Notes and Editorial Reviews
SCHUBERT
17 Lieder
•
Matthias Goerne (bar); Alexander Schmalcz (pn)
•
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 902063 (60:40)
Schubert composed about 600 Lieder, many of which are incomparably beautiful individual songs or songs contained in song cycles. Their beauty, however, comes in different flavors. Few of the Lieder in this collection—which deals with subjects related to the somber, sober, and nostalgic subjects of death, despair, and longing as represented by
Nacht und
Read more
Traume
(Night and Dreams), the title of the first of these 17 Lieder—are musically appealing. These Lieder are moody and, for me, in most cases lack strong musical appeal. Among the Lieder in this collection one can find the familiar
An Silvia
and
Ständchen
, both from Shakespeare (
Two Gentlemen of Verona
and
Cymbeline
, respectively), and one can find the (to me) unfamiliar. Among the poets represented are Schiller, Rückert, and Klopstock. While many of the other represented poets are not as well known, there is much poignant poetry here from all. Among the Lied titles (in translation) are
The Blind Boy, Hope, Gravedigger’s Song, Deep Sorrow, Old Man’s Song, Gravedigger’s Pining for Home, To the Moon, May Night, Summer Night, To the Beloved
… you get the idea. While not musically appealing to me in most cases, these songs are all musically appropriate to their respective subject matter.
Matthias Goerne is one of the great Lieder singers of our times, and he is in fine voice on this disc. As his musical partner in these Lieder, pianist Alexander Schmalcz is equal to the somber, sober, and nostalgic tasks at hand.
I would not recommend this disc for myself, but the extramusical attraction that it conveys (which for many can be musical attraction as well) makes it a valuable contribution to the archives of recorded Lieder.
FANFARE: Burton Rothleder
Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Nacht und Träume, D 827 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano),
Matthias Goerne (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1823; Vienna, Austria
2.
Der blinde Knabe, D 833 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1825; Vienna, Austria
3.
Hoffnung, D 637/Op. 87 no 2 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: circa 1819; Vienna, Austria
4.
Totengräber-Weise, D 869 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1826; Vienna, Austria
6.
Greisengesang, D 778 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1823; Vienna, Austria
7.
Totengräbers Heimwehe, D 842 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1825; Vienna, Austria
8.
An den Mond, D 193/Op 57 no 3 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1815; Vienna, Austria
9.
Die Mainacht, D 194 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano),
Matthias Goerne (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1815; Vienna, Austria
10.
An Sylvia, D 891/Op. 106 no 4 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1826; Vienna, Austria
11.
Ständchen, D 889 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1826; Vienna, Austria
12.
Der Schäfer und der Reiter, D 517 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano),
Matthias Goerne (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1817; Vienna, Austria
13.
Die Sommernacht, D 289 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1815; Vienna, Austria
14.
Erntelied, D 434 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1816; Vienna, Austria
15.
Herbstlied, D 502 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1816; Vienna, Austria
16.
Der liebliche Stern, D 861 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1825; Vienna, Austria
17.
An die Geliebte, D 303 by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Matthias Goerne (Baritone),
Alexander Schmalcz (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1815; Vienna, Austria
Customer Reviews
Be the first to review this title
Review This Title
