Customer Reviews

Des Knaben Wunderhorn

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This is simply one of the best Lieder records available. It has everything, an excellent selection, a great baritone and a perfect piano partnership. Des Knaben Wunderhorn is a loose collection of text and songs from the German Folklore, which has been taken up by German composers. This collection goes through almost 150 year of German musical history, from Carl Maria von Weber to Richard Strauss. The tone tend to be sprightly, amusing, with the sad touch for balance. The original recording catches Thomas Hampson early in his extensive recording career, with still a fresh bloom in his voice that is perfect for the tunes. It goes to show you that baritones can be fun too. Mr. Parsons is always the perfect pianist for accompaniment. If you do not know what Lieder are, or thing they are boring and "passe", do yourself a favor and check this out.

Thomas Hampson has long been admired not only for the beauty of his richly pliant baritone voice, but also for the amount of research about composers and musicology he incorporates into his busy recital and opera life. This recording made in 1989 with the superb collaboration of pianist Geoffrey Parsons is an excellent example of what Hampson does best. He has selected the collection of German folk poetry 'Des Knaben Wunderhorn' assembled in 1896 - 1808 by Achim von Arnim and Clemens von Brentano which Goethe proclaimed the true essence of the German people, a legacy that would last forever, and found all of the musical settings to these poems. Indeed Goethe's prophecy proved correct in that many composers set these poems to music with varying degrees of celebrity.

Hampson has collected the renderings of this poems by composers Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, von Weber, Loewe, Richard Strauss, Schoenberg, and of course the most popular settings by Gustav Mahler. The result is a fascinating insight into the way like poems are interpreted by different composers. There are many well-known episodes here but there are also intriguing discoveries of some very beautiful, seldom heard songs. Hampson and Parsons create an atmosphere of musicality and expressivity that is all too rare. That they are performed beautifully is a given!

This is the second release of this particular recital and before it, too, becomes history it is highly recommended for connoisseurs of thoughtful programs. Grady Harp, May 05

Very beautifully interpreted selection of Wunderhorn Leider. Parsons plays meticulously, yet with the greatest sensitivity.A must for fans of German Lieder and Hampson - the greatest baritone of our time.