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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Singer's "Winterreise", September 19, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Schubert: Die Winterreise (Audio CD)
When I first started listening to this recording I was amazed by the overall slow tempi, but after three selections I was completely entranced by the Zen-like focus of Vickers' interpretation. He has obviously studied the words of the poetry intensely, and gives the listener a rapturous "Winter's Journey" indeed. In fact, one realizes that he and his pianist (Peter Schaaf) have purposely de-emphasized the steady rhythm of the music--even in the usually galloping "Die Post"--in order to greater highlight the intensity of the traveler's suffering. The only complaint I have of this performance is that Schaaf is not really "with" Vickers emotionally: he just sort of tags along for the ride. If you want to hear a performance where the pianist provides half the drama, you must get the Peter Pears-Benjamin Britten recording on London. But Pears, for all his intelligence and intensity, simply did not have the vocal resources or inward-looking angst of Vickers. As a result, if I were to recommend only one "Winterreise," it would be this Vickers recording. This is truly a desert-island disc.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very unexpected!, February 20, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Schubert: Die Winterreise (Audio CD)
In truth for classic lieder singing you should buy performances by Fischer-Dieskau or Schreier. But anyone who has heard Jon Vickers as Tristan, Florestan, Grimes or Otello will know that the mighty voice & ability to seem possessed by the role, will bring something different. And so it is. I have recordings of both the above, but again and again it's the Vickers voice that remains in my head - the voice held back, full of emotion, just occasionally exploding with a firepower beyond any other lieder singer I can think of. A very remarkable achievement & some phrase, somewhere will catch you & stay with you for a very long time! But it isn't 'classic'!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very very Vickers. Unique., August 29, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Schubert: Die Winterreise (Audio CD)
All his questionable habits are clearly in evidence. Lots of scooping, on syllable after syllable. Redeemed (usually) by increase in volume during the approach to the pitch from below. His schwa ( "such-ahhhh", "weis-ehhhh") sounds consistantly un-German. It's something he does to make it audible over the orchestra in Wagner, especially when the pitch drops an octave at the end of the word, as in "Waels-e! Wae----------ls-ehhh! Wo ist dien Schwert!" Lots of Wagner singers do it. But it doesn't work in lieder, especially for Vickers. It makes him sound as if he were singing in French. However, his interpretation stays sincere and respectful, and he gets plenty of Sigmund-like moments of great power and suffering. You'll love it or hate it. Or both.
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