Search - Fanny Mendelssohn, Eugene Asti, Susan Gritton :: Fanny Mendelssohn: Lieder

Wonderful music, wonderful artists...

04/09/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although I still think it's too much to say that Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann were just as good as composers as Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms, that doesn't mean that they were bad composers either. Fanny and Clara were both very capable and inspired composers. This selection of Fanny Mendelssohn's Lieder is really quite astounding. Some Lieder are light and tuney as many of Schubert's lighter Lieder, and others are quite adventurous harmonically, anticipating Brahms's Lieder. And I must say the artists are absolutely wonderful too. Asti doesn't overstate or understate (the twin extremes any accompanist must avoid), and Gritton's timbre is really quite beautiful. There's a certain ring in her voice that's quite unique -- and I'm guessing it's that ring that made me think of Lucia Popp. Let me tell you now that I absolutely love Popp and think her timbre's beauty to be unequaled even today. But if all goes well, perhaps Gritton's voice will develop similarly. I fervently hope so! But then my heart will be torn in two directions..."