Search - Robert Schumann, Thomas Schuback, Hakan Hagegard :: Hagegard/Schubc

A Performance Of Considerable Devotion And Purity!

Raymond Vacchino | Toronto, ON. Canada | 02/07/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Eichendorff poems were published in 1837. Schumann selected some of these and made them into a song cycle, "Liederkreis" linking them by key, dynamics and similarity or contrast of text. "The Eichendorff cycle is my most romantic music ever." (Schumann)

The prime attraction here is Baritone Hakan Hagegard. His singing generates revelatory qualities some of which being the ability to carefully and patiently convey the text, perform with a warm, resonant tone color and extraordinarily balance the explicit role between singer and in this case, pianist Thomas Schuback. The recording opens with 'In der Fremde', and Hagegard conveys the inner reflective character of his homeland and times gone by with personal inner depth. 'Mondnacht', is sung with magnificent musical scope and devotion conveying the sky, flower blossoms, soft breeze and clear night. Hagegard's innate musicianship and "special" qualities fit one another like hand and glove. His overall approach to the music has a restrained purity and this too feels like part of the natural voice of the music and its subject matter. His time framing in each of the songs is often inspiring, eloquently thought through and beautifully sung with the perfect sense of dramatic character. The dynamic scope is commendable but could be expanded even more especially in the (pp) range. This is a very slight quibble when the entire vocal presentation is disciplined with a pleasing richness and depth to its sound. There can be no complaint that this performance lacks color, commitment and communication of mood and emotion. The pianist bestows every refinement of technique and taste upon these performances and the balance, tone and clarity, does justice to all. Hagegard and Schuback are instinctively matched providing an essential element of artistic command, subtlety, and a sense of proportion.



Author: Raymond Vacchino M.Mus. A.Mus. L.R.S.M. Licentiate (honorary)"