Search - Roman Trekel, Franz [Vienna] Schubert, Ulrich Eisenlohr :: Schubert: Winterreise

An adequate low-price introduction to "Winterreise."

Celia A. Sgroi | 01/09/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As a great fan of Roman Trekel, I wish I could give stronger recommendation but I can't. Trekel has a well-produced voice, good diction, and the ability to sing soft and loud, high and low, with no strain. As far as interpretation is concerned, the good news is that there is one, but the bad news is that Trekel sometimes pounces on individual words for no apparent reason or for all too obvious reasons. However, there is a discernable progression through the cycle, from something like injured pride and indignantion at the beginning through increasing sorrow and despair, to exhaustion and numbness. Trekel's performance gets stronger the further he gets into the cycle. The only problem is that there is nothing here to distinguish the performance, to lift it from "good" to "special." Still, for the low price, it's not a bad way to get acquainted with "Winterreise." However, I do not like the pianist, Ulrich Eisenlohr, and I especially don't like the way he carries the dischord in the introduction to "Der Leiermann" through the whole song (despite what is written in the music), which makes the piano accompaniment obtrusive and gives the impression the singer is off-pitch. A dumb idea!"

Recount monotonously

Sen Peng Eu | Kaohsiung, Taiwan | 06/21/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Schubert's Winterreise is so deep and somber that few singers can carry it satisfyingly. In this new edition we find that again. Trekel's tone,tempo and Eisenlohr's touch are both ok, But it sounds they are just recounting the whole opus from the first song to the last, without deeply involving in the wintery, chilly, dark and despairing world. Some lieder were sung much mediocrely, like no.20 Der Wegweiser, no.15 Die Kraehe. Some sung tritely, like the famous no.5 Der Lindenbaum (It sounds very, very shallow. The heartbreaking atmosphere of the prelude and the mesmerizing singing melodie are both disappear). Certainly, At times there are a few sparkles shine , as in no.11 Fruehlingstraum. Their performance in this song is very moving."

Recommended if you like art songs

Simon Mauer | Bucks County, PA USA | 10/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am not an expert on classical music, but I like the German Art Song genre and I think this production is very good. The piano and voice are well matched and both performed expressively and at the same time very precicely and clearly. I am enjoying repeated listenings. Schubert is quite brooding in this set of songs yet very melodic at times. The recording also comes with an English translation in the liner notes for those of us who don't understand German very well, however if you do understand German, I think the singing is so well ennunciated that you will be able to follow it easily."