Schumann's Lieder

[Josquin des Prez]

Anyone agrees? So far i have half of the recordings of the Hyperion edition, but from what i understand it isn't actually complete. Plus, the way the songs are randomly sorted outside their opus numbers is very annoying. I wonder if there's another set i should look out for?

[Franco]

Anyone agrees? So far i have half of the recordings of the Hyperion edition, but from what i understand it isn't actually complete. Plus, the way the songs are randomly sorted outside their opus numbers is very annoying. I wonder if there's another set i should look out for?

I have nine of the Hyperion disks, I think, and that's all they've done, afaik - but yes, I love his lieder, and the Hyperion series is (as is usually the case for them) excellently done.

[karlhenning]

(* learns to his astonishment that "regularly in the repertory practically from the moment it was composed" = "criminally underrated" *)

[Wendell_E]

(* learns to his astonishment that "regularly in the repertory practically from the moment it was composed" = "criminally underrated" *)

Regularly in the repertory and pretty highly rated, I thought.  Or maybe he means Clara Schumann?   

[Scarpia]

Just not genius.  I'm surprised you don't see that.   

[Josquin des Prez]

Just not genius.  I'm surprised you don't see that.   

Closer to genius then pretty much all of his other compositions with the exception perhaps of his piano works. That is how underrated they are in respect to his total oeuvre, a lot of which is pretty drab (yet also popular among the "repertory").

[knight66]

Lieder is a niche market...think here of the small number of people who ever get involved in vocal threads, unless it is about Elvis.

For those who do like art song, Schumann's are near the top of the heap. As Karl points out, they are very often on concert programmes.....of art song.

Mike

[The new erato]

Closer to genius then pretty much all of his other compositions with the exception perhaps of his piano works.

I do agree in that. And underrated at least in the regard that it's a quite limited selection of cycles that are regularly performed.

The Hyperion Schumann Lied Edition ended at 11 discs of which I have 5, I won't stop there however.

[kishnevi]

I'm one of those not very much into lieder: when I want some, a Schubert CD usually suffices, but I do have and enjoy this one, which came out the end of last year:

[Verena]

I think he composed two marvelous song cycles - Dichterliebe, and, even better op 39. The latter is underrated - there are not enough great recordings of it. Other than those two cycles, I don't enjoy his Lieder very much. Overall Schubert composed far more beautiful songs in my view. But those two Schumann cycles are on a par with Schubert's great Lieder.

[Ten thumbs]

I think he composed two marvelous song cycles - Dichterliebe, and, even better op 39. The latter is underrated - there are not enough great recordings of it. Other than those two cycles, I don't enjoy his Lieder very much. Overall Schubert composed far more beautiful songs in my view. But those two Schumann cycles are on a par with Schubert's great Lieder.

This does suggest that Josquin is right, at least in some quarters. This isn't really a beauty competition, otherwise you would all be listening to Fanny Hensel (as you ought but only alongside Schubert and Schumann).

[Verena]

This does suggest that Josquin is right, at least in some quarters. This isn't really a beauty competition, otherwise you would all be listening to Fanny Hensel (as you ought but only alongside Schubert and Schumann).

For me, it IS a beauty competition in a sense. I don't know much about Fanny Hensel, so I don't know exactly what you suggest (difficult to imagine that her compositions are more beautiful than Schubert's or Schumann's; if you're talking about visual beauty - as I clearly was not - then I'd prefer to listen to a beautiful man ). Anyway, there is so much music which I love - and so little time to listen - that I prefer to focus on those things which strike me as the most beautiful. Possibly, other compositions may have as much musical value - however that is defined - but that's of not interest to me as a layperson. I listen to music only for enjoyment. That does not mean that I don't explore unfamiliar stuff, but I will relisten only if I've really enjoyed it. That has not happened with Schumann's less familiar Lieder, but it has happened, for example, with his opera Genoveva.

[Luke]

I think he composed two marvelous song cycles - Dichterliebe, and, even better op 39. The latter is underrated - there are not enough great recordings of it.

I'd go along with that. Schumann's op 39 is one of the wonders of music, IMO. The most complete, unadulterated expression of musical early-Romanticism there is, to my mind. Simply wonderful.

[knight66]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxX44JqcetM&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl8B0usiQys

Also don't forget Fraunliebe und lieben. The second link above is very reminiscent of it.

Mike

[knight66]

I have been exploring a bit further on Youtube and there is a whole bunch of the op39 there with Goerne.

Exquisite.

Mike

[karlhenning]

I have been exploring a bit further on Youtube and there is a whole bunch of the op39 there with Goerne.

Exquisite.

Mike

With Goerne Gurn ? ? ?

[knight66]

Well, we might drag him there kicking and screeming. But that is no way to start a recital of lieder.

Mike

[Verena]

I have been exploring a bit further on Youtube and there is a whole bunch of the op39 there with Goerne. Exquisite. Mike

Goerne's op 39 is probably my favorite recording of this work, along with young Fischer-Dieskau perhaps.

[knight66]

There is also a beautiful recording on CFP with the tenor Ian Partridge. The Bryn Terfel disc is also worth getting.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00068V3DE/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk

Mike

[DavidRoss]

Huh?  No one is rated more highly as a lieder composer and only Schubert is generally rated as high.  Personally, I think both overrated (but not criminally ), for I've never really connected emotionally with either's songs, despite years of trying.  I'll try again right now, with Werner Güra's lovely recording of op 39 & 48.