There is no lack of recordings of Dichterliebe, nor is it
nowadays any problem to find Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder
in the catalogues. This disc however doesn’t offer the umpteenth
version of the standard Schumann cycle, nor is there a comparable
recording of the Berg songs.
Dichterliebe includes the twenty songs that Schumann originally
wrote and offered to the publisher Peters. They cut four of them,
presumably because they thought the cycle would be too long. As for
the Berg songs they are commonly sung by a woman, but here we have
them sung by a tenor. Arguably some of the poems could very well be
related to a man.
Having been used to the common sixteen songs in Dichterliebe
for almost fifty years, the additions seem like rather odd birds,
in particular Es leuchtet meine Liebe (tr. 15). In its own
right it is a good song and the piano part is Schumann at his most
flamboyant, but it stands out. Mein Wagen rollet langsam (tr.
16) is closer to the general mood in the cycle.
Arnold Bezuyen’s approach to the songs is rather heavy, which
afflicts songs like Im wunderschönen Monat Mai and Aus
meinen Tränen sprießen, where one expects a lighter
touch. Both songs are sung with passion and excellent enunciation.
Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’ is beautifully nuanced but
it is still on the ponderous side. Songs like Im Rhein, im heiligen
Strome and Ich grolle nicht are more Bezuyen’s cup
of tea, and here his excellent pianist grabs the opportunity to limn
in some colourful backgrounds.
The lighter Und wüssten’s die Blumen goes well though
I miss the nervous intensity of, say, Fischer-Dieskau. Das ist
ein Flöten und Geigen dances along in rustic fashion rather
than in elegance - clogs instead of ballet shoes. An inward Hör’
ich das Liedchen klingen makes amends for some lack of sensitivity
in the earlier songs - and the piano postlude is fine. Ein Jüngling
liebt ein Mädchen is rustic and full-voiced but I can’t
really take him to task for that - this is basically rather a simple
tale. In Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen I must again praise the
postlude.
The concluding songs are all fine. Ich hab’ im Traum geweinet
and Allnächtlich im Traume are sensitive and Bezuyen catches
the mood superbly. Aus aten Märchen and Die alten,
bösen Lieder are both heavy-weighters and fare well under
Bezuyen’s muscular treatment.
Coupling Schumann with Alban Berg may be seen as a bold decision but
in reality it works. The Berg songs were written when he was just
over twenty and not yet under the spell of Schönberg. They are
no more ‘modern’ than the songs of Richard Strauss and
Hugo Wolf and especially Die Nachtigall is a lovely song. I
still prefer the songs with a female voice, which makes them more
transparent. A lighter tenor voice would probably work better; Bezuyen
presses too hard and this lessens the impact.
Something of a mixed bag, in other words, but there are many good
things here, not least in Dichterliebe. For readers with limited
knowledge of German it’s a pity that there are no translations
of the song-texts, but they are easily accessible on-line.
Göran Forsling
Masterwork Index: Dichterliebe
Track listing
Schumann
1. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai [1:39]
2. Aus meinen Tränen sprießen [0:58]
3. Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne [0:33]
4. Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’ [1:54]
5. Dein Angesicht so lieb und schön [2:43]*
6. Lehn’ deine Wang’ [1:00]*
7. Ich will meine Seele tauchen [0:58]
8. Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome [2:28]
9. Ich grolle nicht [1:41]
10. Und wüssten’s die Blumen, die kleinen [1:22]
11. Das ist ein Flöten und Geigen [1:34]
12. Hör’ ich das Liedchen klingen [2:26]
13. Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen [1:02]
14. Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen [2:36]
15. Es leuchtet meine Liebe [1:43]*
16. Mein Wagen rollet langsam [3:55]*
17. Ich hab’ im Traum geweinet [2:45]
18. Allnächtlich im Traume [1:54]
19. Aus alten Märchen winkt es [2:59]
20. Die alten, bösen Lieder [5:00]
* Removed before publishing
Berg
21. Nacht [4:44]
22. Schilflied [2:19]
23. Die Nachtigall [2:33]
24. Traumgekrönt [3:04]
25. Im Zimmer [1:22]
26. Liebesode [2:13]
27. Sommertage [1:55]
