Who? Well, the small German label Orfeo has a reputation
for bringing forward less obvious repertoire, often performed by outstanding
native performers. So it is here. Zumsteeg, a friend of Schiller, two
months his elder, studied cello and composition, and as well as seven
volumes of lied, he also composed several operas. Serious scholars have
suggested that his model was significant to those who followed: Schubert,
Loewe, Zetter, Knock; enough said! Zumsteeg was part of the "Sturm
and Drang" (storm and stress) movement, which foreshadowed romanticism.
His songs require full bodied tone allied to the capacity for a wide
variety of inflection and expression. Bernd Weikl is an ideal exponent
of the works presented on this disc. Born in Vienna in 1942 he made
his professional debut as Ottakar in Der Freischütz in 1968. He
sang at the Salzburg Easter Festival in 1968 and later that year made
his Bayreuth début, since when he has sung there regularly. He
has not restricted himself to the German repertoire and has appeared
in opera sets sung in Italian on the BMG label. All this indicates the
quality of voice that is evidenced on this disc. With a full rounded
tone, excellent legato and diction, he explores and expresses the words
and nuances of what he sings and without the excessive pointing that
some specialist lieder singers often exhibit. The piano accompaniments
of Wolfgang Sawallisch match his singer. The recording is forward and
ideally clear. The booklet contains translations in French and English
as well as brief biographies. Those interested in the evolution of pre-Schubert
lied will find much of interest and enjoyment here.
Robert J Farr
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Bernd Weikl (baritone).
Wolfgang Sawallisch (piano).