubert's song-cycle "Winter's Journey" is wrenching music that sings of rejection, loneliness, a broken heart. The cycle describes the rejection of a young man by his beloved, his wanderings, and his probably unsuccessful attempts to find solace or redemption. For most listeners, the work ends in despondency or madness. The work is the product of Schubert's last years and consists of a setting of 24 poems by Schubert's friend, Wilhelm Muller (1794 -- 1827) who, as did Schubert, died young. Schubert's friend, the poet Johann Mayrhofer wrote of his experience with Schubert and Winterreise:

"He [Schubert] had been seriously ill for a long time; he had depressing experiences, and life's rosy color had vanished; winter had come for him. The poet's irony, rooting itself in misery, appealed to him; he expressed it in cutting tones. I was seized with pain."

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau recorded Winterreise many times during the course of a long career. The performance on this CD dates from 1963 with Gerald Moore, Fisher-Dieskau's most frequent accompanist at the piano. The performance has been reissued as part of EMI's "Great Artists of the Century" series and sells at a modest price. It includes texts and translations of Mueller's poems, and this is important in hearing Schubert's music. Fischer-Dieskau and Moore offer an emotional performance. It is an outstanding choice for the new listener in getting to know Winterreise.

The songs in Winterreise are seemingly simple but contain great depth and complexity. The vocal line is sometimes melodic and lyrical but is more often than not declamatory, approaching the style of speech. The piano part is fused with, and frequently follows, the vocal line and adds immeasurably to the intensity of the music. Rhythmic patterns and accents change repeatedly in simple short songs which also shift, as I have suggested, between lyricism and declamation. Fischer-Dieskau's performance here is full of passion and drama, emphasizing, I think, the declamatory character of the work.

There are several different types of songs in Winterreise, and some I would like to mention as memorable in my listening. The opening song, "Good Night" opens with a repeated piano figure in the lower register, followed by a haunting four-stanza melody in which the protagonist leaves his home in the midst of night following his unsuccessful suit. It sets the stage for the entire cycle. The fifth song, "Der Lindenbaum" is perhaps the most famous single work of the cycle and, with its quivering piano figure and flowing melody, has become proverbial and a folk-song in Germany. There are two songs, the "Dream of Springtime" (no. 11) and "The Post" (no. 13) in which the protagonist temporarily sees a glimpse of hope, shown in simple melody, only to have it dashed. The song "In the Village" (no 17) is sometimes regarded as the climax of the work as the speaker contrasts his own unhappy state, as he wanders on his way with the peaceful lives of the residents of a small town.

There are several songs of deep and intense introspection, including "loneliness" (no. 12), "the hoary head" (no. 14), "last hope (no. 16), and "the tavern" (no 21). But for me the greatest moments of the cycle are those which capture the feeling of abject deterioration, disintegration, and madness, including the songs "the crow" (no. 15) and the two final songs, "phantom suns' (no 23) and "the organ-grinder (no. 24), In their free-form rhythmic and harmonic character and declamatory style, these songs reach emotional depths rare in music. They are also startingly modern.

There is room for endless exploration and listening in Winterreise, and many choices for lovers of this music. The new listener will be amply rewarded by Fischer-Dieskau and Moore in this classic performance.

Robin Friedman

The quotation from Mayrhofer, above, is taken from Arnold Feil's study, "Franz Schubert: The Lovely Miller Maiden; Winter Journey" p. 27. Feil's book explores in detail both of Schubert's great song-cycles.

Average customer rating:

An interesting recording with rare repertoire: Lieder with orchestra
Not a mere experiment.
lieder, not as it was mean to be...
An Intresting But Unsatisfying Experiment
A miracle indeed!

Schubert: Lieder with Orchestra

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00008MLUR
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Romanze, D 797 No.3b - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Die Forelle, D 550 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Ellens Zweiter Gesang, D 838 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Gretchen Am Spinnrade, D118 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
An Silvia, D 891 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Im Abendrot, D 799 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Nacht Un Traume, D 827 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Gruppe Aus Dem Tartarus, D 583 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Erlkonig, D 328 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Die Junge Nonne, D 828 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Tranenregen, D 795 No.10 - Thomas Quasthoff
Der Wegweiser, D 911 No.20 - Thomas Quasthoff
Du Bist Die Ruh, D 776 - Thomas Quasthoff
Ihr Bild, D 957 No.9 - Thomas Quasthoff
Prometheus, D 674 - Thomas Quasthoff
Memnon, D 541 - Thomas Quasthoff
An Schwager Kronos, D 369 - Thomas Quasthoff
An Die Musik, D 547 - Thomas Quasthoff
Erlkonig, D 328 - Thomas Quasthoff
Geheimes, D 719 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Standchen, D 957 No.4 - Thomas Quasthoff

Customer Reviews:

An interesting recording with rare repertoire: Lieder with orchestra.......2005-11-12

This is an excellent recording, and it is interesting with rare repertoire: Schubert lieder with orchestra instead of the usual piano part. There are lieder here sung by Anne Sofie von Otter (about 1/2 the program) and Thomas Quasthoff (the 2nd 1/2) with Claudio Abbado/Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Among the songs are orchestrations by Brahms, Reger, Britten, and other famous composers.

The orchestrations stand up very well, and highlight the text and vocal line of the music, as a good pianist would. Abbado is excellent here: responsive to every nuance and dynamic shading of the singer he is accompanying. These are live recordings from a Paris concert, but the audience is so quiet, I never hear them.

This was one of my favorite recordings in 2003, and still is today. I especially like "An Schwager Kronos" and "Erlking" in orchestral form. And, if you're not sure about Abbado's Schubert: his DG cycle of the Schubert Symphonies has not been well received in AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE and other publications, but have no fear in this release. Abbado is top notch here, and conducts with sensitivity and grace. Highest recommendation!

Not a mere experiment........2004-03-23

This recording isn't a mere experiment. It's the result of a very profound research. The first track is the beginning of this fascinating path: One orchestral lied by Schubert himself. And after this Lied from the "Rosamunde" the discoveries : Schubert orchestrated by Britten , Brahms , Reger, Berlioz, Liszt, Webern and Offenbach. The most interesting orchestrations are undoubtedly : Ellens Zweiter Gesang , that Brahms scored for Four Horns and Three bassoons, Erlkönig , that Berlioz transformed in a symphonic storm, and the four delicates orchestrations conceived by the 20 years old Anton Webern .
Not only the research is fascinating. The realization is also outstanding. Anne Sophie von Otter , one of the most important Lieder singer in the world. Her recordings of Strauss, Grieg, Berg, Brahms and Schubert with the excellent pianist Bengt Forsberg are among the most interesting lieder recording of the last 20 years .She sings these orchestral versions with the same sense of intimacy of a original (piano) version , with some interesting "orchestral" affinities in her emission, specially in Die Junge Nonne ( orchestrated by Liszt) and in Die Forelle ( orchestrated by Britten). Thomas Quasthoff has a more Symphonic approach . But he is capable of wonderful intimate sonorities in the four Webern Orchestrations. The Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Claudio Abbado are more than mere support for the voices. The intelligence of the conductor lead this fascinating research to a very high level of intensity , always with a flawless sense of musicality.

lieder, not as it was mean to be..........2003-12-19

Von Otter and Quasthoff are two of my favorite singers, and there is nothing to fault with their singing here. But the idea of taking lieder - songs that were meant for the parlor, for the intimate gathering, and to orchestrate them - I don't think it works. The songs lose some of their character, and become as it were, different music. An interesting experiment, but I'll take the piano..

An Intresting But Unsatisfying Experiment.......2003-05-13

I bought this CD because it was different. Having had recordings of Janet Baker singing most of these songs with Gerald Moore on piano, I thought an orchestrated version of these songs would seem novel. But after repeated listenings, I decided to sell it off to the used CD store.

Why? It's because I believe the orchestrations are bland and repetitive. Listening to this CD gave me insight into Schubert's lieder: these songs, I have come to realize, are INTIMATE interactions between singer and pianist. To expand them orchestrally, without structural revisions to the melody and the accompaniment, declares to the listener how truly petite Schubert's song material is.

The annotations on the CD mention that the lieder were orchestrated in the late 19th-early 20th century to meet the (then current) demand for orchestral songs (the form made popular by composers ranging from Brahms, to R. Strauss). That explains the existence of the orchestrations. But, in adapting Schubert's work, the orchestators (Brahms, Reger, Britten et al.) have very little material to colorate and expand. In the end, the results often sound, well...small and unconvincing. Even unsatisfying and unnecessary IMHO.

For ratings, I give this recording three stars for the musicians' performance and for Schubert's gift of melody and accompaniment. Take two stars off for the weak orchestrations and for the decision to record them.

Here's a thought: what if you reworked the songs themselves, enlarging them and entrusting them to the likes of John Harbison, John Adams, or even John Berry (or Hermann, Copland or Stravinsky, four--or Berlioz, Busoni, or Ravel, five--generations ago)? Now there's a novel thought...!

A miracle indeed!.......2003-05-10

At last a serious vocal project with orchestra from DG! I can't find enough praise. These Schubert songs orchestrated by various composers are not easy to come by and it was a stroke of genius to put them together on one disc and have them sung by two great Lieder singers. I only knew Berlioz's orchestration of the Erlkoenig (sung in French by Charles Panzera), here we get two: Berlioz's (sung by von Otter) and Reger's (sung by Quasthoff). All the orchestrations are little gems and it would be hard to single out the "greatest hits". I was quite impressed with Liszt's orchestration of "Die junge Nonne" which sounded to me very Berliozian (maybe even more than Berlioz's Erlkoenig).
Throughout the disc, von Otter sings with decidedly more operatic tone (often extremely dramatic) than Quasthoff. I won't pretend that I know what style is more appropriate for singing Lieder with orchestra but both von Otter's operatic approach and Quasthoff's more subdued one work very well here. Abbado's conducting must not be overlooked - it is beautifully nuanced and adds to the pleasure of listening to these miniatures.

It is a live concert from Paris, no applause is recorded even after the concert, before the two encores that end the disc, so they come 'unannounced' (although they are listed in the booklet on a separate page) and somehow break the structure of the recital which is divided into two parts, the first belonging to ASvO, the second to TQ. I found it a bit distracting but I am sure others would complain if the applause was recorded so this only proves how tricky it is to transfer live concerts and preserve the concert's structure and atmosphere on disc. But this is a minor problem here. This disc is a real gem and I wish DG made more recordings of this kind, using these two great artists instead of spending money on the useless and repetitive opera arias recitals from young and inexperienced singers that seem to be their priority nowadays.

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