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Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791). Complete Songs for Voice and Piano
see end of review for track listing Sophie Karthauser
(soprano); Stephen Loges (baritone); Eugene Asti (piano).
rec. Tibor Varga Foundation Studio, Sion, Switzerland, 18-21
January 2007. CYPRES
CYP1650 [41:07 + 40:30]
Oh
to have that kind of genius which allows the creation of
works of massive complexity. Or works which plumb profound
emotional depths. Or works which strike out in a whole new
direction, changing the very path of musical history. And
then to be able to sit back and still write perfect miniatures
which reflect that art in a similarly grand way.
That
is precisely what this pair of discs does. They say they
are the Mozart’s Complete Songs for Voice and Piano. In some
ways, it’s not a good – albeit accurate – title. For, when
we think of Mozart’s vocal works, we instantly think of the
operas, or sublime works like the Requiem. Then, we might
unfairly compare him to Schubert and Schumann whose lieder output
would occupy far more than a couple of CDs: a couple of shelves
of CDs more likely.
But
this is a fine collection of works which reflect the genius
of Mozart.
Interestingly,
the first work on the disc, the little German Cantata comes
from the last year of his life and bears the hallmarks of
his Masonic connections. Then there are the quite delightful
Hermes songs, written about the same time as he was working
on Idomeneo.
There
are a couple of unusual works: two French ariettas, dating
from comparatively early in his composing career.
In
fact, there is little on this disc to offend and much to
commend, more particularly because the works cover almost
all of Mozart’s compositional career and it is highly interesting
to hear how his voice develops.
Soprano
Sophie Karthauser has a supremely flexible, colourful voice
which she uses to great effect throughout. Stephen Loges
is quite a light baritone, while the whole examination of
this often overlooked output is underpinned with some extremely
sensitive accompaniment by pianist Eugene Asti.
Track listing
Cantata: die ihr unermeisslichen Weltalls (Ziegenhagen)
(K619) (1791) [7:28] Das Traumbild (K530) (1787) [4:14] Die
Zufriedenheit (K349) (1780/1) [1:30] An die Freude (K53) (1768)
[2:42] Drei Lieder aus ‘Sophiens Reise’ (Johann Timotheus
Hermes) (1781/2) – Ich wurd’ auf meinem Pfad (An die Hoffnung)
(K390) [2:10] Sei du mein Trost (An die Einsamkeit) (K391)
[2:42] Verdankt sei es dem Glanz (An die Beschieidenheit)
(K392) [2:16]
Komm, liebe Zither (K351) (1780/1) [1:39]
Die
Alte (K517) (1787) [3:32] An die Freundschaft (K148) (1772)
[2:29] Vier Lieder nach Texten von Chritain Felix Weisse:
Die Verscheigung (K518) (1787) [2:20] Der Zaubener (K472)
(1785) [2:02] Die Zufriedenheit (K473) (1785) [3:09] Die
betrogene Welt (K474) (1785) [2:51] Das Veilchen (K476) (1785)
[2:16] Als Luise die Briefe ihres ungetreuen Liebhabers verbrannte
(K520) (1787) [1:41]
Das Lied der Trennung (K519) (1787) [4:46]
Des kleinen Friedrichs
Geburtstag (K529) (1787) [2:30] Lied
der Freiheit (K506) (1785) [1:40] Lied zur Gesellenreise (K468)
(1785) [2:44] Deux ariettes (1777/8) – Oiseaux, si tous les
ans (K307) [1:25] Dans un bois solitaire (K308) [2:36] Ridente
la calma (K152) (1772-5) [3:16]
An Chloe (K524) (1787) [2:34]
Die kliene Spinnerin (K531) (1787)
[1:49]
Wie unglucklich
bin ich nit (K147) (1772) [1:00)]
Leid beim Auszag in das Feld
(K552) (1788) [2:11]
Sehnsucht nach dem Fruhlinge (K596) (1791)
[1:41] Der Fruhling (K597) (1791) [1:42] Das Kinderspiel
(K598) (1791) [1:29] Abendempfindung an Laura (K523) (1787)
[5.37]
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