2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A super-bargain Schubertfest, January 3, 2011
This review is from: Schubert: Schwanengesang and 10 favourite Lieder (Audio CD)
This disc, lurking in the lower regions on a super-bargain label, could easily be overlooked, yet it has long, long been a favourite of mine since I first owned it on LP and admired John Shirley-Quirk's sonorous, sensitive bass-baritone. It is now coupled on CD with a priceless collection of Lieder beautifully sung by the silver-voiced tenor Ian Partridge accompanied by his pianist sister Jennifer - a recital to match their lovely "Die Schöne Müllerin".
Being a true bass-baritone, Shirley-Quirk has the richness of voice to plumb emotional and tonal depths yet can lighten his voice to a meltingly lovely, high mezza-voce. His range of expression is remarkable, from highly strung near hysteria in the opening "Liebesbotschaft" to the sombre, reflective tenderness required in ""Ständchen". He is greatly helped by Steuart Bedford's flexible, imaginative pianism. The concluding "Die Taubenpost" is performed in an unexpectedly gentle and reflective manner, producing a most striking, charming and unusual effect for a song which can be delivered entirely differently, as per the insouciance of Brigitte Fassbaender with Aribert Reimann.
There must be room for this cheap disc on the shelves of any lover of Schubert Lieder unless you do not respond to the individual timbre and vocal "face" of these two singers, as I certainly do not think their interpretative artistry can be impugned. Unfortunately, no libretto - but what do you expect for this price? Simply download the texts.
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