This
is the first of the Naxos Schubert edition to have come my
way for some time. I’ve read comments elsewhere about some
of the earlier volumes from which it appears that the choice
of
some less
well-known or less experienced singers may have resulted
in a reduction in quality. No such reservations need apply
here for the songs have been entrusted to an experienced
and distinguished singer. Indeed, the Austrian baritone,
Wolfgang Holzmair made highly regarded recordings of all
three of Schubert’s great song cycles for the Philips label
some years ago.
He’s
in excellent voice on this occasion and his unfailingly musical
line and his palette of vocal colouring gives consistent
pleasure. More than this, these qualities, together with
his responsiveness to the texts command the listener’s attention
at all times, which is as well in one or two settings that
are, frankly, less than top-drawer Schubert.
Just
as Graham Johnson did with his Hyperion intégrale,
the deviser of this edition, Ulrich Eisenlohr, has sensibly
opted for a thematic choice of songs in each volume. With
equal good sense he has split up the ‘plums’ so that his
singers offer us a mixture of familiar and less well-known
lieder.
This
does mean that there are quite a few slight compositions
included here, such as Täglich zu singen D. 533 and Die
frühe Liebe D.430. Several of the songs are incomplete
fragments, such as Lied in der Abwesenheit D. 416.
But no matter how slender the material Holzmair and Eisenlohr
treat each item with the same degree of affection and musicianship.
One piece that particularly caught my ear was the very last
one in the recital, Seligkeit D.433, which Holzmair
delivers with a delightful, easy lilt. This makes a thoroughly
charming end to the CD.
There
are a few songs that are more familiar, especially to the
non-specialist collector. Der Tod und das Mädchen D.531
opens the proceedings and it is done well. I greatly enjoyed Auf
den Tod einer Nachtigall D.399. This is a graceful, rather
elevated strophic setting and it’s extremely well sung by
Holzmair, who spins a most persuasive musical line. This
is one of the best things on the disc. It’s followed by Auf
dem Wasser zu singen D.774, one of my favourite Schubert
songs. It’s well sung but, just for once, I made a comparison,
taking down from the shelf at random Dame Janet Baker’s EMI
recording. Baker’s tempo is faster and more flowing than
Holzmair’s – she takes forty five seconds less – and this
is immeasurably to the benefit of the piece, which acquires
more fluency and urgency in her version.
Actually,
it was not to compare the singing that I took out this Baker
recording. I wanted to compare the accompaniments. My colleague,
Christopher Howell, has addressed the issue of the use of
a fortepiano in his review of
this CD and I refer collectors to his detailed comments,
to which it would be superfluous to add. I will say, however,
that it was in Auf dem Wasser zu singen that my reservations
about the accompaniment came to the fore. I don’t know whether
it’s the instrument or a deliberate stylistic choice by Ulrich
Eisenlohr but the accompaniment that he provides here is
relentlessly staccato, the very antithesis of the fluid,
rippling and subtle playing that Geoffrey Parsons provides
for Dame Janet. I’m afraid I find Eisenlohr’s accompaniment
to this song tinkling and unvaried and, whilst I can take
the fortepiano sound in most of the songs on this disc, in
this one instance it severely compromised my pleasure. It
may be authentic but I’m afraid I don’t like it.
However,
there’s much to enjoy here and I’m glad to hear Wolfgang
Holzmair venturing off the beaten Schubertian track. It’s
a pity that the texts and translations are only available
on the Naxos website. I don’t find that the most convenient
way to access texts and I’m sure I’m not alone in this. And
it really is essential to have the texts and good translations
to hand since most of these songs will be unfamiliar – and
you particularly need the words for a substantial and narrative
offering like Die Nonne D.208. Ulrich Eisenlohr
contributes an informative and scholarly note. My only criticism
of this is that he does rather go to town in describing Der
Tod und das Mädchen, which leaves him insufficient
room to deal fully with some of the other offerings.
Collectors
who are following this series can invest with confidence
and those who have not yet sampled it could do a lot worse
than start here. The singing of Wolfgang Holzmair is highly
enjoyable and I’m happy to recommend his contribution to
this series.
John Quinn
see also reviews
by Anne
Ozorio and Christopher
Howell
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For reviews of other releases in this series,
see the Naxos
Deutsche Schubert-Lied Edition page
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Wolfgang
Holzmair (baritone); Ulrich Eisenlohr (Hammerflugel) 
