Beethoven: Songs / Genz, Vignoles

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This disc contains 23 of Beethoven's 88 original songs (as opposed to folksong arrangements, etc.), including the beautiful cycle An die ferne Geliebte, the six Gellert Lieder (Op. 48), and 11 others. Beethoven's songs are more similar to those of Schubert (as character studies, with involved accompaniments) than to the usually strophic melodies of Mozart and Haydn. The cycle, in particular, offers shared materials among the songs and a return to the opening materials at the end, a procedure adopted by future composers (for example, Schumann in his Dichterliebe). The main problem, and perhaps the reason Beethoven is not considered a great song composer, is that his melodies, beautiful as they are, seem to be generated in instrumental thought rather than vocally conceived. Hence, successful performances require a close and equal collaboration between singer and pianist, which Genz and Vignoles offer here with much panache. Excellent recorded sound. --Paul Turok

Tracks:

An die Hoffnung Op. 94
Maigesang (Mailied) Op. 52 No. 4
Adelaide Op. 46
Der Liebende WoO 139
Klage WoO 113
Neue Liebe, neues Leben Op. 75 No. 2
Sechs Lieber von Gellert Op. 48: Bitten
Sechs Lieder von Gellert Op. 48: Die Liebe des Nachsten
Sechs Lieder von Gellert Op. 48: Vom Tode
Sechs Lieder von Gellert Op. 48: Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur
Sechs Lieder von Gellert Op. 48: Gottes Macht und Vorsehung
Sechs Lieder von Gellert Op. 48: Busslied
Aus Goethes Faust Op. 75 No. 3
Wonne der Wehmut Op. 83 No. 1
Sehnsucht Op. 83 No. 2
Das Liedchen von der Ruhe Op. 52 No. 3
An die Geliebte WoO 140
An die ferne Geliebte Op. 98

Amazon.com

This disc contains 23 of Beethoven's 88 original songs (as opposed to folksong arrangements, etc.), including the beautiful cycle An die ferne Geliebte, the six Gellert Lieder (Op. 48), and 11 others. Beethoven's songs are more similar to those of Schubert (as character studies, with involved accompaniments) than to the usually strophic melodies of Mozart and Haydn. The cycle, in particular, offers shared materials among the songs and a return to the opening materials at the end, a procedure adopted by future composers (for example, Schumann in his Dichterliebe). The main problem, and perhaps the reason Beethoven is not considered a great song composer, is that his melodies, beautiful as they are, seem to be generated in instrumental thought rather than vocally conceived. Hence, successful performances require a close and equal collaboration between singer and pianist, which Genz and Vignoles offer here with much panache. Excellent recorded sound. --Paul Turok

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven Lieder.......2007-04-13

This outstanding CD of Beethoven songs was initially released in 1999 and won a Gramophone Award. The performers are baritone Stephan Genz, a young German singer who has studied with Fischer-Dieskau and British pianist Roger Vignoles. Genz has a rich, mellow voice and the collaboration between singer and pianist is close and beautiful.

Although Beethoven's songs have received some attention on disk, they remain the least-known part of his output. Beethoven composed over 80 songs, in addition to his folk-song arrangements, dating from all stages of his career. They are among the most deeply-felt portions of his output.

Beethoven's songs generally have two main themes. First, the songs are largely pastorale in character. The lyrics are full of nature imagery and suggest that a good human life is one lived close and in accordance with the simplicity of nature. (In his instrumental work, the "Pastorale" symphony is Beethoven's most famous composition that exemplifies this theme.) Second, the songs address intimate love relationships. In particular, they sing of lost and distant love, and it is tempting to see many of these songs as based on Beethoven's own personal experience.

Both the pastorale theme and the distant love theme are central to Beethoven's great song-cycle "An die Ferne Geliebte" (to the distant beloved), opus 98. This cycle is the highlight of this CD, as it must be of any performance of Beethoven songs. Beethoven composed this cycle in 1816 to poetry by Alois Jeittles, a young Jewish medical student and friend.The lyrics were apparently written at Beethoven's direction as they have no existence apart from the setting in this cycle.

The work consists of six connected songs in which Beethoven celebrates his distant love and the continuation of his feelings in memory and in creativity. The cycle is set against a highly pastorale backround of nature imagery. The last song in the cycle repeats the opening theme of the first song in a moment of great intensity:

"For before these songs yields,
What separates us so far,
And a loving heart reaches
For what a loving heart has consecrated"

This is deeply intense music, the most personal, intimate, and romantic that Beethoven composed.

The disc also includes a related short song, "An die Geliebte"
WoO 140. Beethoven made a gift of the text of this song to Antonie Brentano. Much recent scholarship identifies Antonie Brentano as the subject of Beethoven's letter to his "Immortal Beloved" -- the great and final attempted love affair of Beethoven's life. This short song, and the song cycle, show the intimate character of the feelings that Beethoven poured into his songs.

There are many other excellent songs well-performed on this disk.The CD includes a song dating from the same period as the song-cycle, "An die Hoffnung" (to hope) opus 94. This is a long thorough-composed songs, with both declamatory and lyrical portions in which Beethoven shapes his musical line closely to the poetic text. There is an earlier version of this song, opus 32, not included on this CD.

The other major collection included on this CD is the "Gellert songs" opus 48, a series of songs on religious themes. The performance on this CD expands the scope of the songs by including verses from Gellert's poems that Beethoven did not choose to set. The best-known of these songs is the fourth, "God's Glory in Nature" although the final and longest song, "Song of Penitence" is the most intense.

Beethoven wrote several songs in a lighter, more lyrical vein, and they are represented here by songs such as "Maigesang" opus 52 no. 4, "New Love, New Life", opus 75 No. 2, and the "Song of the flea" from Goethe's Faust, opus 75 no. 3.

Finally, the disk includes Beethoven's early song "Adelaide", opus 46. This song was highly popular during Beethoven's lifetime and it was performed with Beethoven at the piano for the dignitaries assembled at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The song is sentimental in character and includes virtuosic piano writing in its final two verses. It remains endearing.

This disc includes text and translations of each of the songs together with unusually informative and critical program notes.
This is rare music which will bring joy to any lover of Beethoven or lover of song.

Robin Friedman

Worth more than 5 stars.......2004-04-07

Rarely does a new talent explode on the lieder world with the momentum of Stephan Genz. This German, trained by Hartmut Holl, Fischer-Dieskau and Schwarzkopf, has the pedigree to become the very best of this genre. On the basis of this CD and his world-wide appearances, he is living up to that label. Genz combines interpretive ability with a liquid chocolate tone, extraordinatry breath control and the combination of finesse and enough power to fill any performing venue. With pianist Vignoles, they swept away almost every Beethoven lieder record ever made with this CD. Gramophone gave him the best lieder performance of the year for this. The magazine should have given him best CD of the decade, for until Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's Bach record came along, he was the talk of the classical singing world. Genz capitalized on acclaim from this record with a world-wide concert tour. I saw him and his CD collaborator, Roger Vignoles, perform Beethoven's "An die ferne Geliebte" along with Haydn, Wolf and Schumann lieder in Ann Arbor in January 2002. The pair put on quite a show in the 535-seat Mendelssohn Theatre on the University of Michigan campus on a mild winter night, wowing the audience with Beethoven and Schubert's "An Schwager Kronos" in the first half, then blowing the lid off the theatre after intermission with Wolf and Schumann Heine lieder including "Tragedy". Unlike his brother, tenor Christoph, Stephan has yet to go into the studio and come out with a Haydn CD. He also has eschewed Schubert through early 2004. The brothers released a CD of Mozart arias conducted by Sigiswald Kuijken to some acclaim (see my review at Amazon). If you haven't heard that, this CD or the Wolf lieder by Stephan Genz, buy this CD and understand what the shouting is about.

A fine young Lieder singer worth hearing more than once........2001-08-20

I first heard German baritone Stephan Genz in a live performance of Schubert's "Winterreise" when he was just 24 years old. Now aged 28, he's one of the few promising young singers who seems to be better every time I hear him. This recording of Lieder by Beethoven includes an extremely fine performance of Beethoven's jewel of a song cycle "An die ferne Geliebte," as well as first rate performances of some of the Goethe Lieder (such as "Wonne der Wehmut"). Genz has a light, bright baritone voice, something along the lines of Fischer-Dieskau. His technique is excellent and he is an admirable interpreter, as well. Although he is not as well known as Matthias Goerne or Thomas Quasthoff, I prefer him to both. (He's better looking, too. (-: ) All of his recordings are good, and this one is among the best. And if you can find a copy of his Schumann Heine-Lieder recording on Claves with pianist Claar ter Horst, buy that, too!

Average customer rating:

Beethoven Lieder

Beethoven Songs

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000CDVR3
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven Lieder.......2004-04-02

This outstanding CD of Beethoven songs was initially released in 1999 and won a Gramophone Award. It has been reissued in a "Special Limited Edition" at a mid-level price. The performers are baritone Stephan Genz, a young German singer who has studied with Fischer-Dieskau and British pianist Roger Vignoles. Genz has a rich, mellow voice and the collaboration between singer and pianist is close and beautiful.

Although Beethoven's songs have received some attention on disk, they remain the least-known part of his output. Beethoven composed over 80 songs, in addition to his folk-song arrangements, dating from all stages of his career. They are among the most deeply-felt portions of his output.

Beethoven's songs generally have two main themes. First, the songs are largely pastorale in character. The lyrics are full of nature imagery and suggest that a good human life is one lived close and in accordance with the simplicity of nature. (In his instrumental work, the "Pastorale" symphony is Beethoven's most famous composition that exemplifies this theme.) Second, the songs address intimate love relationships. In particular, they sing of lost and distant love, and it is tempting to see many of these songs as based on Beethoven's own personal experience.

Both the pastorale theme and the distant love theme are central to Beethoven's great song-cycle "An die Ferne Geliebte" (to the distant beloved), opus 98. This cycle is the highlight of this CD, as it must be of any performance of Beethoven songs. Beethoven composed this cycle in 1816 to poetry by Alois Jeittles, a young Jewish medical student and friend.The lyrics were apparently written at Beethoven's direction as they have no existence apart from the setting in this cycle.

The work consists of six connected songs in which Beethoven celebrates his distant love and the continuation of his feelings in memory and in creativity. The cycle is set against a highly pastorale backround of nature imagery. The last song in the cycle repeats the opening theme of the first song in a moment of great intensity:

"For before these songs yields,
What separates us so far,
And a loving heart reaches
For what a loving heart has consecrated"

This is deeply intense music, the most personal, intimate, and romantic that Beethoven composed.

The disc also includes a related short song, "An die Geliebte"
WoO 140. Beethoven made a gift of the text of this song to Antonie Brentano. Much recent scholarship identifies Antonie Brentano as the subject of Beethoven's letter to his "Immortal Beloved" -- the great and final attempted love affair of Beethoven's life. This short song, and the song cycle, show the intimate character of the feelings that Beethoven poured into his songs.

There are many other excellent songs well-performed on this disk.The CD includes a song dating from the same period as the song-cycle, "An die Hoffnung" (to hope) opus 94. This is a long thorough-composed songs, with both declamatory and lyrical portions in which Beethoven shapes his musical line closely to the poetic text. There is an earlier version of this song, opus 32, not included on this CD.

The other major collection included on this CD is the "Gellert songs" opus 48, a series of songs on religious themes. The performance on this CD expands the scope of the songs by including verses from Gellert's poems that Beethoven did not choose to set. The best-known of these songs is the fourth, "God's Glory in Nature" although the final and longest song, "Song of Penitence" is the most intense.

Beethoven wrote several songs in a lighter, more lyrical vein, and they are represented here by songs such as "Maigesang" opus 52 no. 4, "New Love, New Life", opus 75 No. 2, and the "Song of the flea" from Goethe's Faust, opus 75 no. 3.

Finally, the disk includes Beethoven's early song "Adelaide", opus 46. This song was highly popular during Beethoven's lifetime and it was performed with Beethoven at the piano for the dignitaries assembled at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The song is sentimental in character and includes virtuosic piano writing in its final two verses. It remains endearing.

This disc includes text and translations of each of the songs together with unusually informative and critical program notes.
This is rare music which will bring joy to any lover of Beethoven or lover of song.

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