Customer Reviews

Franz Schubert: 21 Lieder

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While the lieder of shubert are arguably the most sensitive and best in the whole repertoire, Fischer Dieskau is indisputably the best lied performer of all times. When trying to have a first taste with this great music the main quesion is where to start? DG's collection of Shubert Lieder's interpretation by Fischer Dieskau is comprised of two huge boxes (9 CD each) and a separate box (3 CDs) with the very famous song cycles. This CD of EMI which is sold in mid-price can be an outstanding starting point to enjoy many of Scubert's best songs. This CD does not include songs from the song cycles so these can be bought later without overlapping. If you have started with the genius song-cycles and don't want at this stage to buy DG's boxes you can have a taste from his other best songs in this CD. Don't miss it.

The great thing about Fidi is that he has never made a bad recording. And here he is, fairly early in his career, with his collaborator Sir Gerald Moore, and they seem to have learned the lieder trade from each other. I mean, with current studio recording artists, you've got to imagine they do retakes when they make technical errors. But with Fidi and Moore, you actually hear some muffs now and then. What they really concentrate on is the poetic vision of the works. So that interpretation really is the hallmark.

There aren't many bothering with recordings of these works today. You wonder why? It's because they know that can't do them better than Fisher-Dieskau and Moore. It just doesn't get any better.

You really need to buy this while it's still available and at these rock bottom prices.

I had never owned so much as a single lieder on CD before I bought this album. Now I am hooked. The only problem is that I cannot find any other recording that comes anywhere close to this one in terms of quality. Fischer-Dieskau's singing is emotional and evocative; Gerlad Moore's piano playing subtle and understated. I HIGHLY recommend this recording to anyone with an even passing interest in classical vocal music.

How can you judge a performance when a CD contains no texts? Unless your command of German is excellent (mine is just fair) you will not understand the words. The singer may or may not be doing justice to the poems -- you won't be able to tell. Given that the texts come from the best German poets, this is just a shame.