Schwanengesang

[kaergaard]

It's always interesting to compare the performance by different artists of the same piece of work. I did it with this Schubert opus, going back to 1986, Hermann Prey accompanied by Lenoard Hokanson, on a Philips LVD. Hokanson still outshines Prey's exaggerated tremolos relistening the recording.

Time-wise next is the 1991 José Van Dam recital with Valery Afanassiev. Can anybody be compared to Van Dam? No, he is truly incomparable, at least in my book. If he believed Afanassiev is the right accompanist for him, I accept his decision.

In 2000 Bryn Terfel recorded Schwanengesang with Martin Martineau on the piano. With good casting, it is impossible to rate one above the other, the singer above the pianist - and it should not be done, they are a unit. - So why was I fascinated by Martineau in the Abschied? It always was my favourite song in this collection, but Martineau does highlight the departure, receding the volume, den Abschied, followed by Terfel. Overall, Terfel gives a very strong, dramatic, emotional reading; Der Atlas strongest, he truly carries the world on his shoulders!

The newest is the 2009 recording of Ian Bostridge with Antonio Pappano. I already praised this performance here in this forum when I first heard it, and my opinion has not changed; the new listening, right after the Terfel, showed a most interesting comparison: Terfel being dominantly strong, powerful, and Bostridge very much on the melodic, gentle side of the romantic - Biedermeier? - composer, Franz Schubert.

I love them all! Wonder who's next on the scene, new singers I mean, let the old ones enjoy their glory. - Have I said that before, on different occasions? -

[Mandryka]

The most satisfying for me is from Schreier with Schiff. Fassbaender's studio recording is good -- particularly so for the piano. Has anyone heard her live one?

There  are also nice individual songs from Husch and Hotter and Kipnis and Slezak and Munteneau.

Above all Kipnis

[(poco) Sforzando]

There  are also nice individual songs from Husch and Hotter and Kipnis and Slezak and Munteneau.

Munteanu is my very favorite. A rather small, slightly nasal voice, without much of a top, but the grace, detail, and elegance of his phrasing should stand as an object lesson to all singers attempting this music.

[val]

To me, the most perfect and impressive version is the one of Fischer Dieskau and Moore. Fassbänder (with Reimann) is too expressionist. I have the 9 excerpts by Souzay and Baldwin, wonderful: but I don't know if they recorded the all cycle.

[kaergaard]

In my post I wanted to emphasise contemporary singers, meaning artists alive and active, and let the dead and retired ones rest on their laurels.

Anybody familiar with Mathias Goerne singing Schwanengesang, accompanied by Christopher Eschenbach?

[Gurn Blanston]

In my post I wanted to emphasise contemporary singers, meaning artists alive and active, and let the dead and retired ones rest on their laurels.

Anybody familiar with Mathias Goerne singing Schwanengesang, accompanied by Christopher Eschenbach?

No, but I have this one with Brendel which is excellent. In my opinion, Goerne is the Schubert singer here and now. Not just his Schwanengesang, but the Heliopolis disk, the recital with Brendel and his Goethe disk are all must have's.

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[kishnevi]

In my post I wanted to emphasise contemporary singers, meaning artists alive and active, and let the dead and retired ones rest on their laurels.

Anybody familiar with Mathias Goerne singing Schwanengesang, accompanied by Christopher Eschenbach?

I thought I did, but it turns out I have them performing Schone Mullerin; and I'm inclined to rate that the best of the performances I have*.

I also have, and like the Heliopolis CD Gurn posted.

On inspection, it turns out the only two recordings of Schwanengesang I have are DFD from his quasi-complete Schubert with Moore on DG and Christoph Pregardien with Andreas Staier--fortepiano, naturally, and filled out with seven settings of Seidl texts (on Challenge Classics).   It's a recording I enjoy, but apparently the collection doesn't move me in the way SM or Winterreise do.

*To clarify the comparison, these are the others
Pregardien/Gees (modern piano) (Challenge Classics)
DFD/Moore--both the EMI and DG performances
Kaufmann/Deutsch
Gerharer/Huber

The Gerharer is the one that comes closest to competing with Goerne.

[ccar]

Gerard Souzay only recorded the "complete" Schwanengesang in 1972 (EMI). Unfortunately, I can't recommend this recording – Souzay's instrument couldn't match the color and freshness of his prime days.

But Souzay had already recorded for Decca (1950's) and Philips (1962) many of the Schwanengesang lieder - AFAIK we have 10 of the 14 songs from this earlier period: Liebesbotschaft (1953, 1956, 1962); Kriegers Ahnung (1962); Fruhlingssehnsucht (1962);  Standchen (1954);  Abschied (1954, 1962); Der Atlas (1954, 1962); Ihr Bild (1953, 1956, 1962); Das Fischermadchen (1962); Der Doppelganger (1950, 1962) and Die Taubenpost (1962). 

For me, these earlier Souzay versions include some of the most moving renditions I know of the Schwanengesang songs. For the sheer beauty of the voice, the intelligence of the wording and phrasing and for his interpretation approach, perhaps more intimate or interiorized than most. 
     

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[Verena]

Gerard Souzay only recorded the "complete" Schwanengesang in 1972 (EMI). Unfortunately, I can't recommend this recording – Souzay's instrument couldn't match the color and freshness of his prime days.

But Souzay had already recorded for Decca (1950's) and Philips (1962) many of the Schwanengesang lieder - AFAIK we have 10 of the 14 songs from this earlier period: Liebesbotschaft (1953, 1956, 1962); Kriegers Ahnung (1962); Fruhlingssehnsucht (1962);  Standchen (1954, 1962);  Abschied (1954, 1962); Der Atlas (1954, 1962); Ihr Bild (1953, 1956, 1962); Das Fischermadchen (1962); Der Doppelganger (1950, 1962) and Die Taubenpost (1962). 

For me, these earlier Souzay versions include some of the most moving renditions I know of the Schwanengesang songs. For the sheer beauty of the voice, the intelligence of the wording and phrasing and for his interpretation approach, perhaps more intimate or interiorized than most. 
     

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Absolutely seconded!

[kaergaard]

May I assume you have not listened to Terfel, Bostridge, Goerne, Van Dam, et al? UTube does not count, it is usually an excerpt with bad sound and video and does not give the full value of a complete performance.  A comparison of anthing needs two items, knowing only one and declaring it 'the best', is an expression of one's personal taste; a stated fact. My praise of Van Dam does not preclude the greatness of Bostridge. I have not heard Jonas Kaufmann singing Schwanengesang - is there a recording of it? - in a comparison I might give him higher praise than I do Van Dam, but at least I made my decision knowing and then comparing them all.

[Verena]

May I assume you have not listened to Terfel, Bostridge, Goerne, Van Dam, et al? UTube does not count, it is usually an excerpt with bad sound and video and does not give the full value of a complete performance.  A comparison of anthing needs two items, knowing only one and declaring it 'the best', is an expression of one's personal taste; a stated fact. My praise of Van Dam does not preclude the greatness of Bostridge. I have not heard Jonas Kaufmann singing Schwanengesang - is there a recording of it? - in a comparison I might give him higher praise than I do Van Dam, but at least I made my decision knowing and then comparing them all.

Don't really know whom you are referring to - after reading the other contributions you might mean me - or ccar. Now ccar can certainly answer for himself. For the record, he is one of the most knowledgeable persons as far as classical music is concerned I know. I'm sure he knows countless other interpretations. As for myself, yes, I have listened to all of those - I am a Schubert nut. In my view, no bariton timbre comes close in terms of beauty to the young Souzay - certainly not Bostridge (well, he is a tenor anyway), Terfel, or van Dam - though I do like all of those voices (at least in most of the recordings I listened to).  I also happen to like Souzay's interpretation very much - intelligent, natural, with a very good pronunciation of the text - I can hear he is not a native speaker, but somehow that makes his pronunciation all the more attractive and interesting to me. 
Now talking purely in terms of voice quality, Goerne is my favorite among the modern bariton singers. Among his Schubert readings, my absolute favorite, however, is his Winterreise with Brendel (more so than his earlier one on hyperion).

[ccar]

While listening to Hans Hotter singing the last of the Schwanengesang songs, Die Taubenpost, I was once again deeply impressed by his artistry. I had to listen to him again and to compare his "takes" of this beautiful song – the first with Gerald Moore, in their first "complete" 1954 studio recording, and the last with Geoffrey Parsons, in 1973.  I always wondered what is the secret of this extraordinary voice and his ability to move us? The emotion he carries is never superficial - it seems to come directly from the soul, as a profound inner voice within an apparent outward detachment.

Listening Hans Hotter and Die Taubenpost, evoking love, departure and longing, somehow brought to my memory the poignancy of Hans Hotter's Wotan in his famous farewell to Modl or Varnay's Brunnhilde (Keilberth/Krauss 1953). In spite of his deep baritone voice, Hans Hotter portrays an astonishing ability of conveying expression and the most deep emotional intensity - and this with only subtle dynamic and color modulations, transparent diction, unaffected wording and a constantly beautiful legato line, always supporting intelligent phrasing.

In his memories Hans Hotter remembers the importance of Matthaus Romer advice during his training years – "his greatest effort was to teach me that technique must never be allowed to be an end in itself ";"the phonetic command of speaking is a significant part of vocal technique. Singing and speaking ... are like the prerequisites for a good marriage"; "Don't go to the opera too often. Look at the actors, how they walk, how they move ... that way you can learn whatever you need to know."

I also remember Andre Tubeuf saying Hans Hotter was deeply connected with Schubert because he was also physically rooted in the same land, in Nature and its solitude – Hans Hotter voice couldn't have come from a civilized city man; it was born within a countryside boy, connected with the earth and its grand spaces and tempered by the roughness of the war. From this Hans Hotter may have got his capacity of singing with a pure soul, using his voice to seek the most essential meaning, without sophistication. 

Most of us are probably too civilized and sophisticated. But in this era of so many new and modern classical "stars", and countless Download or Utube versions available to anybody, I believe some of us can still be sensible to the rare understated artistry of this great "old" singer.     


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[Mandryka]

I like tenors -- so I thought I'd listen to a handful of Taubenposts sung by them. I was surprised by something.

Peter Anders is dramatic and noble. maybe too noble and too dramatic. I was impressed by the wealth of detailed nuances in Schreier's performance with Schiff.

But what surprised me was who profoundly I was moved by Munteanu . I nearly became damp eyed listening to it. At the moment, Munteanu is all the Taubenpost I need.

[ccar]

I confess once more - I'm not a fan of Fischer-Dieskau. I listened many of his recordings over the years and I could never keep his readings close to my heart. But I still return to him often, mostly as a comparing interpreter - DFD recorded almost everything, usually more than once. And for each song he is always a very impressive model - of analytical dissection and emphatic portrayal.

Yet, in his earlier years Fischer-Dieskau could be much less sophisticated and, for me, more connected with the music and its simpler emotions. A good example is DFD's 1948 Schwanengesang, with Klaus Billing. Listening again to this recording (like their Winterreise, from the same vintage) I am once more impressed - by its unexpected spontaneity and sheer beauty.



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[mjwal]

@ ccar 16 jan
Agree with you about Hotter just as I agreed with you and Verena about Souzay - they are two of my favourite singers. You had a memory lapse with Wotan, though - you are remembering Hotter with either Varnay or Mödl in 1953, Furtwängler's Wotan was Ferdinand Frantz.

[ccar]

@ ccar 16 jan
Agree with you about Hotter just as I agreed with you and Verena about Souzay - they are two of my favourite singers. You had a memory lapse with Wotan, though - you are remembering Hotter with either Varnay or Mödl in 1953, Furtwängler's Wotan was Ferdinand Frantz.

Absolutely. Too many Rings in my diskspace. Thank you for the correction - I just edited my post.

[mjwal]

But F. Frantz was not to be sneezed at either - and in the '54 EMI Furtwängler Walküre his "Nur eines will ich noch - das Ende, das Ende" is haunting and chilling in a way unmatched on record, IMO, as is Mödl's "So wenig achtest du ewige Wonne..." on the same recording, on which both their voices are audibly overstretched at times; Furtwängler's genius seems to take them to another level in those passages.

[ccar]

But F. Frantz was not to be sneezed at either - and in the '54 EMI Furtwängler Walküre his "Nur eines will ich noch - das Ende, das Ende" is haunting and chilling in a way unmatched on record, IMO, as is Mödl's "So wenig achtest du ewige Wonne..." on the same recording, on which both their voices are audibly overstretched at times; Furtwängler's genius seems to take them to another level in those passages.

Mjwal, thank you for pointing out these examples. They are two of the love vs. power "moral centers" of the Ring - Wotan's renouncement of himself, and his Work ("Auf geb ich mein Werk") and Brunnhilde's pivotal question - also awaking her to earthy love and the renouncement of Divinity.

Following your suggestion I relistened to Furtwangler in these passages. What a joy - how he puts the music so actively and constantly on the stage, with and between the singers, like an unseen character that is always telling us the story. Modl's intelligence is very unique, as the dramatic character of Ferdinand Franz is impressive.  This could indeed be another topic for the Wagnerites in the Forum – how these two small but significant Ring passages are given by other singers/conductors. 

Returning again to Hans Hotter and the Farewell example I mentioned ("Leb'wohl, du kuhnes, herrliches Kind"), it may be also interesting to listen to Hotter earlier in his career --- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAWkrNoEfUE --- this is in 1942, a decade before his appearance in Bayreuth. With a younger voice but already revealing that same mixture of expressive strenght and contained emotion. In Wagner, like in Schubert.     

   

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