Search - Gerald Finley, Paul Robinson, Franz [Vienna] Schubert :: The Hyperion Schubert Edition 36 ~ An 1827 Schubertiad / Banse, Finley, Schade, Dawson, G. Johnson

A Fulfilling Evening of Schubert Songs

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 10/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those unexposed to the enormous undertaking by Hyperion records to record all of the songs and song cycles of Franz Schubert, this superb CD is a fine way to discover. Schubert's range of vocal writing was immense and though many of his songs are de rigueur on the recitals of every singer, there are so many that are rarely heard, little jewels of composition hiding on the library shelves, that it takes a project such as this by Hyperion to bring them fully to our attention.



This CD is a true 'Schubertiad' - an evening of various works by one composer involving several soloists. The constant here is the fine pianist Graham Johnson who collaborates with each of the singers providing a consistency of vision that truly makes this group of songs unified. The soloists are all excellent - Juliane Banse, Lynne Dawson, Gerald Finley, Graham Johnson, Michael Schade - but the evening's crowning artist is Gerald Finley. This young Canadian baritone has a voice of rare beauty and communicative powers and his rendering of the poetry so important in Schubert's settings is uncanny. Since this recording, made in 2000, Finley has become one of the more sought after singers in opera, oratorio, recitals, and contemporary works: he has premiered opera roles by Saariaho and Adams, his most recent triumph is the lead in Adams' stunning 'Doctor Atomic'. Each of his many operatic roles allows him to communicate the large image in Mozart, Vaughan Williams, Purcell, Britten, etc, but here Finley works his magic on the bare stage with piano: the power of his communication is equally powerful. A most satisfying recital. Grady Harp, October 05

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