Search - Johannes Brahms, Louis Spohr, Franz [Vienna] Schubert :: Songs of Love and Death (for tenor and guitar)

Christoph Prégardien has a beautiful voice, well-trained and evenly produced over a considerable range, sweet and clear at the top and with a pleasant baritonal quality in the low register. But critics have sometimes questioned his interpretive skills, finding his singing colorless, with little depth of characterization or feeling. That is the case here to some extent--for instance, his delivery of Schubert's "Der Leiermann" fails to convey the haunting tragedy of the song. But for this disk Prégardien has chosen material that is for the most part quiet and lyrical in nature and doesn't ask for much in the way of expressive depth, and the results are lovely; his clear diction and thoughtful phrasing make these songs a pleasure to hear. Prégardien is accompanied by the very skillful guitarist Thomas Hoppstock, who presumably made the arrangements of the original piano parts; they provide an intimate setting that supports and complements the voice well. For these pieces, at least, Prégardien is very much worth hearing, and the disc is warmly recommended. --Alex Morin