Floored by its Magic
arwulf arwulf | Ann Arbor Michigan USA | 02/17/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There's an awe-inspiring braid of personalities at work here: the composer, the poet, the pianist and the singer. While I enjoy and admire the chemistry of Gerald Moore's thoughtful accompaniments on the definitive 1958 and 1961 Morike interpretations, this recital exudes a mysterious perfume unlike any other Wolf recording I've encountered. The best way to succumb to Um Mitternacht is to lay on the floor and let the fog blow gently over your body! Also: take Der Feuerreiter out of context. Envision the spirit of fire itself, moving wherever it pleases. Listen again and follow the words closely. In or out of context, it's wonderful magic. Altogether a recording worth obtaining and studying carefully. Once again, some of the least popular music carries the greatest wealth of human expressivity, substance and depth."