Hello everyone
I have recently been getting quite immersed in the German romantic lied - particularly Wolf, Schubert and Schumann.
I would like to know what other Messageboarders favourite lieder recital/collections are and why.... what and who moves you most and where do you tend to listen to lieder?
For me, I have to listen either on headphones and in darkness to really be at one with the singer, or if I am unfamiliar with the text used, with the translation to hand....
Thanks all,
Karafan
Welcome, there is quite a bit of lieder discussion in the Vocal room. But rather than move this thread, or merely reference a lot of earlier threads,. let's see what we can come up with here.
In Schubert, I have had years of pleasure out of what is now a pair of EMI Forte CDs of Janet Baker singing Schubert. This conflates an double LP set with a rather later one LP recital.
There is no theme, but an exploration that includes a few well known songs, plus some that at the time of recording were not as well known as now, also some distinctly less well known songs.
There are no printed texts, but they can all be found here:
http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/
What I get from Baker is a beautiful voice allied with the ability to mine the texts and form a meaningful partnership with the pianists she worked with. Most of the songs are accompanied by Gerald Moore who was something of a mentor to her in this kind of repertoire. The approach feels fresh and exciting. Schubert seems to me like the Shakespeare of song. A drama can be etched in the economy of a couple of minutes, nature evoked, words painted into the colour of the accompaniment. But really: to me, lieder can tell us about the human condition, love, loss, yearning, fear, anger...it is all there and released consummately on these discs.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HMm1NM9gL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YzKbaGoOZE
Mike
I like tenors who sing relatively artlessly, if you know what I mean.
Over the last week or two I've enjoyed a Russian singer called Georgy Pavlovich Vinogradov singing (in Russian) Muellerin and Dichterliebe. I've also thoroughly enjoyed a German tenor of the same generation called Pierre Munteneau in some songs from Schwanengesang.
Other favourites include Ian Partridge and Aksel Schiotz , and in Schumann at least, Ian Bostridge (less so in Wolf )
But above all, I love Peter Schreier's art. I think his Winterreise with Richter is a real summit of Schubert interpretation on record. I think they develop a rare and special type of lieder singing there -- a style of singing which focusses on intense subjective identification with the poem. I like his Schumann recordigs on Berlin Classics too. And there's a lovely Mullerin with a fortepiano (Steven Zehr)
The other tenor who is really special for me is Karl Erb. Karl Erb is a singer who makes me glad to be alive -- especially in Schubert.
If I have to move away from tenors, then the singer who moves me most is Lorraine Hunt Lieberson. Time and again -- in Mahler, Debussy, Schumann, Brahms, Mozart, I find myself stunned by the emotional candour. And another is Theresa Stich Randall -- especially in her Lieder recital album and her four last songs.
Apart from that, I certainly have a soft spot for Heinrich Schlusnus. I love the way he sings Mahler for example --his Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen is very fine but above all, Der Tamboursg'sell from Knaben Wunderhorn and his Wolf songs with Franz Rupp. I have a soft spot for Patzak's OTT bad taste melodramatic Mullerin, I like Panzera in Faure of course, but also in Schumann, I like Hahn singing his own songs (becuause . . .well I just do. I like to imagine the tabacco smoke and Proust applauding), I like Flott in Poulenc, I like Kipnis of course in Wolf and Schubert. I like Kreysen in Debussy, I like Simoneau in Duparc, I like Fassbaender in Brahms and in Wolf. I like Bar in Wolf. I like Anne Schwanewilms in Strauss. I like Peter Pears and Heather Harper in Britten. I like Schwartzkopf in Wolf. I like Hotter wth Moore in Winterreise -- that one quite remarkable for its restraint and internal, confidential feeling.
I'm sure I'm forgetting some . . .
btw- your Thread Title has the snyprrr seal of approval, haha!! funny ;)
You must buy these.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hG1E3hSQL._SS400_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41VGRGNXWYL._SS500_.jpg)
I'll be back later with more recommendations
Thanks everyone for thoughts so far - it makes interesting reading and research.
I have the Schwarzkopf recital (among quite a few) and must admit I had forgotten about Hotter in a plethora of Pregardiens and Güras.....
What do you think about his Wolf recital on Testament (HMV)?
I have to heartily agree with the Schreier comments - he is hors concours for me, especially in Schubert and LvB. :-*
How such a cool titled thread escaped me - I was clearly asleep at the wheel or something! ;D
If one looks at complete collections, then the Hyperion Schubert, Hyperion Schumann, and CPO Loewe are all in the running. All three are excellent, using multiple singers, and each maintains a fairly high standard throughout. Loewe was cheapest at CPO by quite a bit. The Schubert in particular has a number of individual issues that are fantastic.
If you look for individual releases, here are a few interesting recordings:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/418RR4Fvj3L._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Schumann: Dichterliebe, Wachter/Brendel. Outstanding singing here and they play well together. Can be hard to find, but a real favorite of mine.
[asin]B000001GXG[/asin]
Schumann: Dichterliebe, Wunderlich/Giesen (+Schubert and others). Tenor version. Pretty good and voice that just cuts you at the knees.
(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/72/62/8ff8d250fca0b9226e879010.L._AA300_.jpg)
Schubert, arr Reger. If you get a hankering to hear some of Schubert's songs orchestrated, this will be of interest.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/618BW3JRYWL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)[asin]B000PD3LC6[/asin][asin]B0000CE7FL[/asin]
Here are some wonderful Brahms discs/sets. The first may be OOP was well worth getting if you see it. The second is a quartet of voices (also wonderful). And the third contains a mix of (folk) songs for soloist and two voices.
[asin]B000026CXH[/asin]
Lastly, here is a disc with a wide mix - Pregardien/Gees singing variosu Goethe settings from Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, Beethoven, etc. Very nice if you'd like some variety of composers.
Quote from: Karafan on January 24, 2011, 04:39:09 AM
..
What do you think about his Wolf recital on Testament (HMV)?
Don't like it -- never enjoyed it. Maybe it's partly the choice of songs.
Be interesting if someone speaks up for it -- maybe points out some good bits -- as I would be prepared to give it another go.
Quote from: Karafan on January 24, 2011, 04:39:09 AM
I have the Schwarzkopf recital (among quite a few) and
There are two studio Wolf rectals -- one with Moore and one with Furtwangler at the piano.
One of the few Beethoven works I do not have are his lieder. I often hear that Beethoven is considered very under rated (if Beethoven could ever be considered such) in this regard.
What are people's thoughts on his lieder?
While I agree with Mandryka in almost every respect - especially about Karl Erb! - my present feeling is that that Irmgard Seefried and Gérard Souzay are the most rewarding singers in this field. While Seefried stuck to the Austro-German classics, Souzay of course covered mélodies as well (not quite the same thing as Lieder). Though both evinced vocal problems as they aged, they never lost their special vibrancy of affect - the wonderful BBC Legends Seefried Brahms & Schubert disc from the 60s comes to mind, with that quasi Faust mini-opera assembled from Lieder Schubert wrote at different times (tracks 15-19) and the Mignon songs. Souzay's early Schubert recordings are magical - viz. a "Nacht und Träume" to die for. I also feel that Lotte Lehmann's recordings, including DsM and Winterreise, have a lot going for them, but the rather clunky piano accompaniments are a distraction I admit. Some of her phrasing and expression is so heartfelt that it transports you to another world. And to come back to Hugues Cuénod - his Schubert, Fauré and Debussy recorded in the 50s are all exceptional and need reissuing.
Quote from: mjwal on January 24, 2011, 07:41:43 AM
While I agree with Mandryka in almost every respect - especially about Karl Erb! - my present feeling is that that Irmgard Seefried and Gérard Souzay are the most rewarding singers in this field. While Seefried stuck to the Austro-German classics, Souzay of course covered mélodies as well (not quite the same thing as Lieder). Though both evinced vocal problems as they aged, they never lost their special vibrancy of affect - the wonderful BBC Legends Seefried Brahms & Schubert disc from the 60s comes to mind, with that quasi Faust mini-opera assembled from Lieder Schubert wrote at different times (tracks 15-19) and the Mignon songs. Souzay's early Schubert recordings are magical - viz. a "Nacht und Träume" to die for. I also feel that Lotte Lehmann's recordings, including DsM and Winterreise, have a lot going for them, but the rather clunky piano accompaniments are a distraction I admit. Some of her phrasing and expression is so heartfelt that it transports you to another world. And to come back to Hugues Cuénod - his Schubert, Fauré and Debussy recorded in the 50s are all exceptional and need reissuing.
I also agree with you in every respect.
Quote from: Mandryka on January 23, 2011, 10:06:00 AM
I like tenors who sing relatively artlessly, if you know what I mean.
Over the last week or two I've enjoyed a Russian singer called Georgy Pavlovich Vinogradov singing (in Russian) Muellerin and Dichterliebe.
Happy to see you mentioning Vinogradov. I was also very impressed when I first heard his records and also enjoy him.
It's a bit strange, but interesting, how Lieder can still go so well when sung in Russian. I had a similar feeling, more in terms of emotional intensity than for the voice or "style", when I listened Nina Dorliac with Sviatoslav Richter.
Quote from: Mandryka on January 23, 2011, 10:06:00 AM
If I have to move away from tenors, then the singer who moves me most is Lorraine Hunt Lieberson. Time and again -- in Mahler, Debussy, Schumann, Brahms, Mozart, I find myself stunned by the emotional candour.
Can't agree with you more. Lorraine Hunt surely deserves to be mentioned as a very special artist. You could probably begin a topic on her.
I'm not generally a big vocal music fan, but I'm a sucker for a really sweet, pure voice. As a result, some lieder grabbed me early on and I've never stopped being a fan. Most especially I would point to two women (Elly Ameling and Janet Baker) and one all-too-well-known male singer (Fischer-Dieskau). The first time I heard Ameling sing Schubert's "Shepherd on the Rock" (from a German Harmonia Mundi rec...issued in the US on RCA Victrola LP, later a Quintessence double LP with some of her Schumann) I practically turned to melted butter, and it still has that effect on me nearly 30 years later. With Baker, some of her early work on Decca and L'Oiseau Lyre LP got me to perk up my ears...and her Mahler Ruckert Lieder with Barbirolli on EMI clinched it. DFD simply has a distinctive voice, and sometimes I'm utterly amazed by it...other times I react with a "meh." Could be the musical selection or might be my moods...dunno for sure. At any rate, these were the three voices that first made me interested...lots of others were added to the list later.
;)
Dirk