Die Schone Mullerin

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Ian Bostridge has long been associated with Schubert's songs and admired for his highly personal approach to them. This is his second recording of Die schöne Müllerin. He preserves the songs' original keys and his light, bright tenor is perfect for the young miller-journeyman who finds work but loses his heart. Wilhelm Müller wrote his poems for a popular domestic pastime, charades. His heading, "To be read in Winter," indicates their light-hearted nature. Schubert's music, however, gives this literary fluff emotional weight and intensity, taking the hero on an inward journey from naïve, carefree optimism through ecstasy and jealousy to suicidal despair. Composed in 1823, the year Schubert's syphilis was diagnosed, the Müllerin's downward spiral suggests a personal parallel to some commentators. In his program notes, Bostridge rejects this but explores other psychological connections and ambiguities in both the words and the music. This may account for a certain lack of spontaneity and simplicity in his singing: his exaggerated contrasts of dynamics, articulation, nuance and inflection, as well as his habit of delaying and swelling his vibrato, sound mannered and artificial. However, when he lets his voice flow out freely, it is glorious, radiant with transparent light. Mitsuko Uchida, herself a renowned Schubert interpreter, evokes an outer and inner landscape of bright and muted colors, murmuring brooks, turning mill-wheels, hopes, joys, sorrows, tears and death. --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.

Great Recordings Of The Century - Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin / Fischer-Dieskau, Moore

Average customer rating:

Mesmerizing and Exquisite
Fischer-Dieskau and Schubert: what do you expect?
Comment on Editorial Review
Schubert - Die Schone Mullerin - Fischer-Dieskau/Moore
A truly great performance

Great Recordings Of The Century - Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin / Fischer-Dieskau, Moore
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , and Gerald Moore
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B00000I7WB
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Der Dichter, Als Prolog
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Das Wandern
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Wohin?
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Halt!
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Danksagung An Den Bach
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Am Feierabend
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Der Neugierige
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Ungeduld
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Morgengruss
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Des Mullers Blumen
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Tranenregen
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Mein!
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Pause
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Mit Dem Grunen Lautenbande
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Der Jager
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Eifersucht Und Stolz
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Die Liebe Farbe
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Die Bose Farbe
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Trockne Blumen
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Der Muller Und Der Bach
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Des Baches Wiegenlied
Die Schone Mullerin (The Maid of the Mill): Epilog

Amazon.com essential recording

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has become an all-pervasive and increasingly mannered recording presence in the last few decades of his life. As a result, it takes an earlier, fresher recording such as this to remind you what a great singer he was. This 1961 outing with Schubert's second-greatest song cycle (the first being Winterreise) is consistently lively, straightforward, passionate, and sincere, almost completely devoid of the show-off trickery that mars many of his later efforts. Best of all, the voice has a supple richness that allows him to sound boyish at the start of this song cycle about a heartbroken youth, though he also has a vocal weight to go to the depths of tragedy as the protagonist experiences escalating devastation. Gerald Moore accompanies with his customary discreet intelligence. This recording has achieved classic status for good reason. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

Mesmerizing and Exquisite.......2007-03-30

I can't think of words other than those in my title to describe this recording. It's so lovely beyond words, truly. The singing and the accompaniment both perfection. The listener feels transported to the place and time, long past now, wherein the action of the story takes place. I suppose being able to understand the German may be necessary to get the full effect, but even if not, the liner notes are good. I'd say this is definitely a must-have CD for music lovers.

Fischer-Dieskau and Schubert: what do you expect?.......2004-07-05

The best, of course. And this recording is wonderful, as usual. I'm sort of getting bored writing reviews praising Fischer-Dieskau to the skies, but quite simply, any music lover needs to have this recording in his collection.

It's one of the great song-cycles, and it's Fischer-Dieskau at his best. And there's the typical Fischer-Dieskau attitude: to go with the flow of the song and the cycle.

DSM may not be as fulfilling or as incredibly moving as Die Winterreise, but it does have its Höhepunkts: the coming of the hunter, where Fischer-Dieskau, almost predictably, sounds noticeably irritated; in 'die böse Farbe', in which he sounds as weepy as we expect the miller to be; in 'Trockne Blumen', where he sounds as heartbroken as we expect the miller to sound.

As for DSM taken by itself, I have this to say to newcomers to Schubert: listen to this before you listen to Die Winterreise or Schwanengesang. It's more down to earth, more accessible. And this is by far the best baritone recording of DSM you can get out there.

Comment on Editorial Review.......2003-11-28

My view of this recording is summarised by the rating I give it.
I'm wrting to comment on the Editorial Review, which claims Fischer-Dieskau gave "mannered" accounts of the music he performed. This view is totally subjective... Some people feel that way, some people totally disagree... The performances surely have character, but don't take it for granted that this character gets in the way of the music. For me, it surely does *not*.

Schubert - Die Schone Mullerin - Fischer-Dieskau/Moore.......2002-02-11

Quite simply the perfect combination of singer and accompanist;
The greatest male singer of the 20th Century allied to the champion accompanist, recorded when Fischer-Dieskau was at his peak. I have it in every medium from plastic through cassetes and video to CD and it never disappoints. The cycle is the ultimate in contrasts, and more than any other, the separate songs stand on their own as well as part of a group. The spirit and integrity come through, even to the listener, like myself, whose knowledge of German extends little beyond "Danke Schone" and "Wunderbar", which are probably the only two phrases I need to espress my opinion of, and gratitude to, Fischer-Dieskau for the pleasure he has given down the years, always with unfailing taste.

A truly great performance.......2001-07-20

I had the pleasure of hearing Fischer-Dieskau live back in the 60s. This recording captures him at his peak. His interpretation of Schubert's masterpiece is brilliant. His enunciation is wonderful. You can really follow the lines of poetry as he sings. I caught myself unawares singing along with the CD (to the consternation of my wife). Even if you don't know German, you can easily find your place in the translation of the text. His musical technique is perfect. It's hard to praise this recording enough.

Average customer rating:

A "Regular People" Review
Epitome of Lieder singing
This elevates my mood!

Schubert: 24 Lieder
Franz Schubert , Elisabeth Schwarzkopf , Geoffrey Parsons , Gerald Moore , and Edwin Fischer
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001O3YCQ
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

Die Vogel
Liebhaber In Allen Gestalten
An Die Musik
Im Fruhling
Wehmut
Ganymed
Dans Lied Im Grunen
Gretchen Am Spinnrade
Nahe Des Geliebten
Die Junge Nonne
An Silvia
Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen
Nachtviolen
Der Musensohn
Litanei
Ungeduld
Heidenroslein
Der Jungling And Der Quelle
Der Einsame
Die Forelle
Liebe Schwarmt Auf Allen Wegen
Seligkeit
An Mein Klavier
Erlkonig

Customer Reviews:

A "Regular People" Review.......2007-02-17

In my opinion this is the most solid disc of Lieder I have heard. The music and the performance are great. I would definitely go for this if your new to Lieder and want to get your feet wet. And maybe next you'll want to try Brahms' Deutche Volkslieder, which I think takes a little more effort to get into, but is great none the less.

Epitome of Lieder singing.......2006-07-26

It really amazed me to learn from the booklet that Elisabeth Schwarzkopf was never totally confident in taking on the songs of Schubert, mostly due to the fact that a lot of them are simply based on poems with a man being the character. With her wonderful tone, fastidious attention to detail and the true German spirit, she would have been able to perform them much more extensively. Whatever the case, the 24 songs featured on this disc are a true delight from start to finish. The CD starts with the joyful atmosphere of the songs "Die Vogel" and "Liebhaber in allen Gestalten " which obviously were recorded very early on in Schwarzkopf's career, showcasing her in carefree, simple and amazingly fresh mood. Then comes the core of the CD-the classic recital with Edwin Fischer at the piano. Nothing really needs to be said here. Schwarzkopf shines throughout with beautiful tone, flawless diction. She may be mannered, yes, but she also does justice to the poetry like I never heard from anyone before, of course with the exception of Fischer-Dieskau. Edwin Fischer plays with taste, bringing out all the demanded atmosphere: from the serenity of Im Fruhling to the intensity of Die Junge Nonne. The sound is pretty old but the balance is perfect and both Schwarzkopf and Fischer are caught in a great day. The other items on the disc are recorded later on in Schwarzkopf's career, when her tone has darkened, thinned down a bit but always radiant and the fastidiousness and artistry even more significant; and Gerald Moore and Geoffrey Parsons are delightful pianists. The remaining songs include a high-spirited Die Forelle and Seligkeit, a wonderfully introspective Der Einsame and a moving and gorgeous An mein klavier (although she seems to miss a breath for a tiny fraction of a second at the beginning of the 2nd verse). The final "Erlkonig", one of her most favorite recordings, is a track that will knock you off your seat with its intensity. Parsons's playing is adequately intense, and Schwarzkopf's "mannerisms" which the Schwarzkopf bashers love to hate, are deadly powerful in pointing out all the 4 characters of the demanding lied. Be warned, the cry of "gewalt" by the end of the lied will cause your heart to miss one beat! Sound recording gets better throughout the CD, from acceptable mono of the first 2 songs to the crystal-clear stereo of the final items.
Highly recommended. Masterful singing from the queen of German lieder.

This elevates my mood! .......2005-09-08

Although i do not understand each word it sings, i m just happy to hear it till the last song finishes. I feel content.

A Window in Time: Rachmaninoff Performs His Solo Piano Works

Average customer rating:

Rachmaninoff is in the house!
Wonderful!!!
Where Does This Take us to?
The dead come alive
Truly Magnificent!

A Window in Time: Rachmaninoff Performs His Solo Piano Works
Sergey Rachmaninov , Sergei Rachmaninoff , and Wayne Stahnke
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000009RCS
Release Date: 1998-08-25

Tracks:

Prelude In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2
Lilacs, Op. 21, No. 5
The Flight Of The Bumblebee
Elegie, Op. 3, No. 1
Barcarolle, Op. 10, No. 3
Liebesfreud
Liebesleid
Melodie, Op. 3, No. 3
Etude-Tableau In B Minor, Op. 39, No. 4
Wohin?
Polichinelle, Op. 3, No. 4
Polka De V.R.
Prelude In G Minor, Op. 23, No. 5
Serenade, Op. 3, No. 5
Minuet
Hopak
Etude-Tableau In A Minor, Op. 39, No. 6
Humoresque Op. 10, No. 5
The Star-Spangled Banner

Amazon.com

This collection of Rachmaninoff's solo piano performances relies on a mix of old and new technologies. Between 1919 and 1929, Rachmaninoff cut these 19 performances to piano rolls, which would then be played back through reproducing pianos capable of accurately re-creating the original performances through pneumatic devices that animated the rolls with living nuances and shades--a facet that differentiated the classier reproduction keyboards from the more common "player pianos." This set updates the technology with electronic devices--transparently, though expertly, replacing the pneumatics. Played back on a Bösendorfer Reproducing Piano, this collection sounds astounding, full of Rachmaninoff's lickety-quick motion and his punching intensity when striking the keys. There are 18 Rachmaninoff selections--some of them collaborations--and one gem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," taken to new places in this 1919 reading. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Rachmaninoff is in the house!.......2007-02-08

Superb sound quality! This is not a remastered recording made back in the '50's. This is actually Rachmaninoff performing via a special, pressure-sensitive type player piano. It truly sounds like he was recorded live with our current technology. The accompanying booklet explains everything very clearly.

Rachmaninoff was not only an exceptional composer, he was also an exceptional (if that is a strong enough term) performer. This CD allows you to experience his performing abilities as though you were sitting with him today. Great CD for every collection, even if you only casually listen to classical music on a rare occasion.

Rachmaninoff Rocks!

Wonderful!!!.......2006-07-15

No, I'm not a kid. But I am quite the Rachmaninoff ethusiast;I own all his recordings, both acoustic/electric and piano roll. Before buying these discs (i.e. the two volumes of A Window In Time), I read the reviews here, and was a bit reluctant in purchasing them after having read the negative ones. They claim that "there is no music" in these cds, that the "performances" are uncharacteristic of Mr. Rachmaninoff. But after comparing these performances with those recorded centuries ago, they do indeed seem to be accurate. Though they were digitally transferred, the authenticity is still there. I actually wonder if the naysayers only bash this collection because of the fact that these rolls were converted in such a way, and because of this formed a harsh bias. The alternative to these recordings on Decca are nice sounding though the tempi are a bit off, as proven by the recordings of the master himself playing. This is especially evident in the G minor Prelude; the Decca version is simply too slow and simply unlike Rachmaninoff. The version here, however, sounds very much like his playing. Despite my praises, there are two flaws I find in AWIT.The first is the use of a Boesendorfer that at times sounds awkward,like in the ending of Elegy; personally I would have loved for these to have been somehow transferred onto a Steinway, and Rachmaninoff would agree with me, as he performed exclusively on Steinways. The second flaw is that, yes, that little bit of sponteneity found in the acoustic/electric recordings is missing, but of course neither anyone nor anything can reproduce Rachmaninoff's pianism in a flawless but Rachmaninoff himself. I strongly reccommend both volumes of "A Window in Time". Try not to let the negative reviewers sway you, decide for yourself.

Where Does This Take us to?.......2005-10-13

Wonderful music most brilliantly played, with no coughings or whatever. Many of them are celebrated pieces too. But I won't for a moment suggest any serious piano music lover to really compare it with Rachmaninov's RCA recordings even if you have the heavy hissings of the latter on the other side of the balance. You will probaly more fun if you could just concentrate on what this technology could achieve.

The dead come alive.......2005-01-14

This is the best reconstruction of historic playing you'll ever hear, in part because while Rachmaninoff is playing it's as if he were installed on a big Boesendorfer in your living room. Finally we hear why in his time R. was if anything a bigger name as performer than as composer. Wonderful music, with rich recorded sound, and the always-exquisite sound of the Boesendorfer.

Truly Magnificent!.......2004-07-19

I just got this CD and with some trepidations sat back and listened intently from start to finish. WOW!! I was hoping that the negative reviews about mechanical and robotic playing would not be too accurate. Well those reviews were utterly absurd, these are MAGNIFICENT recordings! To paraphrase the liner notes, we can thank our lucky stars that we live in a time that technology can bring us this close to the great Rachmaninoff! From some of the reviews one could think this is some sort of computer generated music, robotic and lifeless. Nothing could be further from the truth. The humanity, soul and beauty of the playing leaps out at you. We owe Mr. Stahnke a debt of gratitude for this labor of love. This is art restoration of a high order, not technological interference. To fault this incredible "remastering" of the orginal rolls is like faulting the new digital transfers of old analog tape. It is not "interfering" with original recordings, it is restoration. Purist debates and Bose versus Stein arguments are meaningless when hearing Rachmaninoff play with this level of clarity and beauty of sound. Just like digital transfer of classic films or "cleaning" of masterpiece paintings, this is technology being used to increase our experience of the original intent, not to alter it. I have ordered the second one as well and will purchase every single issue of old piano roll masters that is restored like this. Don't hesitate, these are truly magnificent recordings that will not disappoint. Five stars without reservation!

Average customer rating:

Magnificent
"Bjorling"
Frederick's Understatement.
Remastering is not perfect
THE ultimate singing voice

Jussi Björling Rediscovered
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Umberto Giordano , Georges Bizet , Jules Massenet , Edvard Grieg , Jean Sibelius , Carl Leopold Sjoberg , Pietro Mascagni , Francesco Paolo Tosti , Giacomo Puccini , Stephen Foster , Jussi Bjorling , and Frederick Schauwecker
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Binding: Audio CD

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Artists Of The Century - Jussi Bjorling, The Ultimate Collection
The "Pearl Fishers" Duet
Jussi Bjorling: Opera Arias
Jussi Björling: Opera Arias
Jussi Björling Edition: Studio Recordings 1930-1959

ASIN: B0000C0FB4
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Tracks:

Applause
Adelaide, Op. 46
Frulingsglaube, D686 (Op. 2 No. 2)
Die Forelle, D 550
Standchen, D957/Op. Posth. No. 4
Die Bose Farbe, D795/Op. 25 No. 17
Traum Durch Die Dammerung, Op. 29 No. 1
Cacilie, Op. 27 No. 2
Standchen, Op. 106 No. 1
Il Mio Tesoro
Amor Ti Vieta
Flower Song (From 'La Fleur Que Tu M'Avais Jetee')
Encore: The Dream 'Instant charmant; En Fermant Les Yeux'
The Swan, Op. 25 No. 2
The Dream, Op. 48 No. 6
Diamond On The March Snow, Op. 36 No. 6
Rushes, Whisper, Op. 36 No. 4
Black Roses, Op. 36 No. 1
Enocre: Visions
Addo Alla Madre
Encore: Ideale
E Lucevan Le Stelle
Encore: L'Alba Separa Della Luce Ombra
Encore: Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
Encore: 'Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio'
Encore: 'Che Gelida Manina'

Amazon.com

Before there were the Three Tenors there was Jussi Björling, the great Swedish tenor who died in 1960 at the age of 49. His bright, sunny tone had a slight, emotion-laden tear in it that conveyed feeling as well as, or more than, any number of sobs and effects that other tenors use. His Carnegie Hall recital of September 24, 1955 has long been available; in addition, this CD features nine never-before released selections from that recital which either did not fit on the original LP or were omitted for some other reason. He can sing at any dynamic level, the voice is always secure, and his taste and musicianship, as always, are impeccable. I doubt we'll ever hear Tosti's Ideale sung more tenderly or "Che gelida manina" sung with such poetic abandon; the newly discovered Grieg, Sibelius, and Sjoberg songs are sung with an opera singer's--rather than a Lieder singer's--style, but it's doubtful anyone will complain. Björling fans should race to hear this; for those who came to opera after his heyday (or during the reign of other tenors), this will be a stunning ear-opener. A must have. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent.......2005-09-02

Some years ago I met an elderly gentleman who'd served as a co-pilot on a B-24 bomber during WWII. During a raid on a North German site their aircraft was badly damaged and they were forced to crash-land it in Sweden. The shaken but uninjured crew was picked up by the Swedish authorities and immediately interred (Sweden being a neutral country). They were sent to a dreadful and notorious Swedish internment camp--the largest and lushest hotel in Stockholm--and given something of an expense account. It just happened to be the same hotel where Jussi Bjorling had his digs.

Through a variety of happenings, the vet ended up befriending Bjorling, who he described to me as "one hell of a nice guy" and they became drinking buddies. He and his fellow aviators had front row seats at any and all recitals and apparently became society figures in cultured Stockholm. To my wonder and astonishment, this old Regular Joe fellow, no opera fan before Sweden, told me he was the guy who taught Jussi Bjorling the song "Pistol Packin' Mama." Now wouldn't we all pay good money to have heard him sing that!!

There's nothing more terrific than a great voice attached to a great guy who'd sit and drink with downed aviators and happily learn their favorite pop songs. This disc of music is as wonderful as the guy who recorded it.

"Bjorling".......2005-01-05

In a word - superb. This brings to mind the review of Bjorling's RCA LP "Bjorling in Opera" by Stereo Review's critic George Jellinek, shortly after it's release in 1959, which he ended by saying "highly recommended, especially for other tenors".

Frederick's Understatement........2004-12-22

It was 50 years ago that I met and fell in love with
the accompanist at the voice studio where I studied
for love of singing (i.e., mine was a modest voice).
She in turn introduced me to some of the great singers
then active, or who came through, Chicago. And also, her
own teachers and colleagues, including Dr. Rudolf Ganz and
Frederick Schauwecker. One day, when the topic of melody
came up, Dr Ganz suggested that all piano students should
hear Jussi Bjoerling deliver legato melody. And when Lynn
asked Mr. Shauwecker, who little praised anyone, even a client,
how Jussi did on the trip they were just back from, she was
astonished to hear him grudgingly admit that "Jussi is singing
like an angel. It can't possibly continue at such a level, even
for him." It didn't. As we found out a couple of weeks later
when we heard this recital live, it didn't "continue", it got
better. At the time I found it the greatest listening experience
of my life. Today, 50 years later, it still is. Whatever vocal
records you have by anyone, this is better. There are no equals.
"Like an angel" is one of Frederick's understatements.

Remastering is not perfect.......2004-07-20

This CD is a recording of one Carnegie Hall recital on September 24, 1955. Many composers are represented, including Beethoven, Mozart, Bizet, Grieg and Sibelius to name a few. There is even a Stephen Foster - Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair. The accompanying literature has all the lyrics.

Jussi Bjorling is obvious a tenor in top form, but this recording forty years later omits the higher overtones of his voice. Nevertheless, this is a recording of the highest caliber that does justice to this talented man who died too young.

THE ultimate singing voice.......2004-05-22

This live concert cd contains some of the most fantastic singing ever by a human being and that goes both for the lyric and the dramatic repertoire. Why RCA have denied us this fabulous sound for all these years really beats me. I have long cherished Bjoerlings Troubadour recording with RCA, but compared to the Bjoerling sound on this cd, his Manrico sounds like a light Wiener Sänger. The sound on this cd is simply the most ravishing sound I have ever heard.

Average customer rating:

Perfect Music From an Angelic Voice
TRIBUTE TO A GREAT ARTIST

Marian Anderson

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Spirituals
Marian Anderson Rare and Unpublished Recordings, 1936 - 1952
Prima Voce - Marian Anderson / Shaw
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
Paul Robeson Live at Carnegie Hall

ASIN: B000003ES6
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

St. Matthew Passion: Erbarme dich
Messiah: He Shall Feed His Flock
Ave Maria
Liebesbotschaft
Wohin?
Death And The Maiden, D. 531
Stille Tranen (2 Gedichte, Op. 35: No. 10)
Der Nussbaum (Myrthen, Op. 25: No.3)
Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53 (After 'Harzreise im Winter')
Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer, Op. 105, No. 2
Morgen, Op. 27, No. 4
In The Silence Of The Secret Night, Op. 4, No. 3
Un Ballo In Maschera: Re dell'abisso affrettati
Go Down, Moses
Crucifixion
My Lord, What A Morning

Customer Reviews:

Perfect Music From an Angelic Voice.......2000-05-07

I can't add much to the superb review by lesismore26 (I give it five Stars! ) but I do have one disagreement. I LIKED the Ulrica aria. Yes, the voice is past its prime, but the artistry is very much there. In fact, the piece makes it clear that while her voice sounds perfect for her repertoire, it could have handled opera quite beautifully too. It's true that the pure, ethereal quality of her tone is DEFINITELY well suited to Baroque and Classical oratorio, and true that there simply aren't that many roles for contraltos. But it is also true that these reasons had NOTHING to do with why this particular contralto was not singing in opera houses. Another voice as dazzling as hers would have had composers creating roles tailored for them.

I wouldn't trade her spirituals and lieder, but I would have liked to hear her sing Erda, or Clytemnestra, maybe even Dalila (if you can imagine this Angelic persona in THAT role!)

TRIBUTE TO A GREAT ARTIST.......1999-12-22

Marian Anderson is remembered in too many instances for the wrong reasons: the first Afro-American artist to be engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in a leading role; the artist who sang the monumental concert at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 after being denied the use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution --- an action that sparked mass indignation and worldwide attention to the fact that the racial prejudice was alive and well in the United States; the artist who became a symbol of grace and dignity during the civil rights movement. While all of these things are true, they eclipse the simple fact that Marian Anderson's singularly individual and distinctive, and true contralto voice was one of the jewels of the musical century, and that her pursuasive powers as an interpreter of the lieder of Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, and Sibelius were the stuff of which legends are made. What is also overlooked is that the fabled voice was a long way past its prime at the time of that Metropolitan Opera debut in early 1955. The role was that of the witch Ulrica in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera"--- not a leading role, but a very important and pivotal one nonetheless ---- but by that time the voice had become dry, unsteady, frequently out-of-tune, and very "old" sounding. Anderson was already around 58 years old, and while her "debut" was historic from a social standpoint ----- it opened the doors for such future legends a Leontyne Price, Martina Arroyo, Shirley Verrett, Grace Bumbry ------ it was certainly not a great vocal milestone. It was simply too late for any sort of a career at the Metropolitan Opera, and though it was the blatant racial prejudices of the times that prevented Marian Anderson from singing on the opera stage during the years of her vocal prime, it would appear, as evidenced by her work on records (even by those made in her greatest years -- the 1930's and 1940's), that her temperment and vocal demeanor was far more suited to the concert and recital platforms, and it was in this milieu that Marian Anderson lavishly demonstrated her true genius. To begin with, the excerpts on this recording from Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" didn't need to be included for the reasons cited above: they were recorded immediately after the Met debut in 1955 and the voice is in the condition one would have expected. The rest of the contents were recorded during the artist's vocal prime much earlier. Virtually all of the Schubert selectionsare beautifully done, especially the "Ave Maria", which became Anderson's trademark. The "Liebesbotshaft" (from "Schwanengesang) and "Wohin" (from "Die Schone Mullerin") show the voice at its most fluid, as do all of the items by Schumann. The Brahms "Alto Rhapsody", another Anderson speciality, haunting in its desolation and feelings of isolation, helped in no small part by Anderson's deep purple contralto tones. Selections by Richard Strauss (a beautifully realized rendition of "Morgen") and Rachmaninoff round off the lieder portion of the recording. Bach's "Erbarme dich" (with orchestral accompanyment) is one of the most beautiful ever recorded, and Handel's "He Shall Feed His Flock" illustrates vividly just how how much this music needs a true contralto voice. In this age of pushed-up and pulled-down mezzo-sopranos, it is a revelation to hear what this type of voice accomplish in all of this music. If you want to become acquainted with one of the greatest vocal phenomenons of this century, this superb RCA Victor mid-priced recording is an excellent place to start.

Average customer rating:

A Major Document of an Incredible Oeuvre...

Schubert: Lieder

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Schubert: The Piano Sonatas
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas
The Schubert Song Companion
Schubert: Schwanengesang; 4 Lieder
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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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Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]
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Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set]

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.)

Average customer rating:

One of the most remarkable pianists on the stage!
Does Schubert need to be this delicate and restrained?
Volodos' true métier
The Schubert you have been waiting for...
Thoroughly modern Schubert

Schubert: Solo Piano Works
Arcadi Volodos , and Franz Schubert
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3/ Solo Piano Works

ASIN: B00005Y1N1
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

Sonata In E Major for Piano unfinished: Allegro ma non troppo
Sonata In E Major for Piano unfinished: Andante
Sonata In E Major for Piano unfinished: Menuetto. Allegro vivace-Trio
Sonata In G Major For Piano: Molto moderato e cantabile
Sonata In G Major For Piano: Andante
Sonata In G Major For Piano: Menuetto. Allegro moderato-Trio
Sonata In G Major For Piano: Allegretto
Der Muller und der Bach

Amazon.com

Arcadi Volodos's reputation has been based on fire-eating virtuoso material, but he brings wit, poetry, and depth to this unexpected but very welcome foray into Schubert. All three attributes are prominently displayed in Schubert's first, unfinished Piano Sonata, on which Volodos plays the first movement melody with disarming lyricism and sets it off against the bolder, Beethovenian contrasting passages, which are done with a big, full-bodied tone and slashing accents. A highlight is the gently sung andante movement. The main work is the big G Major Sonata, a mature masterpiece. Volodos floats the opening, its tentative measured tread apparently materializing out of thin air--a nice touch. When Schubert morphs that strange melodic fragment into a theme poised between hesitant withdrawal and urgent poetry, Volodos responds with tremendous feeling. He's as effective in the jagged, stabbing forte restatement of the theme, varying tonal color and dynamics to great effect. The encorelike filler, Liszt's arrangement of Schubert's song Der Müller und der Bach, is done with flowing grace. Throughout, Volodos brings personal touches to these works that clearly reflect his affection for Schubert's great keyboard works. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

One of the most remarkable pianists on the stage!.......2006-05-07

Arkadi Volodos is in the actual moments one of the supreme masters of the keyboard. His admirable interpretative eloquence, admirable temperament, limpid phrasing, passionate lyricism and steeled fingering makes of him one of the best gifted pianists of his generation.

For all those who had had the honored privilege to watch him in live (I am not among them) and for the rest of us, who only have heard him thanks to the Digital Technology, it is a very good new to know about him, because in spite of the fact of the impressive number of new soloists in the market, Volodos has been one of the few who positively has impressed me.

I hope for him new musical achievements.

Does Schubert need to be this delicate and restrained?.......2006-04-25

I think the Amazon reviewer has described accurately all the virtues of Volodos' playing. His Schubert is flowing, thoughtful, and finely shaded. Volodos joins the refined ranks of Schubertians who tread poetically through his piano sonatas, and unlike Mitsuko Uchida and Radu Lupu, one can't accuse Volodos of being overly self-conscious or precious. Delicacy and restraint belong to him naturally, which is rare in his species of barnstorming virtuoso.

Still, I was fairly bored the whole way through, because to my ears Schubert shouldn't sound this delicate. He isn't a trembling violet in the woods. I much prefer Richter's direct attack and Schanbel's forthrightness. Much as I admire Volodos for his gifts, not the least of which is his natural way with a lyrical line, this CD left me cold too much of the time.

Volodos' true métier.......2005-04-04

This disc should convince even some die-hards that Arcadi Volodos can play with more subtlety than a Mack truck. For anyone who doesn't have that preconception, it should be delightful.

As much as he tried, Horowitz could never play Schubert convincingly. Volodos takes to it as though born to it, and perhaps he was. Raised in a family of singers and trained as such before turning to the keyboard, Volodos plays these two sonatas not only persuasively, but as though he has had a long an intimate association with their composer's writing - which of course he has.

He also captures something most pianists, recently, have missed in Schubert's music - a singing line and cantabile that continually run through the Austrian's oeuvre. Essentially, Schubert was incapable of writing anything that wasn't a song without words - both a blessing and a bane for the composer that grew as his days on the planet shortened. Like Schubert, Volodos cannot escape from playing as though he is singing at the keyboard, not just in his legato but also in phrasing, inflection, and subtle, flowing gradations of color and shadow. This is not blessing and curse, though. This is pure rapture from beginning to end.

The Schubert you have been waiting for..........2004-01-25

This, indeed, is an incomparable Schubert recording. While I was skeptical of Volodos' reading of these works given my disappointment with his interpretation of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #3, I decided to give him another chance. I'm happy I did! The Schubert here is so ethereal...Volodos convincingly takes us into Schubert's world. Recording quality is superb as well. If you suffer from road rage, pop this CD into your car's stereo system, and you'll soon forget about those nutty drivers out there! On a serious note, you won't find a better version of these works on disc. You can't go wrong with this one. Play on, Mr. Volodos.

Thoroughly modern Schubert.......2002-11-28

This young pianist, Russian born resident in Spain, has enjoyed phenomenal success in a relatively brief time span. A starburst debut saw him performing the most outrageous series of transcriptions, including his own "transcribed" transcriptions written and performed by Horowitz, which most of us thought had died with the late Vladimir. Volodos' technique is the genuine article; pinpoint precision, superb warm sound, wonderfully rock solid musical instinct, tremendous power, pearly pianissimi, and a natural sense of rhythm.

That was super but it was a studio recording. It was followed by Rachmaninov's third concerto which showed the same technical resources but wasn't quite the world beater we might have expected, although it is a fine performance. Divine Schumann followed in a live recording of his debut in Carnegie Hall. That was surrounded by further majestic recordings of the Russian romantic tradition, Rachmaninov and Scriabin as well as more of his Horowitz transcriptions.

And now....this!! Anyone taking on these Schubert sonatas is brave indeed. The sheer intellect required to tame those enormous musical passages and to unravel the seemingly endless and, in some hands, repetitive phrases, is immense. There have been revelatory readings of these magnificent works from Richter, Brendel and others, Richter in particular was excrutiatingly intense in the opening movement of the G major work. Check out the snipets of his performance on the Richter the Enigma, the excellent documentary by Bruno Monsaignon.

As far as I am concerned, Volodos tops them all with some miraculous piano playing that this time confirms his claim to greatness. As piano playing purely, it is wonderful in itself. This man's innate musicality is aligned to one of the most flexible and fluid techniques ever. That technique is placed entirely at the service of the music and one is thoroughly absorbed by the massive structures not bewildered by them. All is laid bare with a translucency that is never clinical or sanitised.

Every movement unfolds in a way that makes you realise once again or for the first time that Schubert's lyrical inventiveness was not just to be found in his songs. For many, I can imagine that this disc will be revelation in terms of being introduced to Schubert's major piano works. The G major is on a par with the last three great sonatas written in the year of his untimely death. Next stop from here is surely those last three. The opening of the G major sonata is one of the most haunting moments in music and Volodos conveys the space around the music and allows the music to breath naturally.

The sonatas are obviously the main issue here, but the Liszt arrangement is also superb. The sureness of Volodos' touch and the perfection of his conrol of musical line and part playing within all of the muscal textures is simply fabulous and again never self-serving or idiosyncratic.

Tracks:

Sonata For Arpeggione And Piano In A Minor D 821: Allegro moderato
Sonata For Arpeggione And Piano In A Minor D