Beethoven's little work allegedly started the whole German song cycle craze. Most song cycles we know comprise many individual songs, and this one does, too, but Beethoven's prototype is a continuous stetting. Many recitalists will program just a few songs from a Schubert or Schumann or Wolf cycle, but I can't imagine anyone excerpting one song from this set. The final stanza of the opening song even comes back at the end—very cyclical.
Mark Padmore |
I found Mark Padmore's performance mannered, tortured, and squeezed; I am sure he is bending and flattening pitches for effect, but the effect is not effective for me. He sounds really depressed, as if he is already in the asylum, psychotic; die Geliebte may exist only in his mind. I usually like Mr. Padmore's work, so I am thinking either this was an off night, or maybe it's a performance that needs visuals. The audience seemed to like it. His performance can be heard at BBC Radio 3 for a few more days.
Daniel Behle |
Fritz Wunderlich is…well, Fritz Wunderlich. He captures the romanticism and pastoral, folk-like nature of the songs. He may seem slightly less involved in the text than the other performers. But in reality, he is just way more subtle. Ironically while being subtle, he also injects some Viennese Schmaltz. It’s probably a cliché to wistfully wonder what might have been if he had not died so tragically young.
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