Schubert: Winterreise [Original recording remastered, Import]

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Artist), Franz [Vienna] Schubert (Composer), Alfred Brendel (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Alfred Brendel
• Composer: Franz [Vienna] Schubert
• Audio CD (December 18, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered, Import
• Label: Philips Import
• ASIN: B0000523QJ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,997 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Revelatory, essential, February 11, 2006

By 

Leonardo "Leo" (Argentina) - See all my reviews

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

I know only 3 releases by DFD of his (7) commercial cds available: 1966 (demus), 1972 (Moore) and 1985 (brendel).
in this I can see an evolution: as time passes by his voice is less fresh and becomes more "histrionic". I think 1972 is better than 1966 because more emotional details are revealed in 1972. There are no passages without being highlighted in 1972 (as I find in 1966). If you want clear, fresh voice, go for 1966 (or perhaps earlier eg 1962 -Moore-?). In 1972, as in 1966, he is in great vocal form. Perhaps that is why Grammopone said 1972 is the central DFD reading of winterreise.
What happens in 1985?
To begin with, winterreise is a song essay about despair and solitude. An exalted approach is surely wellcome here. And that is what you get: DFD sounds more exalted, more involved than ever. At such an age ir is impressive to see in how good form he is in forte passages. At the same time, as he becomes wiser, time also passes by: he is not in good vocal form as in 1966 or 1972: some notes sound a bit ugly. But ONLY A FEW NOTES, which are overwhelmed by lots of moments which show DFD as most perceptive of emotional and musical nuances. Here he gives the whole of himself to the service of music. Perhaps also before, but here is much more evident given his (partially) decandent (compared with the sixties) vocal form.
And if you still have doubts (better vocal form vs more profound, personal, emotional), brendel answers all of them. By far is the best pianist. Why? Because Demus and Moore sound like accompanist pianists. Moore, in particular, is like DFD's shadow. A complete partnership with the singer.In paper this is great but listen to brendel and you will see what Schubert really wrote for piano: not just music to support the voice but worthy of being considered as satisfactory independent music parts. In other words the piano writing benefits a lot by being interpreted by a soloist and not a mere accompanist. And brendel is more than just a soloist: he is also a researcher. His piano style blends modern practices with period ones, bringing forward more clarity than average. This is not a singer - and - his - shadow - show (DFD-Moore), but a meeting of two outstanding musical personalities.
The most satisfactory winterreise of the 3 for me.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Fantastic!, August 27, 2002

By 

Gideon Pisanty (Israel) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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

A wonderful performance... Fischer-Dieskau is always the best, and Brendel here gives a beautiful accompaniement, strongly emphasizing the extra-musical features. I especially liked "Die Post", "Der Lindenbaum", "Trockne Blumen" (where one can really hear the leaves falling) and "Der Leiermann". The tragic atmosphere is fully conveyed. This is Brendel of the early eighties, one I prefer compared to today's Brendel, which tends to exaggerate his interpretation and sometimes sounds artificial, to my taste. Here Brendel gives us pure Schubert, with a Schubertian "natural" sound, and the total emotionality of the music, unexaggerated. The recording is also excellent.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If I could rate it higher than 5 stars, I would, May 22, 2009

By 

D. Needham - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

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

What's to say? Schubert--arguably the finest composer of song--along with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau--INarguably the finest baritone of the 20th Century!--and Alfred Brendel: a match made in heaven. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's voice was, I'm persuaded, God's way of keeping angels humble.

By the time he recorded this at age 60, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's voice had lost just a wee tad of its strength and flexibility, but his artistry and insight into both the text and the music is so much more mature than in his earlier years that what was lost is more than made up for in performance.

Pure joy to listen to. Of all Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's recordings, this is probably my favorite. Just wonderful.

Do I recommend this? "Let them who have ears, hear!"