Search - Robert Schumann, Othmar Schoeck, Hugo [Composer] Wolf :: Follow Goethe

The poetry of Goethe has a unique place in German literature and German song--the sheer variety of his lyrics, from heaven-storming passion to calm acceptance, from tender love to vicious cynicism, made his words the source-material of many composers' finest settings. Christoph Prégardien and Michael Gees have put together an intelligent program that combines some of the best-known composers of the German song--Schubert, Wolf, Schumann, Beethoven--with lesser masters--Loewe, Schoeck; we get both Schubert's and Loewe's setting of the achingly nostalgic "Wanderer's Nightsong," and Loewe's jaunty setting of "Der Erlkonig," perhaps Schubert's best-known song, but by no means his exclusive property. Two songs of Gees's own are intelligent modern pastiches of the romantic style, solidly accomplished word-settings with interesting piano writing. All the songs here are admirably selected for Prégardien's darkly sorrowful pure voice and Gees's tactful, occasionally intense, accompaniment. --Roz Kaveney