With an artist such as Fischer-Dieskau, all of his recordings are essential listening. A compulsive re-recorded of the repertoire, each version displays new insights often coupled with a series of remarkable accompanists. As his vocal powers declined somewhat from the dizzy heights of their peak, so his interpretations deepened. But there is still something special about recordings from the first decades of this recording career and especially his partnership with the incomparable Gerald Moore.

The problem, of course, is what to choose. One could quite easily have filled 2 CDs with lieder and still not included everything that would be described as the very best. Here EMI have assembled 2 CDs, one of lieder mainly recorded in the 1950s and 1960s. The second CD includes some of Fischer-Dieskau's Bach, Handel and opera.

The collection opens with five songs from Fischer-Dieskau and Gerald Moore's 1961 recording of 'Die Schöne Müllerin". In the artists are more spontaneous than in their 1951 EMI recording. Though Fischer-Dieskau does lighten his voice to suggest the youthful hero, in complete versions I still prefer a tenor voice and there is sometimes a sense here of Fischer-Dieskau's voice being almost too powerful for the songs.

There then follows a group of Schubert songs recorded in the 1950s and 1960s with Moore. In these early recordings you cannot help but be stunned at the sheer quality of the voice. Coupled with keen intelligence, it makes these performances compelling. A song like 'Der Tod und das Mädchen' is grippingly dramatised in a powerfully understated way. Fischer-Dieskau's was very much the art that conceals art and his way with a song can be spine-tingling. The singer rarely managed to re-capture the sheer spontaneity of 'Erlkönig' recorded in 1951. Fischer-Dieskau in the 1950s seemed to have endless reserves of voice coupled with a wonderful subtlety of nuance.

The Schubert group concludes with two songs for Fischer-Dieskau and Moore's 1955 recording of 'Winterreise'. In fact the baritone went on to make eight or more recordings of this cycle. Though his later 1962 recording is probably a deeper interpretation and generally more accomplished, this early recording has the advantage of capturing something of Fischer-Dieskau's youthful ardency. Listening to these two songs made me long to hear the whole cycle.

Three Brahms songs follow, with Wolfgang Sawallisch as pianist, recorded in 1974. Here the voice is darker, narrower in focus giving a more intense sound to the songs, but the voice is apt to sound a little frayed at the climaxes.

The Hugo Wolf group includes one item from the 'Italienisches Liederbuch' recorded with Moore in 1969 and four Mörike Lieder with Moore from 1958. Wolf has always been central to Fischer-Dieskau's repertoire and these Mörike Lieder are essential listening.

There follows a group of three Richard Strauss songs, issued in 1970, again with Moore. I have never felt that Fischer-Dieskau's Richard Strauss was entirely satisfactory. He convinces as much as any baritone can, but basically I do not think these songs work with a male voice with the vocal line transposed down to this pitch. This is especially true of 'Morgen' where the voice's entry is a shock rather than it caressing the long violin solo (here beautifully played on the piano by Moore). That said, if we have to have these songs sung by a baritone, then I can think of no better exponent than Fischer-Dieskau.

The first CD ends with the sole Mahler contribution, something from 'Des Knabe Wunderhorn', the lovely 'Des Antonius von Padua Fishpredigt' delightfully sung by Fischer-Dieskau.

The second CD contains a number of items which are probably less essential listening. The two items from Bach's 'Christmas Oratorio' were recorded in 1977 and Fischer-Dieskau sounds rather laboured and effortful. While it is good to hear the stylish accompaniment of the English Chamber Orchestra it is a pity that EMI have not included any of Fischer-Dieskau's Bach recordings from nearly 20 years earlier, as this really was a golden period. Surely we could have had some of the 1958 arias from the Cantatas or something from the St. Matthew Passion recorded with Richter that same year. This does seem to be a striking omission.

Instead, the two Bach arias are followed by an aria from Handel's 'Rinaldo', recorded in a lugubrious octave downward transposition. This is certainly not the very best of Fischer-Dieskau and is a horrible reminder of his recording of the title role of Handel's 'Julius Caesar'. Jean-Pierre Rampal plays the flute solo limpidly and Fischer-Dieskau almost convinces us that this was a sensible thing to record.

Fischer-Dieskau's operatic performances have generally not always been appreciated in England as much as his lieder singing. It is good to hear his approach to the Dutchman's solo, his care for the text matching that in his lieder performances. The solo is recorded in a slightly odd acoustic and you do miss the extra ounce of power that a bigger voice could bring. The second of these Wagner arias, recorded in the late 1970s with Kubelik and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, is Wotan's Farewell. Despite the close attention to the text, in both arias you miss a sense of poetry and a feeling for Wagner's larger paragraphs.

These are followed by four Verdi arias from a recital recorded in 1959 with Alberto Erede and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. This received mixed reviews when it was first issued, Fischer-Dieskau's way with Verdi rather dividing the critics. But it is certainly refreshing to have someone come to Verdi and apply the same intelligence as to other areas of the repertoire, making the assumption there is intelligent sense to be made of this music. Whilst one cannot always take the results to ones heart, you can still admire them. The voice never sounds Italianate, but Fischer-Dieskau's way with the music can still be persuasive. But I missed a sense of amplitude in the voice and occasionally Fischer-Dieskau sounds a little under powered.

The disc concludes with two items from Sir John Barbirolli's complete 'Otello' with James McCracken in the title role. This was the less successful of Barbirolli's two late opera recordings. But it is a welcome treat to hear two such intelligent beings as Barbirolli and Fischer-Dieskau in this wonderful music, even if you then return gratefully to another recording of choice from your library shelves. In Iago's Credo, Fischer-Dieskau has a tendency to distort the vocal line to lend emphasis, perhaps to make up for his lacking the sheer power necessary. More successful are Iago's insinuations in 'Era la notte'. This also provides us with a glimpse of James McCracken's rather wayward Otello.

This is a fine collection of samples of Fischer-Dieskau's recordings. You might not always agree with the fine details of the selection, but the emphasis on the earlier versions of the lieder recordings provides some excellent examples of Fischer-Dieskau's art. Whilst you might not welcome many of his complete opera recordings, these excerpts provide a fine survey. A highly recommendable collection.

Robert Hugill