Schubert: An den Mond (Chants nocturnes)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Baritone Dietrich Henschel is admired as much for his opera performances as for his concert work, but his greatest strengths are revealed in the German lied. His voice is trumpet-like on high notes yet velvety smooth in the middle. More important, he makes his interpretive points through phrasing and by subtly coloring the voice, without the excessive underlining and word-painting so common among his peers. In Romantic German songs he skillfully projects the drama of the poetic narratives--here predominately grim tales either directly or metaphorically concerned with love (usually unrequited), courage, and death. The 20 songs on this disc encompass many familiar items, but also several that don't often turn up in recitals. In a song like Meeres Stille, Henschel sustains the mood of awe at the sea’s all-encompassing, death-like stillness, but he's also effective in the more martial celebration of life’s struggles in Lebensmut. Pianist Helmut Deutsch is a distinct asset in these songs, an equal partner as envisioned by Schubert, whether portraying the galloping horse in Auf der Bruck or playing the telling postludes that comment on the songs. --Dan Davis

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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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.)

Excellence: The Artistry of Karita Mattila

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Soaring Lyric Soprano at Her Best in Diverse Compilation

Excellence: The Artistry of Karita Mattila

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wild Rose
Karita Mattila ~ Strauss - Four Last Songs · Orchestral Songs / Berlin Phil. · Abbado

ASIN: B0002MPQKK
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

Dedication
The Nut Tree
You Are Like A Flower
My Love Is In Bloom
Vain Serenade
The Path To The Beloved
When The Sun Shines
Miriam's Song I
Miriam's Song II
Morning Song
Autumn Mood
To Evening
Did I Just Dream?
The First Kiss
The Tryst
Black Roses
Hail Mary
Song To The Moon
Return, Victorious!
I Have Live For Art
Csardas
Somewhere
I Could Have Danced All Night

Customer Reviews:

Soaring Lyric Soprano at Her Best in Diverse Compilation.......2005-05-08

I was fortunate enough to see the magnificent soprano Karita Mattila perform the title role in Janácek's "Kát'a Kabanová" at the Metropolitan Opera last December. A striking blonde and a charismatic presence onstage, she lifted me from my upper balcony seat by the sheer volume of her voice. As this best-of compilation proves, Mattila is an accomplished singer who knows how to wrap her voice around the most challenging of measures and still display a rare communicative gift to all who listen. This wide-ranging collection (recorded from 1995 to 2001) shows how she effectively uses the timbre of her voice to gauge the emotional terrain of a song. It's a testament of her interpretive artistry that you never hear her reaching for an unnecessary flourish.

Mattila's versatility within the Romantic movement is showcased to strong advantage in the Schumann and Brahms selections, where she handles the delicacy of the melodies with lovely economy. Then there are a series of pieces by master composers from her homeland, Finland - Oskar Merikanto, Erkki Melartin, Toivo Kuula and the most famous, Jean Sibelius. It helps that so many of these selections invoke the haunting, desolate beauty of Nordic landscapes, which are ideally infused by the cool radiance of her vocal tone. Especially in the Sibelius sections, you hear how Mattila captures his very powerful modal implications drawn out over a number of notes. Ilmo Ranta accompanies on piano with immaculate skill on all the Romantic and Finnish selections.

From that point, the disc goes into more familiar programming starting with a lovely version of Schubert's "Ave Maria" and an ethereal performance of Dvorak's "Song to the Moon" from "Rusalka" with a rich string accompaniment. More dramatic interpretations follow with her one-two punch of Italian arias: a rousing "Ritorna vincitor" from Verdi's "Aida" and the bitter melancholy she expresses in Puccini's "Vissi d'Arte" from "Tosca". For all intents and purposes, the disc should have ended with the high-flying dramatic runs she displays in her impressive live performance of Strauss' "Klänge der Heimat" from "Die Fledermaus". Jukka-Pekka Saraste masterfully conducts the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra on all these selections.

Alas, the last two tracks highlight Mattila's ability to crossover to Tin Pan Alley. It's arguable as to whether their inclusion is necessary - a harp-introduced rendition of "Somewhere" from Bernstein and Sondheim's "West Side Story", which she sings with thankfully elegant simplicity, and more frustratingly, a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed version of "I Could Have Danced All Night" from Lerner and Lowe's "My Fair Lady", where her Finnish accent betrays her only when she enunciates "dance" with the roundest of o's. Regardless, Mattila is a lyric soprano with powers of expansive generosity, a mature and warm tone in the middle register, and an upper register that effortlessly releases the excitement of an emotional climax. Even with the Broadway tunes, she displays a sophisticated gift for phrasing. Strongly recommended.

Matthias Goerne ~ Schubert Lieder - Goethe -

Average customer rating:

Wonderful lyricism--with all its pitfalls
Three Masters
Matthias Goerne - Schubert
This is a fantastic version of Schubert's Goethe lieder.

Matthias Goerne ~ Schubert Lieder - Goethe -
Franz Schubert , Matthias Görne , and Andreas Haefliger
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Schumann: Liederkreis, Op. 39; 12 Gedichte, Op. 35

ASIN: B0000041LC
Release Date: 1997-08-12

Tracks:

Lieder: An den Mond, D 259
Lieder: Versunken, D 715
Lieder: N des Geliebten, D 162
Lieder: An Schwager Kronos, D 369
Lieder: I: Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt, D 478
Lieder: II: Wer nie sein Brot mit Trn a D 479
Lieder: III: An die Till ich schleichen, D 480
Lieder: An den Mond, D 296
Lieder: Erlk, D 328
Lieder: Schrs Klagelied, D 121
Lieder: Auf dem See, D 543
Lieder: Heidenrin, D 257
Lieder: Meeres Stille, D216
Lieder: Ganymed, D 544
Lieder: Prometheus, D 674
Lieder: An Mignon, D 161
Lieder: Der Musensohn, D 764
Lieder: Wandrers Nachtlied, D 224
Lieder: Der Fischer, D 225
Lieder: Nachtgesang, D 138
Lieder: Rastlose Liebe, D 138
Lieder: Erster Verlust, D 226

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful lyricism--with all its pitfalls.......2005-09-24

In a series of reviews here I seem to be dogging Goerne's trail, complaining that you can't just be lyrical in German Lieder singing; it calls for deep commitment, drama, diversity of emotion, and attack to go along with the beautiful line. This is like the old argument between Callas and Tebaldi in opera, and I guess the divide is permanent. On this CD both Haefliger and Goerne seem to wander without firm rhythms or much dramatic purpose. The voice is constantly in legato mode, and one song sounds much the same as another. I own a lot of Callas and no Tebaldi, and likewise I have thrown out every Goerne CD I've bought while retaining Terfel, Quasthoff, and Hampson, to name three contemporary baritones--all of thwm have more to offer in this repertory.

Three Masters.......2001-03-06

This is a masterful rendition of some twenty poems by Goethe (1749-1832), which Schubert (1797-1828) set to music. It was a blessed event of world literature and music when two geniuses, who never met in person but met in spirit, produced some eighty Lieder of incomparable poetic beauty. If now, some two hundred years later, a few of these jewels are presented by a master like Matthias Goerne, it is a high point of the art form of the Lied. Goerne has the voice and the sensitivity, to do justice to this art form, where word and melody potentiate each other in producing something that is more than poetry and more than music. He has an unerring feeling for both and brings them to life. He knows when the singing has to be soft and simple, as life sometimes is. Goethe knew it, too, when he wrote "Wanderer's Nachtlied," and Schubert understood it like no other composer, when he set this pearl of simple beauty to music. Goerne also knows, when he has to thunder, and he has the voice, to do it. The little quarrel I have with this album concerns the selection of the Lieder, or, if you will, the order in which they are presented. The album begins with the Lied "An den Mond," (To the moon), which every lover of the Lieder by Goethe and Schubert cherishes as one of the most beautiful fruits of their spiritual unit. Thus, the listener is all expectation. Alas, he will be grevously disappointed! The setting is an older version of Schubert's settings of Goethe's poem, which he later replaced by the newer version we love so much. Fortunately, the newer version is also presented. So the listener has both: "Schubert inferior" and "Schubert superior." A cruel joke or a lesson in music history? I leave that judgement to you. But I must tell you that, after the initial shock, I fell in love with this album and now recommend it without reservation.

Matthias Goerne - Schubert.......2000-09-03

Schubert Goethe - Lieder Matthias Goerne, Andreas Haefliger

This disc was my first introduction to the voice of Matthias Goerne, and I have to say that initial impressions were not as ecstatic as later ones - for what reason, on that one occasion, I do not know. I listened to "Schäfers Klagelied" and thought that his singing here was no match for that of John Mark Ainsley on Hyperion - a lovely legato line was evident but Goerne seemed to me to give insufficient attention to individual words, and to miss something of the heartbreak of this song. However, with the promise of his "Schöne Müllerin" which I shall be hearing next week at Wigmore Hall, I thought I'd go back and listen to some more, this time giving him the attention he deserves. It is no exaggeration to say that I was overwhelmed by his singing this time around; from the first few bars of "An den Mond" I was completely captivated.

What makes this baritone so special, amongst the vast number of singers recorded in this repertoire? A voice so beautiful that it comes as a shock to hear it - noble, wonderfully warm, sensitive in phrasing, possessing a rare sense of rhythm, extremely rich in the lower registers yet with an almost tenor-like top, and beguilingly sensual - yes, girls, this really is one seriously sexy voice. Quite apart from the startling sensuality of the voice, Goerne's appeal also rests in the high seriousness with which he approaches the music. His dedication to the ideals of lovely tone, a firm, flowing legato and imperceptible breath control are never allowed to compromise his idiomatic feeling for the poems, and he does not over-stresses individual words - never plucks out an adjective and waves it around - all is expressed within the line of the music.

Two examples must suffice here - Goerne sings "Wandrers Nachtlied" eloquently, with that sense of powerful ease which typifies his art; the aching yet understated passion which is graphically shown in "Ach, Ich bin des Treibens müde..." is another of his individual characteristics. "Erster Verlust," one of my favourite Schubert songs, shows Goerne at his best; this is deeply fervent, intensely beautiful singing, the tenderness of the poem and the musical line conveyed in melting tones and with that warmth and intimacy which are evident throughout this wonderful recording.

This is a fantastic version of Schubert's Goethe lieder........1999-07-12

This version is one of the most beautiful. Goerne is such a good singer. But Andreas Haefliger also is an excellent pianist. I hope this duo brings out other songs.

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Accomplished Debut for Unique Young Kiwi Bass-Baritone

Songs: Brahms, Fauré, Finzi, Schubert

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Love Blows as the Wind Blows: English and American Songs / Jonathan Lemalu

ASIN: B0000647IW
Release Date: 2003-11-20

Tracks:

Four Serious Songs, Op.121: I. Denn Es Gehet Dem Menschen Wie Dem Vich
Four Serious Songs, Op.121: II. Ich Wandte Mich Und Sahe An Alle
Four Serious Songs, Op.121: III. O Tod, Wie Bitter Bist Du
Four Serious Songs, Op.121: IV. Wenn Ich Mit Menschen- Und Mit Engelszungen Redete
Der Wanderer An Den Mond, D.870
Auf Der Donau, D.553
Der Schiffer, D.536
Der Wanderer, D.489
The Illusory Horizon, Op.118: I. La Mer Est Infinie
The Illusory Horizon, Op.118: II. Je Me Suis Embarque
The Illusory Horizon, Op.118: III. Diane, Selene
The Illusory Horizon, Op.118: IV. Vaisseaux, Nous Vous Aurons Aimes
Rollicum-Rorum
Earth And Air And Rain, Op.15: Lizbie Browne
Lowlands (Sea Shanty)
Sea Fever
Trade Winds
The Estuary

Customer Reviews:

Accomplished Debut for Unique Young Kiwi Bass-Baritone.......2005-05-25

I was impressed enough with young bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu's recently released "Opera Arias" disc to get his 2002 recital debut CD, especially since it is part of the bargain-priced EMI Classics "Debut" series, the same series that produced fellow baritone Nathan Gunn's wonderful 1999 folk song panorama, "American Anthem". This time, Lemalu is accompanied only by the sure hands of pianist Roger Vignoles rather than a full orchestra, and the results are no less enthralling. His booming voice is amazingly nuanced and quite resonant for such a young singer (he was 25 when he recorded this disc), and his program is thoughtful and well-rounded here.

First, Lemalu ambitiously tackles Brahms' penultimate opus, "Vier ernste Gesänge" ("Four Serious Songs"). Written a year before the composer's death, they carry a dark funereal tone, which Lemalu carries with appropriate heft initially and then expertly lightens the tone with each successive song until he achieves a measured level of romanticism on the last one, "Wenn ich mit Menschen" about St. Paul's sermon on love in his first Epistle to the Corinthians. The Schubert series carries a fatalistic romanticism throughout the four selections here, which Lemalu showcases most notably on "Auf der Donau", which places a Johann Mayrhofer poem in a wintry setting, and "Der Schiffer", a beautifully rhythmic combination of rolling piano and sharply enunciated German verse. The four brief pieces that make up Fauré's "L'Horizon chimérique" ("The Illusory Horizon") are dream-like discourses that use images in nature to focus ironically on the disenchantment that comes with love.

The tone shifts gears with the English folk songs that make up the remainder of the program. Lemalu is downright jolly on the rambunctious "Rollicum-rorum" and openly yearning on the swooning "To Lizbie Browne", the latter my favorite track and his most accomplished performance here. The four remaining songs are devoted to the sea - the melancholy "Lowlands" is a chantey that sounds quite a bit like "Shenandoah" and beautiful all the same; "Sea Fever" and "Trade Winds" both vividly capture a sailor's need for the high seas in individually distinct fashion; and "The Estuary" is a haunting ballad which dramatically describes a ship passing into the distance and into one's memory. There are minor flaws in Lemalu's performance, for example, he has a slight tendency to roll his r's unnecessarily, an affectation that I hope he uses sparingly in the future. But the talent is rich and most promising, the tone velvety and the future quite bright for this New Zealand-born Samoan performer. A highly recommended peek at a talent ready to fly.

Ian Bostridge - Schubert Lieder, Volume I

Average customer rating:

Refined singing, but the voice is an acquired taste
A promise of things to come
Fresh, shining, young. I envy that, really.
Refined artistry
Erlkonig note

Ian Bostridge - Schubert Lieder, Volume I
Franz Schubert , Ian Bostridge , and Julius Drake
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Die Schone Mullerin
Ian Bostridge - Songs of Faure, Debussy & Poulenc

ASIN: B000007TK1
Release Date: 1998-07-14

Tracks:

Die Forelle, D.550
Ganymed, D.544
Im Fr, D.882
An den Mond, D.196
Heidenrin, D.257
Wandrers Nachtlied II, D.768
Erster Verlust, D.226
Der Fischer, D.225
Fischerweise, D.881
Nacht und Tre, D.827
Der Zwerg, D.771
An die Musik, D.547
Du bist die Ruh, D.776
Auf dem Wasser zu singen, D.774
An Silvia, D.891
Litanei auf das Fest Allerseelen, D.343
Frsglaube, D.686
Im Haine, D.764
Der Musensohn, D.764
Wandrers Nachtlied I, D.224
Seligkeit, D.433
Erlk, D.328

Amazon.com

Ian Bostridge has chosen a kaleidoscopic variety of songs by the greatest of all songwriters. The attractions and challenges of these songs are poetic and dramatic as well as musical, and Bostridge and Drake mobilize a wide range of expressive skills to reinforce their pure musicianship. They are intensely involved in storytelling in the playfully serious "Die Forelle" (The Trout) and "Heidenroeslein" (Wild Rose), in the grotesque "Der Zwerg" (The Dwarf) and the spooky "Erlkonig," which gallops through a story of a fruitless race against death. Tranquility reigns in the "Wandrers Nachtlied" (Wanderer's Night Song) I and II; hushed awe in "An die Musik" (To Music--a performance that brings tears to my eyes) and "Du bist die Ruh" (You are Peace); and idealistic love in the Shakespearean "An Sylvia" ("To Sylvia"). Each song creates a world of its own, superbly embodied in these performances. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

Refined singing, but the voice is an acquired taste.......2005-09-18

Ian Bostridge is a phenomenon, the darling of British critics and one of the few lieder recitalists today who can fill arnegie Hall. I've heard him there and on CD, and I don't get his enormous appeal. Usually when you dislike an artist revered by almost everyone else, it's best to keep quiet, but I must say this hooty, small voice with its limited range, along with Bostridge's precious underlining of every word, is so off the mark that I have to register a complaint. There is much refinement in his singing, and an admirable dramatic commitment, but none of that seems like adequate compensation. Now everyone can go on enjoying themselves, apparently.

A promise of things to come.......2005-08-30

I must be entirely honest and say that this was a disappointment to me. That comes, I promise, from probably the one person in the world most obsessed with Ian Bostridge's voice.
The reason is that I had heard so much of his subsequent work. The depth, color, agility, and timbre of his voice is simply spell-binding, but all of it is acquired, added to his natural melodic talent. So this, an earlier recording, holds less of that acquired beauty than later albums, particularly the Debussy, Faure, & Poulenc and Schubert Lieder, Vol II.
If you're looking for Schubert sung in a subtly emotional and petulent way, this is for you. I cannot say that his execution is particularly fulfilling, nor his German as good as it is now, nor his voice as rich -- he almost sounds tired in much of it -- but what you will hear is a promise of better things to come as he grows musically.
Personally, I think we should form a petition to get him to record another Lieder disc including a better version of Du Bist Die Ruh.

Fresh, shining, young. I envy that, really........2004-10-15

Just listen to the track 19, Der Musensohn. Only after that will you really understand the title "Der Musensohn", the son of the muse. I really wonder there would any singer surpass this. What a beautiful song, what an amazing fresh interpretation. The whole disc is almost too beautiful, clean and elaborated.

And, Ian is such an intelligent and gifted singer that I envy him so much.

I, with my own selfish anticipation, hope that in the future he will become more and even more mature, and just like Schubert, from a pure gifted intelligent voice into a deep and great immortal one.

Refined artistry.......2004-02-18

Ian Bostridge is a rarity in today's classical music world--a singer who is making his way mostly as an exponent of the intimate world of art song and the song recital.

The present volume contains many of Schubert's greatest and best-known songs. Bostridge's voice is a light tenor of extreme refinement--one suspects the voice in live performance is on the smallish side (I have not heard him live). On recording, however, without the urgency of filling a hall with sound, the artist can use his considerable skills to maximum interpretive effect. His liquid legato, clear diction and dynamic control give considerable pleasure--listen to the way he handles the taxing rising lines of "Du bist die Ruh," for example. Occasionally, as in the pianissimo conclusion of "Erlkonig," he goes for melodrama where a straightforward rendering would have been more effective. Pianist Julius Drake is a superb musical collaborator throughout. On balance, then, this is a beautifully performed and recorded disc.

Erlkonig note.......2002-10-21

I'd like to mention that the reason I bought this CD was because the Erlkonig that is contained on it in sang and played in G minor. This is the original key for the piece. Most (I'd say at least 9 out of 10) recordings of the song (including Fischer-Deskau) are in F minor. A good amount are sung by women. However, it is a VERY rare find indeed to hear Erlkonig in G minor. Also, Liszt transcribed this work for piano solo, and that's in G minor. Of course, most people don't care about the right key of the piece, but for those who do, like myself, this CD is the one you want. It's also a very good recording, as his voice is less harsh than most male singers, and thus more enjoyable to those not already into classical vocal works.

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The Very Best of Christa Ludwig

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Very Best of Renata Scotto
Very Best of
The Very Best of Lucia Popp
The Very Best of Victoria de los Angeles
Very Best of

ASIN: B0000AHEAX
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

Ah, Scostatil... Smanie Implacabili
Prendero Quel Brunettino
E Amore Un Ladroncello
Mira, O Norma... Si, Fino All'ore Estreme
Liber Scriptus... Dies Irae
Elsa! Wer Ruft?... Entweihte Gotter!
Mir Ist Die Ehre Widerfahren
Fischerweise
An Die Musik
Der Musensohn
Ave Maria
Die Forelle
Fruhlingsglaube
Erikonig
Er, Der Herrlichste Von Allen
Du Ring An Meinem Finger
An Meinem Herzen
Och Mod'r, Ich Well En Ding Han!
We Kumm Ich Dann De Pooz Erenn?
Dein Blaues Auge, Op. 59/8
Standchen Op. 106/1
Vergebliches Standchen Op.84/4

Tracks:

Du Lieber Heiland Du... Bub' Und Reu'
Erbarme Dich, Mein Gott
Ach, Golgatha...Sehet, Jesus Hat Die Hand
Abscheulicher!...Komm, Hoffnung
In Quali Eccessi...Mi Tradi Quell'alma Ingrata
Das Irdische Leben
Ich Atmet' Einen Linden Duft
Wo Die Schonen Trompeten Blasen
Von Der Schonheit
Im Treibhaus
Schmerzen
Traume
Mild Und Leise

Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin; Winterreise; Schwanengesang

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Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin; Winterreise; Schwanengesang

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Schubert: Winterreise
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Elly Ameling ~ Schubert · Schumann - Songs

ASIN: B0000C6IW3
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Tracks:

Das Wandern
Wohin?
Halt!
Danksagung An Den Bach
Am Feierabend
Der Neugierige
Ungeduld
MorgengruB
Des Mullers Blumen
Tranenregen
Mein!
Pause
Mit Dem Grunen Lautenbande
Der Jager
Eifersucht Und Stolz
Die Liebe Farbe
Die Bose Farbe
Trockne Blumen
Der Muller Und Der Bach
Des Baches Wiegenlied

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

Liebesbotschaft
Kriegers Ahnung
Fruhlingssehnsucht
Herbst (D945)
In Der Ferne
Standchen
Aufenthalt
Abschied
Das Fischermadchen
Am Meer
Die Stadt
Der Doppelganger
Thr Bild
Der Atlas
Die Taubenpost
Der Wanderer An Den Mond (D870)
Am Fenster (D878)
Bei Dir Allein (D866)

Vesselina Kasarova - Schubert, Brahms, Schumann Lieder

Average customer rating:

Unconventional and fresh
Unusual but stunning
Magical!
Thrillingly individual
Turn down the piano, please!

Vesselina Kasarova - Schubert, Brahms, Schumann Lieder
Franz Schubert , Johannes Brahms , Robert Schumann , Vesselina Kasarova , Friedrich Haider , and Dr. Stefan Mikorey
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brahms: Lieder (Complete Edition), Vol. 4

ASIN: B00002JXEE
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Fischerweise, D881B
Der Jungling An Der Quelle, D300
Der Wanderer An Den Mond, D870
Im Abendrot, D799
Nacht Und Traume, D827
Romanze, D797
Im Fruhling, D882
Standchen, D889
An Mein Herz, D860
Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen, D774
Der Fruhling, Op.6 No.2
Feldeinsamkeit, Op.86 No.2
Lerchengesang, Op.70 No.2
Meerfahrt, Op.96 No.4
Von Ewiger Liebe, Op.43 No.1
O Liebliche Wangen, Op.47 No.4
Erstes Grun, Op.35 No.4
Der Nussbaum, Op.25 No.3
Sonntags Am Rhein, Op.36 No.1
Rose, Meer Und Sonne, Op.37 No.9
Widmung, Op.25 No.1
Aufrage, Op.77 No.5

Amazon.com

Vesselina Kasarova has a truly glorious voice: its range and palette of colors are enormous; it can be both dark and radiant and seems to have a core of burnished copper. She has appeared in opera houses all over the world and released recordings of Mozart and Rossini arias as well as entire operas such as I Capuleti e i Montecchi, but has only recently branched out into lieder recitals. This is her debut lieder album, and the beauty of her voice is fully in evidence throughout. However, Kasarova seems to weigh every word and note and has given so much thought to the relationship between them that she has lost the most essential quality of the German romantic lied: its simplicity. She exaggerates phrasing, dynamics, and character, changes tempi instead of moods, and breaks up melodic lines with overinflection. The disc includes some of the greatest and best-loved songs, as well as a few unfamiliar ones, by three supreme masters of the form, chosen with obvious care; not surprisingly, Kasarova is most persuasive in the dramatic ones, in which her basically operatic approach works best. Friedrich Haider is a good pianist and a supportive--perhaps too supportive--partner. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Unconventional and fresh.......2002-09-01

I have always wondered why should German lieder be sung in accordance with some indefinable standart of "simplicity"? To me-it`s all about sincerety,air of intimacy and versatility.That is exactly what you`ll find on Kasarova`s record.She`s imaginative and emotional-something very important when you sing pieces that are so popular and want to make them sond new and fresh.The only thing I don`t like about this disc is that the singer is recorded too close.But anyway- it doesn`t spoil the overall quality of the performance.

Unusual but stunning.......2002-04-14

It's true, this is not the typical lieder approach. Indeed, it's often daring, pushing the limits of what a song can bear before it turns operatical. And yet, Vesselina kasarova manages to pull it off marvelously. She has such a variety in tonal colour that she brings something new and fresh to every song she sings. The Schubert selections are great, and the Schumann as well, but she is simply magnificent in the Brahms lieder. I wonder if there will ever be such a perfect, touching, almost heart-rending rendition of "Feldeinsamkeit". Listen to the emotional build-up in "Von ewiger Liebe". This is simply a beautiful disc, giving immense pleasure every time you put it on. Minor quibbles about imperfect German or a too close recording fall into nothing besides the sheer qualities of this disc. A desert island one, no question about it...

Magical!.......2002-02-21

What a marvellous disc! Truly amazing! A young singer whose Lieder recital has something to say and does it so beautifully!
I don't know where to start the praise - maybe with the voice itself, which is simply astonishing in its richness. Kasarova has great powers of communication and the courage to `speak her mind' in which she reminds me of Brigitte Fassbaender. Also her voice, though beautiful in a more conventional way, has some of the qualities of the great German artist's. Like Fassbaender, Kasarova is a great story-teller; she knows that Lieder singing is about telling a story and not `just' singing it. And how she tells them! Her approach is a perfect illustration of a very important quality in Lieder singing which seems to be forgotten nowadays - singing should be like pure speech. One of the greatest Lieder interpreters, Harry Plunket Greene, called speech in song "one of the most moving human gifts". Unlike many young (not only!) singers, Kasarova possesses this gift and together with Bartoli and Terfel shows that `speaking' through singing is the best way of communicating with the audiences.
Kasarova is neither the first nor the last singer to sing in a foreign language and her German sometimes sounds idiosyncratic (though I better leave this problem to the native speakers), but she is certainly one of the few among today's young Liederists who actually is not afraid of pronouncing words clearly. If that can occasionally lead to overemphasis, as some native speakers may quibble, it is certainly a minor offence. Clear pronunciation in singing becomes harder and harder to come by; it is like in movies, where the ill-conceived virtue of `expressing oneself' makes everything else irrelevant, never mind that the viewer has a hard time understanding what is being said, however beautiful it may be. It has become customary to criticize such great singers as Elisabeth Schwarzkopf for paying too much attention to `the meaning of the words' which creates the impression of a lack of spontaneity! Nothing could be more absurd! In this recital, you get the most spontaneous and sincere singing imaginable but you can be sure that lots of work and time went into creating both the programme and the final effect. And the final effect is one of those recitals that are simply difficult to talk about and even more difficult to argue with. How can one argue with such sincere conviction and technically supreme singing? If there is a high point in this sequence of gems, it certainly is Brahm's "Von ewiger Liebe". This `big song', as Gerald Moore called it, certainly gets a big `treatment' here and leaves the listener in a state of wonder. Almost every song brings something new - as somebody on this page said, Kasarova and Haider deliver these songs as if they have no knowledge of what has been done before. I couldn't put it better. But it is obvious that it is not self-indulgence that guides them. As I said, it is a very well-prepared programme that sounds fresh and sincere, with no signs of calculation or mannerisms, enemies of any Lieder singing.
Too operatic a voice? Not at all! What is a `Lieder voice' after all? It is a voice that can make poetry speak through the singer and that is exactly how Kasarova uses her instrument here. Her voice is indeed caught very closely but this closeness adds to the overall atmosphere of the recital (though I understand that some reviewers were rather bothered by it) - it is like participating in an exceptional Liederabend with a well designed programme that has only one flaw: it leaves you hungry for more. Imagine her Erlking, The Dwarf or The King of Thule - some of the most haunting stories told in Lieder. I wish Kasarova recorded more Lieder, but judging from her recordings and appearances all over the world, she is rather involved in standard operatic repertoire with an emphasis on belcanto. Since I am no fan of bel canto, I am left with the impression that she doesn't exist. Happily this disc together with her debut and Mozart arias albums are such joys that can make up for this apparent loss (she also released a disc with Berlioz's "Nuits d'ete" and Ravel's "Sheherezade" but I haven't heard it yet).
This CD is now one of my top favorites among the recent female Lieder recitals next to von Otter's Schumann and Schubert discs. It will always have a very special place in my record collection and I don't hesitate to put it among the recitals of the greatest Lieder singers! (Kicek)

Thrillingly individual.......2000-07-04

Having followed Kasarova's meteoric rise in the world of opera with keen interest I was torn asunder by this release: could this glorious mezzo really adapt her art to the intimate realm of Lieder, especially this particular repertoire which is, after all, already overpopulated by the full spectrum of the sublime to the horribly bad? The answer for me is a resounding "yes", although I can understand any misgivings others might have. I do not find her approach too operatic. It is one of the dichotomies of the disc: the voice is huge, but the approach is intimate to the point where, as the editorial review points out, she seems to almost over-interpret the words. A handy comparison would be to listen to Jessye Norman in similar repertoire - now that is an operatic approach! What differentiates this disc from so many others is that Kasarova and Haider deliver the songs as if they have no knowledge of what has been done before. Their delivery is sometimes quirky and almost uniformly unusual. Is this good? Once again: I think so. Standards like Schubert's "Im Fruhling" and "Auf dem Wasser zu singen" suddenly sound fresh and new. The mood darkens considerably for the Brahms section of the programme, the sublime "Von ewiger Liebe" being given a marvelously calculated performance. The Schumann section is again slightly lighter, but equally satisfying.

Kasarova's timbre is really a miracle. She can shade the basic coppery character into a veritable pallet of colours. Her diction is close to perfect, although her German is sometimes idiosyncratic, to say the least. Haider's accompaniment is very satisfying indeed. The artists seem to truly share a common vision and it works wonders. Years of working together in recital (often with Haider's wife Edita Gruberova) have obviously paid off.

I have only one quibble about this disc, which is why it receives four and not five stars from me: Kasarova is recorded too closely. Although it is good to hear the singer breathing the close recording unfortunately overaccentuates the way in which she chops up phrases for interpretive purposes as well as her tendency to lisp.

In summary: if you are the kind of Lieder connoisseur who believes that the Elly Ameling approach is the begin-all and end-all of Lieder singing, this one is not for you. If, on the other hand, you are more adventurous and tend to believe that traditions are there to flirt with, you might just love it, as I do.

Turn down the piano, please!.......2000-06-30

How does a disc this bad get released? It's impossible to evaluate the performance, because the piano all but drowns out the singer. The singer sounds like she's in the next room; the piano sounds like it's in your lap.

Schubert: Goethe-Lieder / Fischer-Dieskau, Demus, Moore

Average customer rating:

Prime Schubert lieder recordings from Fischer-Dieskau's prime years
The heart of Schubert, the emotional gamut of Goethe

Schubert: Goethe-Lieder / Fischer-Dieskau, Demus, Moore

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Winterreise

ASIN: B00000J9HB
Release Date: 1999-06-15

Tracks:

Wayfarer's Night Song I, D 224: Der du von dem Himmel bist
Wayfarer's Night Song II, D 768: uber allen Gipfeln ist Ruh
Ganymed, D 544
Huntsman's Evening Song, D 368
To Chronos The Coachman, D 369
Becalmed Sea, D 216
Prometheus, D 674
The Harper's Song I, D 478: Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt
The Harper's Song III, D 480: Wer nie sein Brot mit Tranen
The Harper's Song II, D 479: An die Turen will ich schleichen
To The Moon, D 296
On The Lake, D 543
First Loss, D 226
The Son Of The Muses, D 764
Restless Love, D 138
Nearness Of The Beloved, D 162
Little Wild Rose, D 257
Bliss In Sadness, D 260
The Erl-King, D 328
The King Of Thule, D 367
Lieder: A Secret, D 719
Lieder: Mankind's Limits, D 716
Lieder: By The River, D 766
Hail And Farewell, D 767

Customer Reviews:

Prime Schubert lieder recordings from Fischer-Dieskau's prime years.......2005-11-10

DG released this recording of Schubert lieder based on texts of Wolfgang von Goethe in the late 1990s. I bought it in 1999 on the strength of a review in AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE, where the reviewer said "Fischer-Dieskau could do it all" - an apt description. Keep in mind that many of these tracks are with pianist Jorg Demus, and are not the same as those in Fischer-Dieskau's 2 big DG boxes (9 disc each) of Schubert Lieder, which are with pianist Gerald Moore.

These recordings date from the late 1950s and early 1960s when Fischer-Dieskau (b. 1925), was in his mid 30s, and in great shape vocally, performing lieder and opera all over Europe, + prolifically making recordings for EMI and DG which were released on LP in the US and Europe.

This is a valuable disc for those wanting a sampling of Schubert lieder, or a sampling of Fischer-Dieskau and aren't interested in collecting all of F-D's recordings, or all the Schubert lieder. The sound is stereo, and is very good: vivid and life like. Even though these were recorded 45+ years ago, I feel Mr. Fischer-Dieskau right in the room with me when listening to these. The last several tracks are with Gerald Moore, pianist, Fischer-Dieskau's long time collaborator on lieder of many composers.

Schubert's sound world is a different, more intimate one than Beethoven, his contemporary. The lieder Schubert set with texts of Wolfgang von Goethe are among his most famous and for good reason: they are among his most inspired works. Listening to these lieder, one can get away from the rat race, from our high tech, cold, mechanical, materialistic world, and have a great musical/spiritual experience. Thank you: Deutsche grammophon for releasing this, and thank you, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau for sharing your great talent with the world! Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau can do it all, to which this disc attests.

The heart of Schubert, the emotional gamut of Goethe.......2004-04-22

This collection of the Goethelieder is genuinely the "gold standard" against which all others should be judged. I say this because not only have I heard the majority of the works by other baritones (and "Der Erlkonig" performed by two mezzo-sopranos): however, I've followed the vocal development of Fischer-Deskau from the earliest CD I could find (from an EMI CD containing Der Erlko"nig from 1951 according to the booklet's timeline--with Gerald Moore on piano.) Another recording dates from the mid 1960's (Erlko"nig, for example, dated as 1965--again, Gerald Moore, pianist.) However, when I heard this collection of Schubert's Goethelieder, I was entranced. Selections 1-14 feature Jo"rg Demus as pianist (with whom Fischer-Deskau formed a close professional and personal relationxhip) and Gerald Moore as pianist on selections 15-24. Fischer-Dieskau's "Heidenro"slien" is so good that even I play it over and over (although I've heard it so much...Fischer-Deskau gives it a beautiful rendition.) His "Erlko"nig" is such that he gets the four voices of the narrator, the child, the father, and the Erlko"nig so well it is astonishing. Gerald Moore also performs the initial ascending triplet figures on the left hand in paralell octaves so well that it sounds like one pianist is playing the right hand triplet figures whereas another pianist is using two hands to play the left parallel octaves!!
This is a MUST HAVE for Schubert/Fischer-Deskau/piano lovers!!
Five stars hands down and thumbs up!!!!!!!

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