RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Franz SCHUBERT (1797 - 1828)
Bei dir allein! (Schubert Songs)
1. Bei dir allein! D 866/2 [2:10]
2. Lied der Delphine D 857/1 [4:17]
3. Lied des Florio D 857/2 [4:17]
4. Suleika I D 720 [5:42]
5. Suleika II D 717 [4:17]
6. An Silvia D 891 [2:47]
7. Der Zwerg D 771 [5:28]
8. Geheimes D 719 [1:56]
9. Heimliches Lieben D 922 [4:18]
10. Gretchen am Spinnrade D 118 [3:45]
11. Frühlingsglaube D 686 [3:13]
12. Im Frühling D 882 [4:10]
13. Der Sänger am Felsen D 482 [3:20]
14. Totengräbers Heimweh D 842 [6:27]
15. Am Tage aller Seelen (Litanei) D 343 [4:10]
Camilla Tilling (soprano), Paul Rivinius (piano)
rec. September 2010, Potton Hall, Suffolk, England
Texts with English translations enclosed
BIS BIS-SACD-1844 [61:40]
It’s more than fifteen years since I first heard the young
Camilla Tilling. She was engaged as soloist with our local symphony
orchestra, of which I had then recently become president. I was captivated
by her light, bell-like soprano, her technical command and, not least, her
expressivity. There was soul and depth behind her effortlessly produced
tones. Learning that she also had a song repertoire I immediately engaged
her for a song recital in our chamber music society. This was another
success and more than one of the visitors predicted a great career. And so
it was. Before long she was gone, the international stages stood in line for
her, Metropolitan, Covent Garden, later La Scala. In Sweden she sang at the
Gothenburg Opera, where she once made her debut, and I caught her as the
soprano soloist in Beethoven’s ninth in Stockholm. Period!
Three years ago BIS issued a solo disc with Camilla Tilling in
Strauss songs. I ended my review ‘More, please, BIS!’ Now I have
had my request granted. And let me get straight to the point: This is a damn
good disc! The Strauss CD was very good; here it seems that she has gained
even more colours and nuances while retaining that original youthful timbre
and ravishing beauty of tone. Now in mid-career she has reached that ideal
equilibrium between singing per se and interpreting, or the equal
balance of words and music. There is in Tilling’s singing the same
unaffected simplicity and naturalness of Elly Ameling, who was to my mind
the greatest soprano in the Lieder Fach in the wake of Elisabeth
Schwarzkopf. While Schwarzkopf was artfulness personified, Ameling was her
opposite pole - but with the same deep insights. Tilling is a singer whose
voice can’t be mistaken for either Schwarzkopf or Ameling but in
approach she belongs to the Ameling school. Just listen to Suleika II
(tr. 5). It is so sensitive, so beautiful and her diminuendo on the last
note is lovely - and feels quite natural. She doesn’t over-do the
effect.
As on her Strauss disc she mixes the well known with the not so well
known. The first five songs must be counted as belonging to the latter
category while An Silvia (tr. 6) has been sung and recorded by
countless singers. Any new singer who essays that lovely song is up against
all the great names of the past. I haven’t listened to the two dozen
or so recordings on my shelves just for this review but as soon as I heard
the very first phrases of Tilling’s reading it felt right. The song
unfolded so naturally - I know I have used the word before - and there
wasn’t a hint of calculation. There is enormous care, preparation and
testing to reach this result, but it sounds spontaneous. Art concealing art.
Der Zwerg (tr. 7) reveals her dramatic capacity and that she has more
power than one can expect. She is now at an age when it is not uncommon that
a former Susanna and Sophie takes on the Countess and the Feldmarschallin
instead.
There is lovely singing throughout and I will just single out a
couple of songs that felt special. Heimliches Lieben (tr. 9), a
relative rarity, became a new favourite after hearing this delightful
reading. I couldn’t resist playing it twice again before I continued
listening. Frühlingsglaube (tr. 11) is sung so softly and
inwardly, almost hesitatingly - and to great effect. The two final songs are
heard in masterly interpretations. Totengräber’s Heimweh
(tr. 14) was for me long synonymous with Fischer-Dieskau; in particular his
1970 recording with Gerald Moore (DG). It seems designed for a baritone
voice but remarkably Tilling darkens her voice and reaches the same depth as
F-D. The final stanza is immensely moving. So is Litanei (tr. 15),
sung with skinless vulnerability.
Paul Rivinius, as on the previous disc, is an ideal partner. The
recording balance is what one expects to hear in a good chamber music hall.
Horst A. Scholz manages to squeeze in lots of illuminating information in
the relatively limited space offered by the booklet. One further detail: BIS
cleverly leaves generous silences between each song, enabling the listener
time to digest the first song and prepare for the next.
A superb Schubert recital in every respect. More, please, BIS!
Göran Forsling
A superb Schubert recital in every respect.