Search - Christian Gerhaher, Franz [Vienna] Schubert, Gerold Huber :: Schubert: Abendbilder

A successful alternative reading of Schubert

Abel | Hong Kong | 02/21/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It is truly perplexing that such a superb performance got a review of `mediocre, monochromatic'.

Alas, there are now many good singers and musicians around, but not enough good ears to recognise and appreciate them.

Christian Gerhaher is a light and high baritone, not even `lyrical', if there be such a fach. Light though his voice is, it is never monochromatic as one reviewer here claims. He has recorded some operatic works, but overall, his timbre, expressive though it is, is not of the dramatic type, and he rightly specialises in lieder and cantatas/oratorios. There are many different facets of emotions in this disc, and Gerhaher offers a varied and convincing performance of each one. Of course, his voice is very different from Thomas Quasthoff, who is out and out a successor of Fischer-Dieskau. Nor is he a Matthias Goerne, who reminds one of Hans Hotter. Gerhaher's voice is reminiscent of Hermann Prey, the lyrical baritone who was at that time the perfect baritone partner of the legendary tenor Fritz Wunderlich.

His accompanist Huber is also very capable. The two together work out a magical rapport in the various tracks.

Unless you are utterly disinterested in lieder, otherwise this disc will surely offer considerable pleasure."

A dedicated lieder singer is maturing nicely

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 11/25/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Compared to his rather straight-faced Winterreise from 2001, German baritone Christian Gerhaher has acquired more sensitivity and flexibility in his approach to Schubert. His light baritone with a ringing top isn't particularly individual, but in lieder artistry comes first. I think he's someone to keep an eye on, and obviously to does RAC/BMG. Since Fischer-Dieskau retired from active recording, three baritones have vied for his popularity, if not pre-eminence: Thomas Hampson, Thomas Quasthoff, and Mathias Goerne. All are more distinctive vocally than Gerhaher. HIs approach remains non-intrusive, rather like Hermann Prey's when he sang lieder. Gerhaher is sincere, direct, and outwardly dramatic. But the best thing about this CD is the pianist, Gerold Huber, who performs with alert intelligence and ear-catching musicality.



Since Amazon doesn't list the progra, here are the 17 songs Gerhaher performs:



Bei dir allein D866/2. Abendbilder D650. Himmelsfunken D651. Dass sie hier gewesen D775. Drang in die Ferne D770. Am Fenster D878. Auf der Bruck D853. Des Fischers Liebesgluck D933. Der Winterabend D938. Das Zugenglocklein D871. Alinde D904. Fischerweise D881. Im Abendrot D799. Der Musensohn D764. Du bist die Ruh D776. Greisengesang D778. Willkommen und Abschied D767



P.S. May, 2010 --- I just heard a recent online performance of Schwanengesang from Gerhaher, and it considerably raised my opinion of his Lieder singing. It showed more personality and daring than what I've been hearing in the singer's studio recordings."