Customer Reviews

Schubert: Lieder

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

 

 

Every once in a while, I get a Schubert craving, like the proverbial pregnant woman's hunger for pickles or persimmon parfait. The Schubert Lieder are among the most perfect unifications of poetry and music ever composed. I know many of the poems by heart in German, having memorized them in college. That would be a good thing for anyone who selects this performance to consider, since the texts are not included except by way of an internet site. In any case, feeling my familiar Schubert craving building up, and moderately dissatisfied with my last Schubert acquisition (by Thomas Hampson), I decided to hear what a couple of singers, with proven ability in "historically informed" performances, would have to offer, to whit: Barbara Bonney and Matthias Goerne.

Stated simply, this performance by Bonney is a disappointment. Her tuning is slack at times, her German enunciation is mushy, and her interpretations seem arbitrary all too often. Yes, she has a pretty voice, and she avoids the red-plush drawing-room pomposity of many Lieder sopranos, but that's not enough. She's just close enough, I have to say, to demonstrate just how hard it is to sing these artfully artless songs perfectly.

Now, on to the good news: the Matthias Goerne recital of Beethoven's 'An die ferne Geliebte" and Schubert's 'Schwanengesang' is completely satisfying; I'll be reviewing it also, as soon as I've listened to it enough. Hey, one out of two isn't so bad!

I could not recommend a CD more highly. I own a number of CDs of Schubert lieder and this is easily my favorite. Barbara Bonney's singing is pure and soulful. The tempo that she and Geoffrey Parsons take on each of these songs brings out their inner beauty. When I listen to this CD, it makes me slow down and be at peace with the world. This is exceptional considering I am usually listening to it while driving in heavy traffic on the DC Beltway. My favorite track is Im Abendrot. I could listen to it over and over again. My only wish is that Barbara Bonney records more of Schubert's lieder.

This is the most beautiful recording of Ave Maria I've ever heard! Barbara Bonney's voice is unbelievable. I bought the CD just to listen to Ave Maria-repeatedly.

I could listen to this CD on repeat for hours -- Bonney's lovely voice lends such feeling to Schubert's lieder. While all of the songs on the disc are excellent, her rendition of Ave Maria is the best I've ever heard. After hearing it somewhere else unattributed, I eventually hunted down this CD in order to have a my own copy, and it was well worth it.

Bonney is my favorite soprano recorded. Her voice is so light, nimble and girlish, but there's still WEIGHT to what she does. She goes so far beyond what you're hoping that I can understand why she might discourage other singers. She's a wonder --- truly in a class by herself. I love this record particularly, because, hey, how an you not love these Schubert lieder? Perfect.