Search - Ian Bostridge, Graham Johnson, Dorothea Roschmann :: Hyperion Edition: The Songs of Robert Schumann, vol. 7

Schumann with beauty and interpretation

Ingrid Heyn | Melbourne, Australia | 06/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The selection of Lieder solos and duets in this fine recording combines the familiar and the less familiar. One is struck not merely by the wonderful melodic quality of the pieces, but the sense of intimacy and tenderness that lies at the heart of the music. The Lieder are wonderful to perform - and to listen to two such fine singers as Dorothea Röschmann and Ian Bostridge sing together is a pleasure indeed.



The use of word painting in Lieder is absolutely pivotal to the successful performance of the works. A lovely tone is not enough - it is never enough for this sort of singing. How blessed the listener is when the performer possesses not merely beauty of voice, but the heart for Lieder, the intellect for Lieder, the ability to portray both heart and intellect...



There is a find blend between the soprano and tenor voices in this recording, and the piano accompaniment could not be bettered. The individual Lieder are sung beautifully, with feeling, taste and exquisite understanding.



So schön ist es... wunderbare Musik, wunderbar gesungen."

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Planet Earth | 02/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"ROSCHMANN AND BOSTRIDGE: TRULY A DYNAMIC DUO!



When one listens to this exquisitely descriptive music of Robert Schumann(1810-1856) it is hard to comprehend the stark reality of his 'troubled' life. He fought a losing fight against frustration, poverty, and melancholia, which eventually necessitated his removal to a private sanatorium, where he eventually died.



A good representation of his vocal music is contained on this disc which includes 8 duets with Roschmann (soprano) and Bostridge (tenor), and numerous solos.The song cycle 'Myrten' (Myrtles) consists of 26 songs full of secrets and allusions. An important part of their power is their inter-connectedness in terms of tonality. This is something new in a song cycle. At first it appears to be a patchwork quilt,but it is bound together by personal biographical allusions where every choice of poem represents an aspect of love which encompasses the legend-in -the-making that was Robert and Clara.



The disc opens with Four Duets Op.34, the sound of which betoken the domesticity of the marital state. Like so many other songs of 1840 the music describes projected happiness rather than an experience of it, as if one of the duet's functions was to help turn into reality the togetherness implied by the close interactions of the music.



Schumann was the natural successor to Schubert and subsequently expanded the horizons of the Lied considerably. One of the areas in which he made real innovations was the vocal duet giving this form a new life with music both exciting and touching.



Some of the solos are more familiar to me than others such as 'Widmung' (dedication) and 'Du Bist wie eine Blume' (you are like a flower) sung so artistically and sweetly by Ian Bostridge. I particularly liked Dorthea Roschmann's rendition of 'Die Lotosblume'(the lotus flower) sung with her very rich and resonant voice.



No doubt that on this disc we have here three of the best interpreters to put all of these songs across to us. The voices of our two soloists are in perfect blend and the German is flawless, but then I've never heard either one of them sing below standard! Graham Johnson is a Schubert expert having recorded the entire Schubert Lieder for Hyperion, so his accompaniment of the Lied of Schumann is perfection. This disc is pure listening pleasure!!!!



First class packaging and excellent booklet that includes all you want to know; recorded in 2001."