Schubert: Schwanengesang, d. 957 / Last Songs (1828), d. 866/2,867,878,879,945

Bo Skovhus (Artist), Franz Schubert (Composer), Helmut Deutsch (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Helmut Deutsch
• Composer: Franz Schubert
• Audio CD (June 27, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002AY1
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #414,095 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Sehnsucht ('Die Scheibe friert'), song for voice & piano, D. 879 (Op. 105/4)

2. Am Fenster ('Ihr lieben Mauern hold und traut'), song for voice & piano, D. 878 (Op. 105/3)

3. Die Taubenpost ('Ich hab' eine brieftaub''), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 965a (D. 957/14)

4. Wiegenlied ('Wie sich der Äuglein kindlicher Himmel'), song for voice & piano, D. 867 (Op. 105/2)

5. Bei dir allein, refrain song for voice & piano, D. 866/2 (Op. 95/2)

6. Der Atlas ('Ich unglückselger Atlas'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/8

7. Ihr Bild ('Ich stand in dunkeln Träumen'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/9

8. Das Fischermädchen ('Du schönes Fischermädchen'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/10

9. Die Stadt ('Am fernen Horizonte'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/11

10. Am Meer ('Das Meer erglänzte'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/12

11. Der Doppelgänger ('Still ist die Nacht'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/13

12. Liebesbotschaft ('Rauschendes Bächlein'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/1

13. Kriegers Ahnung ('In tiefer Ruh'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/2

14. Frühlingssehnsucht ('Säuselnde Lüfte'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/3

15. Ständchen ('Leise flehen meine Lieder'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/4

16. Aufenthalt ('Rauschender Strom'), song for voice and piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/5

17. In der Ferne ('Wehe dem Fliehenden'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/6

18. Herbst ('Es rauschen die Winde'), song for voice & piano, D. 945

19. Abschied ('Ade!, du muntre...'), song for voice & piano (Schwanengesang), D. 957/7

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Out of print, little known, but first rate, November 26, 2005

By 

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

This review is from: Schubert: Schwanengesang, d. 957 / Last Songs (1828), d. 866/2,867,878,879,945 (Audio CD)

Sony seems to have abandoned the Danish baritone Boje Skovhus, who was positioned as their hot young lieder singer ten years ago (this CD is from 1994). He made an excellent CD of Wolf Morkie Lieder, a Schone Mullerin to tank with the best, and this unusual recital. It's unusual because Skovhus has taken Schubert's last song colleciton, Schwanengesang, and reassembled it with other, even later songs from 1828.

It's often pointed out that Schubert's publisher came up with the cognomen "Swan Song" after the composer died suddenly, implying a song cycle where none existed. In fact, Schubert had grouped thirteen songs together in manuscript. Seven are set to poems by Relstaub, six by Heine, and to them the publisher added a final song by Seidl. In that sequence every other Schwanengesang that I know of is performed.

Skovhus has had the novel and very successful idea of giving us more settings from Seidl (two of them composed after Schwanengesang), which as a group begin the recital. These are the simplest and most cheerful selections, which are then followed by the darkest, the Heine group, ending up with the Relstaub, which birng us back into the sunlight. Thus the very last song is a frewell ("Abschied") symbolically delivered by the composer to his audience.

Skovhus deserved his early renown. He sings these songs expertly, with even, warm, lyrical tone (no barking a la Fischer-Dieskau) and heartfelt emotion. The balance between vocal control and outgoing personality is quite admirable.

Overall, despite the fact that Skovhus can't quite reach deep enough for the harrowing tragedy of Heine, I prefer him over Mathias Goerne and Ian Bostridge, to name two lieder singers of greater reputation than Skovhus, who primarily makes his career on the European opera stage. Helmut Deutsch is the excellent accompanist, one of the best of the current crop. Five stars even though you will have to find this out-of-print CD on the used market.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There is life after Dietrich Fischer Diskau, May 22, 2002

By 

Talila Michaeli (Tel Aviv Israel) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Schubert: Schwanengesang, d. 957 / Last Songs (1828), d. 866/2,867,878,879,945 (Audio CD)

This is an excellent disc. Bo skovhus has a beautiful and warm voice, and his "almost" perfect pronounciation makes it warmer.
He is justly considered one of the best young lider interpretators. The association with Helmut Deutsch is perfect. On the one hand, he really paces in Fischer-Diskatu footsteps, but on the other hand, he is much warmer and more human in his approach. Those who appreciate his musical work can be but happy to have this beautiful disc in their collection. When listening to his "Standchen" one could only hope that he seranades for him. I admit, that I await expectantly that he records the "Winterreise" as well.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magical performance of late Schubert lieder., March 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Schubert: Schwanengesang, d. 957 / Last Songs (1828), d. 866/2,867,878,879,945 (Audio CD)

This performance of some of the most beautiful and difficult lieder ever written is truly wonderful. Skovhus and Deutsch work together with a totally integrated, insouciant mastery. Their interpretation of Heine's poem "Am Meer" is worth the price of the CD, by itself - it will tear out your heart. One of the great lieder recordings of all time.