Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin ~ Gura [Import]

Werner Gura (Artist), Franz Schubert (Composer), Jan Schultsz (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Jan Schultsz
• Composer: Franz Schubert
• Audio CD (October 10, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
• ASIN: B00004YU9H
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,691 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Das Wandern

2. Wohin?

3. Halt!

4. Danksagung An Den Bach

5. Am Feierabend

6. Der Neugierige

7. Ungeduld

8. Morgengruss

9. Des Mullers Blumen

10. Tranenregen

11. Mein!

12. Pause

13. Mit Dem Grunen Lautenbande

14. Der Jager

15. Eifersucht Und Stolz

16. Die Liebe Farbe

17. Die Bose Farbe

18. Trockne Blumen

19. Der Muller Und Der Bach

20. Des Baches Wiegenlied

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding perfomance, March 28, 2001

By 

Gregory Homan "Semi-quaver" (Anytown, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin ~ Gura (Audio CD)

This is an outstanding reading. Gura's voice is strong and his sound very attractive, and I find the accompaniments very well realized by Jan Schultsz. The interpretation is assertive and Gura permits himself considerable variation in tempo, particularly in the strophic songs. Some may feel that these are relatively unnuanced performances, and the dependence on tempo changes for expression unsubtle, but I think Gura's approach works, especially in the earlier songs where Gura makes Ian Bostridge, on the widely praised Hyperion disc sound almost casual. Gura's evident intent to characterize each verse results in a wonderful rendition of "Tranenregen". He also finds wonderfull variety in "Pause" and the agitation and anger in "Der Jager" and "Effersucht und Stolz" are exceptionally well realized, surpassing here even Fischer-Dieskau's EMI performance. This really could have been a landmark performance, but Gura does not quite plumb the depths of sorrow at the end. This is where Bostridge really comes into his own and I found "Trockne Blume" and "Der Baches Weigenlied" a little disappointing, both compared to Bostridge or the Gura's accomplishment in the earlier songs. I think if a prospective buyer wanted only one Die Schone Mullerin I would suggest Fischer-Dieskau, probably the DGG (no one ever got fired for recommending Fischer-Dieskau, after all), but for those looking for additional recordings, and those interested specifically in a tenor reading this performance should be considered.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An overlooked "Schone Mullerin" that belongs among the great ones, June 5, 2009

By 

Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin ~ Gura (Audio CD)

I share the enthusiasm of the previous reviewers without their reservations. Werner Gura possesses the most beautiful tenor to attempt Schone Mullerin since the days of Fritz Wunderlich, a light, flexible, silvery voice that is instantly beguiling. He uses it with great passion and even daring. The cycle is paced faster than any other I know, sometimes breathlessly so in the middle section. Gura may fall short of Wunderlich in vocal charisma, but not by much, and his accompanist, Jan Schultsz, is far better than Wunderlich's on his classic DG recording.

Stylistically, Gura favors the tone of melancholy resignation, so it's the early songs of the miller's deluded joy that are perhaps too knowing, not innocent enough. No such flaw mars Gura's Schwanengessang, recorded seven years after this one in 2000. The voice went on to darken slightly, the pianist is even better, the melancholy mood is more suited to Schubert's last outpourings. For those reasons, I was bowled over by the Schwanengesang, excellent as this Schone Mullerin is. No one who loves Schubert's lieder can afford to miss either one.

Overall, I think this recording vies with the very best tenor versions in the modern era. Among classic recordings, pride of place will always go to Aksel Schotz and Julius Patzak, but Gura is just as ardent and has updated sound, of course. Too bad that there is some digital glare and hardness, but that's a small price to pay.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful tenor voice., January 3, 2001

By 

Celia A. Sgroi - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin ~ Gura (Audio CD)

If you are looking for a really first-rate tenor version of Schubert's "Schöne Müllerin" and are not quite satisfied with the ones you have heard recently, you will want to investigate this recent recording by the young tenor Werner Güra. He has a really lovely voice and very good technique. He gives a fairly straightforward reading of the cycle, not overly nuanced. Where beauty of voice is concerned, Güra is far superior to Ian Bostridge or Christian Elsner, and I think he is a better interpreter than Fritz Wunderlich. The pianist is good but not remarkable, and the sound balance is okay-- better than on Hyperion, for example, where the piano sound is always so distant.