Search - Schumann, Herman Prey :: Schumann: Dichterliebe Op. 48/ Liederkreis Op. 24 - 5 Lieder by Heine

A souvenir of a beloved singer, who wins one's heart despite

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 03/04/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I hope this accomplished and appealing Schumann recital doesn't go begging. Hermann Prey is a name once so popular, especially in Germany, that it's shocking to think that he's rarely even mentioned today. He died short of seventy in 1998, having made dozens of records, many of them with a crossover or folk flavor. If there's such a thing as a good-natured voice, Prey possessed it. The tone is warm, caramelized, inviting, and immediately recgnizable. But Prey was perhaps a bit too middle of the road as an interpreter. When combined with his winning stage personalaity, the voice was perfect for Papageno and Figaro. Prey also made any number of lieder recordings, however, and this is one of the best to come my way.



This is a direct, forthright Dichterliebe without fussiness and over-thinking; therefore, anyone who wants an alternative to Fischer-Dieskau might well be pleased. Prey isn't that concerned with probing the poetry; he gives us a set of magnificent melodies delivered with rich, warm tone. Too bad, then, that the accompanist, one Leonard Hokerson, is such a dud. His wooden, faceless playing is barely satisfactory and does severe injustice to Schumann's wonderful keyboard writing.



It's nice to have the Liederkreis Op. 24 based on Heine texts paired with the three Heine poems about "Arme Peter." Leaning toward the folk side of this music, Prey is gentle and lyrical, using his honeyed yet homey voice very naturally. for that reason, I prefer him to Bostridge's painfully overworked version on EMI and perhaps even to Thomas Hampson's very accomplished one. For one thing, there's the advantage of Prey's native German. But once again the accompanist ruins one's pleasure to a considerable extent. The program ends with the two most popular songs from the Myrthen group, "Du bist wie eine Blumen" and "Die Lotosblume," both done with flowing ease.



In all, nothing here is a landmark in the art of lieder singing, but anyone who fondly remembers Prey will find much to reminisce over."