Search - Franz [Vienna] Schubert, Tamara Takacs, Jenö Jandó :: Schubert: Lieder

Adequate Introduction to Schubert Lieder, but Not Much More

Christopher Forbes | Brooklyn,, NY | 10/08/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Naxos is one of the most exciting companies in classical music today. Their approach is enormously successful. Take standard repertoire or interesting corners of the literature and marry it with good, lesser-known performers and produce it at a ridiculously cheap price while still keeping up-to-date modern recording quality. Unlike other budget labels, Naxos' sound is impeccable and the performances are lovingly engineered. As a result, Naxos is fast becoming THE way for music lovers to build up a repertoire of CDs quickly and cheaply. Surprisingly, some of the performances actually supercede the competition...and then some are just adequate. This lieder disc falls into the latter category.The Schubert Lieder on this disc are probably his most well known and important songs outside of the cycles. The disc begins with the haunting An die Music and ends with the spine chilling Erlkonig. Included are some of Schubert's most beloved songs including Du bist die Rue, Die Forelle, Getchen am Spinnrade and Der Tod und das Madchen. The program is balanced and varied and in terms of literature, is an excellent introduction to these Schubert masterpieces. However, the performances are good, but not spectacular. Tamara Takacs' voice takes a great deal of getting used to. She has the heavy quality and wide vibrato that is so characteristic of Eastern European sopranos. She also has a tendency to scoop, something that is much less pleasant in Art Song than in opera. Her attention to the coloration of the songs is quite good though, and she seems a born storyteller. As a result the songs set to really great poems such are Gretchen, Du Bist Die Ruh and Erlkonig are exciting experiences. Accompanist Jeno Jando fairs much better. He is brilliant in supporting the soprano. I have found his lack of distinctive personality a disadvantage in his Naxos solo piano recordings, but here he is the perfectly self-effacing accompanist, sensitive to phrasing of Takacs, and adding a distinct psychological coloring of his own.This is not a bad CD at all, and for novices to Art Song, if you can get past the Eastern European hoot in Takacs' voice, this can be a good introduction. But if you are a fan of Schubert Lieder, this is not the CD to get. Better to get recordings by Ely Ameling or Schwartzkopf, who are both much better in this repertoire and can be had for a reasonable price if you search a bit."