Schubert: Lieder

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Performer), Franz [Vienna] Schubert (Composer), Gerald Moore (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore
• Composer: Franz [Vienna] Schubert
• Audio CD (August 19, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B00005NPJU
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,645 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. An die Entfernte ('So hab' ich wirklich dich verloren'), song for voice & piano, D. 765

2. Schwanengesang ('Wie klag' ich's aus'), song for voice & piano, D. 744 (Op. 23/3)

3. Der Schiffer ('Im winde, im Sturme befahr' ich den Fluss'), song for voice & piano, D. 536 (Op. 21/2)

4. Der Wanderer ('Wie deutlich des Mondes Licht'), song for voice & piano, D. 649 (Op. 65/2)

5. Nachtgesang ('Tiefe Feier schauert um die Welt'), song for voice & piano, D. 314

6. Das Heimweh ('Oft in einsam stillen Stunden'), song for voice & piano, D. 456

7. Der Winterabend ('Es ist so still'), song for voice & piano, D. 938

8. Litanei auf das Fest Aller Seelen ('Ruh'n in Frieden alle Seelen'), song for voice & piano, D. 343

9. Du bist die Ruh, song for voice & piano, D. 776 (Op. 59/3)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great collection and performance, May 21, 2005

By 

Kah Jot (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schubert: Lieder (Audio CD)

These are wonderful performances and a good selection of songs. Those familiar with Schubert's chamber music will recognize "Der Tod und das Mädchen", which is the basis of the variations in the 2nd movement of the "Death and the Maiden" quartet (D. 810), and "Die Forelle" from the theme and variations in the fourth movement of the Trout Quintet (Forellenquintet).

The previous reviewer is well-intentioned, but evidently does not understand the text of these songs, which makes me wonder if any translations are provided with this CD. For example, he says "Die Forelle, which is the last song on here, is a happier story. It tells of a fisherman and a fish."

It's quite an unhappy story, in fact. However, there should be plenty of information available online about these songs and the poems Schubert set, as well as about Schubert.

The following is not completely accurate: "Tragically, he died of syphillis while he was still in his 30's but he had written over hundreds of great musical compositions and 600 songs. Among his finest are the Lieder, the Winteressen"...

It's true that Schubert contracted syphillis as a young man, but he died (at the age of 31) of typhus. The song cycle referred to is "Die Winterreise", or Winter Journey, not "Winteressen" (essen, to eat; das Essen, a meal, food, etc.)

You will get far more out of this music if you understand German, or have access to decent translations of the text.

The previous reviewer states about the songs, oddly, that "Many of them are poetry set to music". They are ALL poems set to music. Some of Schubert's settings are of poems written by personal friends, some are of poems by minor poets (such as the settings of poems by Friedrich Rückert in this collection). The source didn't have to be Goethe or Schiller for Schubert to do something brilliant with it.

Amazon consistently fails to get the German titles right, except by accident in the case of one- or two-word titles consisting of words without umlauts.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You will never spend a better $7, November 4, 2006

By 

DancesWithAnxiety "chewtoy to the Fates" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schubert: Lieder (Audio CD)

This is spectacular -- masterfully performed, beautiful, superlative. I can't say enough about it. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was born to sing Schubert's Lieder. Granted, the disk's sound quality leaves a little to be desired, and Moore's piano could stand to be brought to the fore a little more, but if you love music, you will love this. Knowledge of German is not necessary, and indeed may detract from the power of the music and its expression (initially).

Thank you Franz Schubert, Gerald Moore, and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau -- the world is a better place for the cross-centuries collaboration represented here.

5.0 out of 5 stars The lack of text and translations is annoying, but you don't get better performances than these, March 8, 2009

By 

G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Schubert: Lieder (Audio CD)

This excellent selection is, perhaps, the ideal introduction to Schubert's songs for those unfamiliar with them. I even suppose that, being part of the budget series from EMI, this was the idea. In that case, it is rather unfortunate that texts and translation are not included. It might, perhaps, help that few if any other Schubert singer pays equal care and attention to the words sung as does Fischer-Dieskau, and that the diction is usually clear enough for those who understand German to follow the texts, but it is still a little stingy on EMI's part. Still, this disc is thoroughly recommendable on all other accounts. Fischer-Dieskau sings with an unmatched intelligence and ability to put colors and shades to musical phrases with precision and nuance. Just listen, for example, to his ability to capture the four separate voices in Erlkönig, each with complete conviction, and to realize the dark tension and urgency of that epic drama. Of course, this disc is no substitute for Fischer-Dieskau's Schubert lieder edition (21 CDs), but as a sampler it is virtually perfect, despite the lack of texts and translations.