Schubert: Willkommen und Abschied
The CD title means Welcome and taking leave/saying good-bye… Nice title for the mood and emotion that these songs evoke…
Schubert:
Heidenröslein, D257
Schlaflied D527 (Mayrhofer)
Wiegenlied D867 (Seidl)
Geheimes, D719 (Goethe)
Ganymed, D544 (Goethe)
Auf der Bruck, D853
Der Fischer, D225 (Goethe)
Dass sie hier gewesen! D775 (Rückert)
Bei dir allein, D866/2
Der Schiffer, D536 (Mayrhofer)
Willkommen und Abschied, D767
Der Wanderer, D493
Im Walde D834
Wandrers Nachtlied I ‘Der du von dem Himmel bist’, D224
Der Einsame, D800
Der Winterabend (Es ist so still), D938
Herbst, D945
Rosamunde, D797: Romance ‘Der Vollmond Strahlt auf Bergeshöh’n’
Nachtstück, D672 (Mayrhofer)
Performed by Werner Güra, Tenor, and Christoph Berner, Fortepiano
Werner Güra has a reputation especially as an interpreter of lieder. His recordings for Harmonia Mundi, including the great cycles of Schubert, Schumann and Wolf and vocal ensembles by Brahms and Schumann, have all been widely acclaimed.
From my point of view, it takes some courage to begin a collection of Schubert Lieder with one of the most well-known and amazing songs of all time, “Heidenroeslein”. But… I found that this courage is well-placed: the interpretation is quite lovely and pleasing.
Here are some press comments:
“It comprises 19 songs, all stylishly and beautifully sung by the tenor Werner Güra. The six Goethe settings include such familiar contrasts as Heidenröslein and Ganymed, while Willkommen und Abschied itself, more of a rarity, is heroically sung. The strength of Güra’s tone without any loss of quality has always been his strong point.”
………………………….Sunday Telegraph, 29th January 2012
“His fresh lyric tenor combines well with Berner’s bright yet warm-toned fortepiano — he twinkles at Goethe’s ironic description of a water nymph as “eine feuchtes Weib”, literally a “damp woman” — while Berner brings drama to the piano parts of Auf der Bruck, Willkommen und Abschied and the haunting, yearning Herbst.”
…………………………………………..Sunday Times, 12th February 2012
Here is Franz Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin” performed by Werner Güra, and Jan Schultsz
Tags: Schubert, Lieder, Werner Güra, Christoph Berner