The Bostridge-Andsnes team has emerged as one of the top lieder recital duos on disc, and their devoted fans will want their controversial interpretation of Schubert's greatest song cycle. The controversy lies in what many... more » will feel is Bostridge's excessive emphasis on textual explorations. For his admirers, this is his great strength, and here he sings Schubert's grim cycle with a dramatic intensity that portrays the desperation of the young protagonist. This is indeed a frozen winter's journey, presented with an admirable sense of drama and intimacy. But some will find it difficult to make the trip, considering Bostridge's staccato dramatics more an acting than a singing performance. In several songs, including "Auf dem Flusse" and "Rückblick," he ventures perilously close to the edge of what many listeners will accept. The singer contributes a booklet note that explains his interpretive stance and his textual changes. Andsnes, on his part, contributes some stunning pianism that's worth hearing. A fascinating journey then, if too individual a trip for many lieder fans to take. --Dan Davis« less
The Bostridge-Andsnes team has emerged as one of the top lieder recital duos on disc, and their devoted fans will want their controversial interpretation of Schubert's greatest song cycle. The controversy lies in what many will feel is Bostridge's excessive emphasis on textual explorations. For his admirers, this is his great strength, and here he sings Schubert's grim cycle with a dramatic intensity that portrays the desperation of the young protagonist. This is indeed a frozen winter's journey, presented with an admirable sense of drama and intimacy. But some will find it difficult to make the trip, considering Bostridge's staccato dramatics more an acting than a singing performance. In several songs, including "Auf dem Flusse" and "Rückblick," he ventures perilously close to the edge of what many listeners will accept. The singer contributes a booklet note that explains his interpretive stance and his textual changes. Andsnes, on his part, contributes some stunning pianism that's worth hearing. A fascinating journey then, if too individual a trip for many lieder fans to take. --Dan Davis
CD Reviews
Amazing Winterreise
Justin Windschitl | Minneapolis, MN | 09/10/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This cd is simply stunning. I've been a tremendous fan of Ian Bostridge for many years, and have anticipated the release of his signature work - Die Winterreise - for a LONG time. Upon learning of the US release date, I did some searching and found the cd was released a month early in Europe. I immediately ordered it from amazon.uk (England), paid the extra shipping, and tried as patiently as possible to await the arrival of the cd. The cd is more than worth the wait and added cost.
Now, onto the technical aspects of the music. Bostridge has an amazingly clear and ringing sound through the entire range. Die Winterreise is a vocal nightmare, falling trecherously between baritone and tenor voices, and comfortable for neither. Bostridge - a confessed tenor - really showcases his large range here, singing notes low in the bass clef staff with as much quality, volume, and clarity as those in his preferred register. I've been listening to some of his earlier recordings (notably Britten's Serenade) and Die Winterreise exhibits even more core and maturity in his sound. Some have criticized his voice quality as too light, and possibly unable to attain a robust sound. This cd captures that very quality at proper moments and should cause such critics to re-think their stances. Bostridge's technique is incredible - every nuance is felt with amazing control and clear direction. His attention to dynamic contrast is stunning - especially in "Der Lindenbaum" - and present throughout. The dark tale of longing told in Die Winterreise is furthered by an intense and emotional performance. Every time I listen to this recording - (which is very frequently since I have a copy in my car, home, and work) - I notice yet another clever detail Bostridge incorporated into his performance. The program notes, while strangely leaving out the general story of Die Winterreise, offers detailed and interesting notes regarding various musical choices the artists made. I could continue writing praise for this cd, but will leave the rest up to your own ears!
I was initially disappointed that Bostridge appears to have split with long-time collaborator Julius Drake, but the Bostridge/Andsnes combination has already won me over. I definitely recommend this cd without reservation."
Schubert Dramatically Served Up by Bostridge and Andsnes
Ed Uyeshima | San Francisco, CA USA | 11/01/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There appears to be a bumper crop of recordings of Schubert's valedictory song cycle, "Winterreise", what with baritone Matthias Goerne's release of the same material earlier this year. While bass-baritones are most known to tackle this program, this luckily doesn't prohibit a superb tenor like Ian Bostridge from conquering it, and he does so with a surprising edginess. I only know Bostridge from his rather callow presence on some recordings of late, such as Emmanuelle Haïm's stunning interpretation of Henry Purcell's opera "Dido and Aeneas" and a lovely though sometimes jarring version of Benjamin Britten's "The Canticles". This disc is nothing sort of a revelation. "Winterreise" is actually 24 inter-linked songs, which follow a Samuel Beckett-like wanderer as he tramps through the snowy countryside, his heart breaking from some recent romantic blowup. Darkly beautiful and unmistakably Schubert with its rolling piano interludes, this recording emerges as a heavily dramatic ghost story which makes death seem so insidious that it becomes irresistibly seductive.
Bostridge is thankfully not a showy singer, and with its even blend of dark and light hues, his mellifluous voice has the color and flexibility to make his singing sound as natural as conversation. He is particularly adept at communicating stark changes of mood, for instance, at the change from minor to major in "Gute Nacht" or the lightning-quick transition from the dream-like opening of "Frühlingstraum" to the desperate tone of the second verse. When need be, his voice soars with bitter anger and scales back to a fierce whisper as it does in "Erstarrung". Norwegian pianist Leif Andsnes proves to be up to the challenge of the program by melding the varying moods perfectly with Bostridge's vocals. For example, in the tender "Der Lindenbaum", Andsnes' shift from lilting delicacy to sepulchral gloom underscores the chasm between the happy past and anguished present as artfully as Bostridge's dreamy reveries and fiery declamation. But it is really the simplicity of approach by both performers, which allows the music and poems to speak for themselves. One would naturally assume this to be a weighty disc of doom and gloom, but I really find it quite enthralling, as Schubert's work really becomes a deeply involving portrait of a sensitive soul dealing with loss for the first time and becoming mortally wounded by the blow. This is a wonderfully unexpected recording of depth and beauty."
A Journey Through the Winter of Schubert and Muller
Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 04/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"WINTERREISE is not only a demanding song cycle for the listener with its dramatic implosions and dark verse relentlessly sad; it is likewise a treacherous work for both singer and pianist. The twenty-four songs that comprise this cycle challenge the extremes of both baritone and tenor ranges and though it has been recorded frequently, it has rarely found the right voice that can convey the power of both the music and the poetry.
Until now. Ian Bostridge owns a voice that surveys the highs and lows of the range Schubert seemed to cruelly challenge the performer. Whether his is an extended tenor voice or an extended baritone voice is for the individual to decide. His high notes are clarion: his low notes are robust and rich. The real marker of success for this particular cycle however is the marriage of words to music, and it is this power of communication that sets Bostridge apart. While others have tried to convey the pathos of these songs, they usually resort to mannerisms that simply become annoying. It is true that Bostridge concentrates on word values and succeeds where others fail, and if some find this poetic emphasis demeaning to the musical line then there are other versions available.
As far as the total experience of the 'Winterreise' credibility, it depends greatly on the musicianship on both the keyboard as well as the vocal cords. Whoever is responsible for the partnership idea of placing Bostridge and Leif Ove Andsnes together deserves kudos. Their temperaments are so similar that it is uncanny. While other pianistic collaborators offer solid support, Andsnes is an equal voice. His mastery of the 'Schubertian sound' is amazing. The journey here is truly a partnership and it is hard to imagine another as effective for this cycle. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, March 05"
I must be out of step
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 01/08/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Since Ian Bostridge and Leif Ove Andsnes both garner their fair share of raves at Amazon, I doubt I'll influence anyone by differing. EMI has a long-term commitment to these artists, a token of their standing in the world of clasical msuc, but I find their Winterreise (which I also heard live in Carnegie Hall) wrong-headed. In Lieder singing there has to be a balance between natural songfulness and artistic license. For me, Bostridge crosses the line. He overstates every emotion, underlines every point he makes, and projects every word of Mueller's not exactly great poetry with intense drama.
But I must not be a fair judge. The reason I flew to NY to hear this concert was, in part, to see if I really did find Bostridge's voice creepy. I did and do. There's no accounting for these quirks of personal taste. As for Andsnes, I sat and listened for any particular insights much less revelations, but all I heard was recessive, polite playing that was only a cut or two above any outstanding professional accompanist. So there it is. Fling your arrows."
A Mild Winter
Anna Dewey | MN, USA | 07/12/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I have been a fan of Ian Bostridge for many years, and have always been most enamored of his numerous recordings of Schubert lieder. Needless to say, I was thrilled to pick up a copy of his recording of Winterreise. Before I bought this disc I was already in posession of two other recordings of this cycle (Hampson and Goerne, respectively). It was impossible for me to not compare Bostridge's attempt with that of Goerne and Hampson. While I've enjoyed both the aforementioned recordings equally, I found the Bostridge considerably less palatable. This is not to say that the entire recording was a disaster; a song cycle as immense as Die Winterreise often becomes a collection of small triumphs and small failures.
To me the Andsnes/Bostridge version is just a bit too uneven to garner a full five stars. It pains me to say that most of the gaps in quality come from Bostridge rather than Andsnes. There are occasions in the cycle in which Bostridge affects a style of singing that is far too mannered to be effective. Die Post is perhaps the biggest sore thumb in the cycle. The whole song comes off as plodding and labored, with Bostridge's vocal swells often resulting in compromised pitch accuracy. Bostridge's thick voiced interpretation of the song must have rubbed off on Andsnes whose ordinarily crisp, effervescent style sounds chunky and rhythmically imprecise. A minor distraction throughout the entire work is Bostridge's tendency to spit out his German, making one think that some of the more consonant rich songs may have required a toweling off of the mic after they were recorded.Der Leiermann is a rather perplexing interpretation of a stark song with stark imagery. To those familiar with standard versions, Bostridge's take is surprisingly clipped,a sound as barren as the landscape of Winterreise. Whether or not this is effective is up to the listener to judge.
In short, this is a recording that takes many risks vocally, and doesn't totally succeed. While Bostridge was most likely trying to create an emotional rendition of Die Winterreise, it sometimes tips the scale, becoming rather ham-fisted. Be aware, however, that thare are still some wonderful moments on this CD. Bostridge's superb sotto voce makes its normative round of appearnces, and Andsnes' accompaniment is nothing if not stellar (with the above mentioned exception). I'll end here with a caveat to the buyer: This is a Winterreise that will challenge the listener, as much a difficult journey for the listener as the singer."
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1