Florian Boesch - Schumann: Heine Lieder on CD

Description

Classica Lirica Lied - SCHUMANN Robert: Heinrich Heine Lieder; Liederkreis op 24 (1840); Romanzen & Balladen 3 op 53 (1840) n.3 Arme Peter; Romanzen & Balladen 2 op 49 (1840) Beiden Grenadie; Lied op 45 n.3 Abends am Strand; Lied op 49 n.2 Die feindlichen Bruder; Lied op 57 Belsatzar (1840); Myrthen op 25 (1840) n.7 Die Lotosblume; Myrthen op 25 (1840) n.21 Was will die einsame Tra; Myrthen op 25 (1840) n.24 Du bist wie eine Blume; Romanzen & Balladen 4 op 64 (1841 47) Tragodie 3; Lied op 127 (1840 50) n.3 Es leuchtet meine Liebe; Lied op 142 n.2 Lehn deine Wang (1840); Lied op 127 n.2 Dein Angesicht; Lied op 142 n.4 Mein Wagen rollet langsam (1840) Review There are more than 40 Schumann songs to texts by Heine, all composed in his "year of song", 1840, and the baritone Florian Boesch sings 25 of them here. Though Boesch sometimes makes a bit too much of expressive effects, so much that his rubato distorts the shape of a phrase, in general he is an outstanding ionterpreter, with a wonderful range of colours in his voice which he uses with great distinction and effect. His acccount of the Liederkreis is a slow-burning, intropsective affair. But he can be totally forthright, as in the ballad Balthazar, which has a tremendous dramatic presence. Having an accompanist as perceptive and exquisitely musical as Malcolm Martineau is a big asset, too. These are lieder perfomances of a very high order indeed. **** --The Guardian 1.5.09