Anne Sofie von Otter - Schubert Lieder (Ave Maria, Im Abendrot, Ständchen, etc.)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Forget the horrible cover photo, which features Anne Sofie von Otter in a blue bathrobe, looking as though she just woke up and needs to take a shower. This is a great Schubert song collection. It contains many Schubert essentials, including "Ave Maria," "An Silvia," "Suleika 1," "Viola," "Ständchen," and "Im Abendrot." Von Otter is an extraordinary singer, able to invest each song with an abundance of character and textual insight--but she knows the difference between the recital hall and the opera house, and she never becomes irritatingly histrionic, as so often happens when experienced opera singers take on song programs. She's also very ably accompanied by Bengt Forsberg, her usual partner, and his response to each song is as keenly individual as that of von Otter. A great introduction to the deeply absorbing world of Schubert's songs. --David Hurwitz

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.

Tracks:

Serenade
Sonntag, Op. 47 No.3
Elsk, Op. 67 No. 5
Meinem Kinde, Op. 37 No. 3
Gefasster Abschied, Op. 14 no. 4
Lust der Sturmnacht, Op. 35 No. 1
Dein Angesicht, Op. 127 No. 2
One Touch of Venus: I'm A Stranger Here Myself
Berlin im Licht
Vingar i natten
Skogen sover, Op. 28 No. 6
Lahore: Lahore: 'Un sapin isole se dresse'
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: 'La lune blanche luit dans les bois'
Der Wanderer an den Mond, D 870
An Silvia, D891
Il pianot di Maria: 'Giunta l'ora fatal' HWV 234: 'Se d'un Dio fui fatta Madre'
'Komm, liebe Zither' K. 351, 367
Don Giovanni: 'In quali eccessi' - 'Mi tradi', No. 21B: Accompanied Recitative And Aria
La Clemenza di Tito: 'Quello di Tito e il volto!', No. 18 Trio
L'Incoronazione di Poppea: 'A Dio Roma!, a Dio, patria! amici, a Dio!'
Ariodante: 'Tu, preparati a morire', Aria
Paride ed Elena: 'Oh, del mio dolce ardor': Aria
5 Lieder: Liebst du um Schonheit
Eugene Onegin: 'Kak ya lublyu pod zvuki pesen etikh' - 'Uzh kak po mostu, mostochku': Scene And Aria
La Cenerentolla: 'Nacqui all'affanno

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite recordings.......2005-10-01

This recording is sublime!!! This is a compilation of Anne Sofie von Otter's favorite pieces. She chose such diverse and lovely music. Her diction is incredible. Her expressive voice moved me to tears in "A dio Roma," by Monteverdi. Her Handelian arias were also wonderful. My favorites from this CD are: all of the German lieder pieces, "A dio Roma" (Monteverdi), "Un sapin isole' se dresse" (Lahore), "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" (Weill), "In quali eccessi...Mi tradi" (Mozart), and "Non piu mesta" (Rossini). She is such an amazing Lyric Mezzo soprano. I love her so much. I also reccomend the Mass in C minor with Anne Sofie von Otter and Kiri te Kanawa, Cosi fan tutte with Renee Fleming (Mozart), and Ariodante (Handel). I strongly advise anyone to purchase this recording!!!

Beautiful voice, beautiful music.......2005-09-10

Superior quality recording! Gorgeous vocal production and sound. Terrific choice of material. Top of the line recording.

Anne Sofie von Otter- The Artist's Album.......2005-08-06

Some of the songs are a little too obscure for me, but I like her singing. However, I like Renee Fleming's singing better.

A fantastic CD collection of arias!!.......2005-01-06

Anne Sofie Von Otter's mezzo voice is amazing!! Her selections of Handel's Ariodante and Rossini's La Cenerentola were amazing!! This CD is amazing and if you're a huge fan of Von Otter, you should get this CD!!

Amazing versatility and unparalleled emotion.......2004-02-09

OK, so I own almost everything she's done. I am particularly fond of songs/lieder and, having listened to a great number of both male and female song singers, I can find no singer in the same universe. The intelligence of her approach, the control of her vocal color and vibrato to match the notes and lyrics, the playfulness with which she approaches the music are without equal.
This is an interesting disc and I didn't buy it until recently since I already had a lot of it and prefer songs to arias. But it was quite a revelation. The Handel and Weill are wonderful. For something completely different, try the Delage "Lahore" Track 12. Eerie and beautiful.
If Track #11, Skogen Sover, doesn't make you cry you have no heart. It may be the most beautiful use of the human voice I've ever heard. Listen carefully to the way she changes vowel sounds in the word 'juninatt' throwing in the 'n' both times so you barely hear it and it doesn't disrupt the vowel color change. At the end, turn up the volume and listen to her fade out with no vibrato until she's barely audible, then add just a touch of vibrato as she finishes with the final 't' of 'juninatt'.
There may be better aria singers, with some voices better for some types of opera. But this woman's incredible versatility is well-reflected here and a delight to listen to. Even a Rossini at the end, gynmastics and all. Has there ever been a singer with a wider repertoire matched with such gorgeous emotion? Now, if we could only get the UK version of this disc, with more and different offerings, here on Amazon USA...
A great intro to this powerful, emotional singer. Take it as a starter and buy the full discs that have the tracks you like best. You'll be captivated and not disappointed.

Schubert: Lieder with Orchestra [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

Excellent Performances

Schubert: Lieder with Orchestra [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Mahler - Des Knaben Wunderhorn / von Otter, Quasthoff, Berlin Phil., Abbado
Schumann: Dichterliebe Op39; Liederkreis
Schubert: Winterreise
Beethoven Symphony No. 6 "Pastorale" / Walter, Columbia Symphony (SACD)
Bach: Cantatas/Thomas Quasthoff

ASIN: B0002GCWN0
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Performances.......2007-05-07

I heard this on the radio and was so impressed that I wrote the station to obtain the title and performers. On my own system the sound is magnificent and the interpretations are absolutely first rate.

Anne Sofie von Otter - Schubert Lieder (Ave Maria, Im Abendrot, Ständchen, etc.)

Average customer rating:

A great singer falling just shy of her best
Famous Schubert by a famous soprano.
hot stuff
Never judge a CD by its cover
Never judge a CD by its cover

Anne Sofie von Otter - Schubert Lieder (Ave Maria, Im Abendrot, Ständchen, etc.)
Franz Schubert , Anne Sofie von Otter , and Bengt Forsberg
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Otter, Anne Sophie von | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Anne Sofie von Otter - Schumann: Frauenliebe und -leben / Forsberg
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ASIN: B000001GYZ
Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

An Silvia
Geheimes
Suleika I
Dass die hier gewesen
Bei dir allein!
Heidenroeslein
Viola
Wonne der Wehmut
Im Fruehling
Erntelied
Staendchen
Der Juengling an der Quelle
Der Wanderer an den Mond
Waldesnacht
Abendstern
Im Abendrot
Totengraebers Heimweh
Ellens Gesang III

Amazon.com essential recording

Forget the horrible cover photo, which features Anne Sofie von Otter in a blue bathrobe, looking as though she just woke up and needs to take a shower. This is a great Schubert song collection. It contains many Schubert essentials, including "Ave Maria," "An Silvia," "Suleika 1," "Viola," "Ständchen," and "Im Abendrot." Von Otter is an extraordinary singer, able to invest each song with an abundance of character and textual insight--but she knows the difference between the recital hall and the opera house, and she never becomes irritatingly histrionic, as so often happens when experienced opera singers take on song programs. She's also very ably accompanied by Bengt Forsberg, her usual partner, and his response to each song is as keenly individual as that of von Otter. A great introduction to the deeply absorbing world of Schubert's songs. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A great singer falling just shy of her best.......2005-12-31

Lovers of Schubert lieder are as hard to please as grocery store cats. I can see someone agreeing with the Amazon reviewer's rave over Von Otter's Schubert, but I don't think Schubert is one of this singer's strong composers, compared to Brahms, Schumann, Mahler, and Richard Strauss. Von Otter has a tendency to apply the same phrasing time and again, swelling for expression and pressing hard on the fast beat in her voice.

It's a beautiful, flexible voice, of course, and she is a first-rate artist. But if you compare any of these famous songs to versions by Schwarzkopf, Janet Baker, or Kathleen Ferrier, their emotional dedication and poetic senssitivity is not quite matched. I don't feel that these songs matter enough to Von Otter. Her long-time accompanist, Bengt Forsberg, tends to be forward and aggressive too often. There's not a single song where I felt he was playing anything but an accompaniment, and that's not good enough in Schubert.

These reservations may stirke other listeners as asking for caviar. But why not? Schubert deserves sublime interpreters. Here we get an excellent one falling just short of the peak.

Famous Schubert by a famous soprano........2005-02-11

The only other recording of von Otter singing lieder I own is the oft-mentioned Schumann 'Frauenliebe'. I disagree with previous reviews that prefer the Schumann for two reasons: 1) von Otter's interpretations are more subtle and tasteful here and 2) Schumann's intentions are more difficult to convey. Here, the performers are perfectly matched to this music and von Otter's voice doesn't suddenly broaden with her distracting vibrato as it does in the Schumann album. Each of these Schubert songs are done tastefully, carefully, and beautifully. This is very clean singing/playing and though most of these songs are very well-known, this duo will undoubtedly reveal some interesting details even if you are a seasoned lieder-listener. The star performance of the set is 'Suleika I' with its ambiguous, enigmatic text perfectly sung and matched to the wonderful piano writing and playing. von Otter's intonation and attention to Schubert's sometimes quick changes between lyrical and motivic vocal writing make this music sound utterly natural.

If you're looking for highly idiosyncratic or exaggerated performances, you'll find these performances cold. If you're looking for the kind of dreamy Schubert of, say, 'Nacht und Traume', you may find the selections here rather straightforward. However, if you're looking for great Schubert singing that is true to the music, this recording is an excellent choice and you will listen to it many, many times.

hot stuff.......2003-07-17

Anne Sofie von Otter has got enough warmth in her voice to heat up your average german country house in December. Besides, one can actually understand the text! This and the absence of exaggerated pathos is enough to make this recording very special indeed.

Never judge a CD by its cover.......2000-11-21

I am told this CD was included in an online magazine's top 10 lousiest CD covers. I would urge anyone who loves great leider singing to venture beyond the (admittedly) drab cover.

There is something about a truly great mezzo that is at the same time uplifting and calming. As in previous recordings von Otter's vocal agility and evenness of tone make for a truly beautiful sound. She communicates the text of these leider with calmness and intelligence. "Standchen" is but one exemple of this artist's ability to forge dynamic contrast, and "Im Fruhling" contains some delicious pianissimi.

The disk owes much to the sensitive, colourful accompaniment of Bengt Forsberg, and to an excellent choice of material - it is a beautifully evenly-paced recital.

Shame about the cover...

Never judge a CD by its cover.......2000-11-21

I am told this CD was included in an online magazine's top 10 lousiest CD covers. I would urge any aesthete to venture beyond the (admittedly) drab cover.

There is something about a truly great mezzo that is at the same time uplifting and extremely relaxing. As in previous recordings von Otter's vocal agility and evenness of tone make for a truly beautiful sound.

"Standchen" exemplifies this artist's ability to forge dynamic contrast, and "Im Fruhling" contains some delicious pianissimi. I think though, that the disk owes much to an excellent choice of material - this is a beautifully evenly-paced recital.

Shame about the cover...

Music Review: