This is the third volume in the Naxos Schumann
Lieder Series. This will eventually run to twelve volumes. As
in the second volume (Dichterliebe
and Liederkreis Op. 24) the
baritone Thomas E. Bauer is prominent, singing on more than
half the tracks, including duet sections. His counterpart and
occasional partner on this disc is the German soprano Sibylla
Rubens, who is new to the series. While Mr. Bauer is an uneven
talent, Ms. Rubens is consistently fine and can excel in a variety
of song types.
The Naxos Volume 3 contains two of the lesser-known
Schumann song-cycles. The Liederablum
fur die Jugend is somewhat more
than a cycle in that several of the songs have parts for a second
singer and one (Weihnachtlied) can utilize a chorus at the end of each
stanza. It serves as a graduated series of singing exercises
at the same time as providing songs for children to actually
sing in addition to genuine art songs. If this were not enough,
it was written in 1849 when Schumann had fled Dresden because of the May Rising against the King of
Saxony. While Schumann did not actively support the Rising the
way Wagner did, his feelings are expressed in the choice of
texts for some of his songs. The largest number
are by Hoffman von Fallersleben,
a revolutionary writer. There are also texts by Uhland
and two from William Tell. Musically one can sense an
undercurrent of unease and even violence in some of the songs.
However more than anything else they remain a charming grouping
of songs and lieder.
As said above, Ms Rubens can apply her high, bright
soprano to a variety of the moods demonstrated in these songs.
Her first song Schmetterling
is sung with great gusto and excellent enunciation. Two songs
later, in Frühlingsgruss, she
combines a child’s joy at the coming of spring with a sense
of fantasy that serves Schumann well. Mailied
(no. 10) is a duet with mezzo-soprano Stefanie
Iranyi. Their voices blend very well and they perform together
charmingly. Ms. Rubens sings the 13th through 16th
songs as a sort of group. The first two, Der
Sandmann and Marienwürmchen
are sung simply and expressively, although Ms. Rubens falters
for a moment in the latter song. In the Die Waise
we come to more serious territory and the soprano makes the
change so subtly as to make the transition unnoticeable. The
last of the four songs Das
Glück is another duet with
Ms. Iranyi. Again the two singers perform beautifully together
with Ms. Iranyi matching Ms. Rubens
in the more serious tone underneath the words of the song. The
duet Die Schwalben must be mentioned for both singers’ perfect
capturing of Schumann’s tone painting ability. Finally, Mignon,
which has been sung so many times, receives a rather psychological
reading as the young girl peers into her future.
About Thomas Bauer I cannot be quite so enthusiastic.
With the gypsy songs he shows an ease and lightness of rhythm
that is missed in some of the other songs that he essays here.
An example of this is the first song Abendstern
which should be a whimsical introduction to the cycle but which
he makes far too serious. On the other hand he does well with
many of the songs that should be sung seriously, such as Lied
des Lynceus der Turmer which does quite
well. He also mixes well with the female performers in the joint
efforts such as Weihnachtslied
and Fruhlingslied. In the Lieder und Gesange he produces a more controlled performance.
Special mention should be made of the third soloist
on this recording, Stefanie Iranyi, who participates in a half-dozen of the songs. She
blends effortlessly with Ms. Rubens. Although something of a
Bach specialist she shows a fine understanding of the Schumann
milieu. Equal praise should be given to the pianist Uta
Hielscher who has been the pianist
on all three of the discs in this series. Not only does she
show a lightness of touch that benefits a wide variety of material,
but she proves herself equal to Ms. Iranyi
in evoking the world of Schumann. I hope that she will continue
with the series. The sound in Bavarian Radio’s Studio No.1 is
not as warm as one would wish for this music, but it is surprisingly
clear. Finally, praise must be given to Dr.Gerhard Dietel for some exceptional
program notes.
The main competition for this recording of Op.
79 is naturally Vol. 9 of the Hyperion Schumann Songs Series
(CDA33109) with Dame Felicity Lott and Ann Murray. Their recording
brings decades of experience and versatility to these songs,
which the soloists on the Naxos disc have yet to acquire. On the other
hand, the Naxos
has the virtue of new, young voices excited about their repertoire.
It also has the advantage of containing the songs in sequential
order while the Hyperion disc has them interspersed with excerpts
from Schumann’s Op. 68. As far as the Lieder und Gesange
are concerned there is also stiff competition from Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau on DG 474466, a collection
of his Schumann reissues. Again the difference is between experienced
singers and enthusiastic youth.
William
Kreindler
see also Review
by Göran Forsling
April BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
