Search - JIMERSON, Douglas :: BEETHOVENLIEDER

A Lovely Short Collection of Beethoven Art Songs

Robin Friedman | Washington, D.C. United States | 03/11/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Beethoven's work as a composer of songs remains too little known. With the approximately 100 songs he composed, Beethoven has a claim rivalling Schubert's to be regarded as the creator of the Art Song. Any lover of the Art Song or anyone with more than a casual interest in Beethoven will enjoy exploring this aspect of Beethoven's work. Collections of the songs appear infrequently and tend not to be readily accessible. This collection of songs is lovingly performed with excellent, collaboration between the singer, tenor Douglas Jimmerson, and the pianist, Ruth Locker. The collection was recorded in suburban Washington, D.C. and both Jimmerson and Locker perform frequently in the Washington D.C. area. The higlights of the disc are "Adelaide", a song Beethoven wrote in his mid-twenties but published much later with a high opus number. There were many contemporary settings of this work, but only Beethoven's is much heard. Ironically, the poet of "Adelaide" detested Beethoven's version and thought it the worst he had ever heard.The other highlight of this collection is "An de Ferne Geliebte", a work of Beethoven's deepest maturity from the beginning of his third period. This is an intense cycle of six songs (which are perfomed without a break between them) which mirrors Beethoven's letter to his "Immortal Beloved." This cycle is a little-known masterpiece and Beethoven's finest achievement in the Art Song. It is a worthy predecessor of the song cycles of Schubert and Schumann.The performance and collaboration between Locker and Jimmerson on this disc is excellent. The liner notes are sparse, but they include translations of the songs. The disc is, alas, too short, particularly because it is relatively expensive. It offers only about 35 minutes of music. Given the relative unfamiliarity of Beethoven's songs, I think the disc should have provided the listener with a larger selection and more listening time. Beethoven wrote many fine songs that are not included here. For those listeners wanting only a single volume of Beethoven songs, it might be advisable to dig around for a volume with a larger selection. This CD nonetheless is lovely."

Highest Recommendation

Robin Friedman | 12/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a lovely collection of songs. It illustrates the musical genius of Beethoven. The sonorous legato interpretations of Jimerson are full of passion and lyric beauty."