A Distinctive Voice and an Intelligent Interpreter of Lieder
Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 04/21/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Because of a commitment to Lieder recitals and to the works of Robert Schumann in particular this new CD sparked interest. Not being familiar with the vocal gifts of Christian Gerhaher should only serve to make this extraordinary recording even more satisfying to those who appreciate the profundities found in Schumann's 'Dichterliebe': one listening and his importance is established.
Gerhaher's rich and expressive baritone is certainly one of the most beautiful around. Though comparison with other established singers is not always fair, one cannot help but be reminded of the artistry of Thomas Quasthoff and Thomas Hampson. The range of Gerhaher's baritone range is wide and never pushed. His attention to the details of the texts (Heine) is impeccable: this artist can make the difficult 'Dichterliebe' hold more tenderness in the wandering poet's regrets, disillusionment, and loss over a lost love than any other version on disc. His interpretations are very personal and some who are bonded to, say, the Hampson recording will find variances in emphasis on different songs, a fact that seems to allow Gerhaher to hold the cycle together well.
In addition to the 'Dichterliebe', this recording includes Lieder Opus 90, 'Der Arme Peter', 'Balsatzar', and 'Die Lowenbraut' - again suggesting Gerhaher's commitment to creative programming. He is accompanied at the piano by the very sensitive Gerold Huber creating a collaboration that is so mutually responsive that it would be difficult to imagine a better pairing.
Christian Gerhaher - though the name may be unfamiliar - is a true artist. Highly recommended! Grady Harp, 05"
An amazing cd!
Tone Crazy | USA | 04/23/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Christian Gerhaher is brilliant and this cd is a masterpiece! His tone is superb and you can feel his passion throughout every piece of music on this cd. He has excellent control and a clarity that will leave you spellbound, even at the extremes of the spectrum. Gerold Huber is wonderful on the piano as well, although it's Christian Gerhaher's show. This is one of my favorite cds of all time. I promise, you will not be disappointed. Give it a try- you will play it over and over and over again."
Insightful performance by a talented new singer
parisreader | New York | 01/23/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The previous reviewer is fair and accurate in his evaluation of this disc, but I'd like to add my two cents' worth also, since few people may have heard of Christian Gerhaher and he is a superb talent. I heard Gerhaher's New York recital debut at the Frick Museum a few years back, and it was most impressive. He has several other excellent Lieder recordings as well, but this is perhaps the best. It certainly has been well honored in the musical press, with rave reviews from Opera News, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, etc. Gerhaher has intelligence to burn, but he also makes an immediate, personal, and passionate connection with this music. Throughout the performance there are small details that are fresh and engaging. All in all, a wonderful insight into Schumann by an exciting new singer, and the accompanist Gerold Huber is similarly fine."
Great promise is shown here, despite a pallid pianist -- 4.
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/03/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Alan Blyth of The Gramophone, recently deceased, was perhaps the leading vocal authority in Britain, so it was startling when he greeted this CD as the greatest Dichterliebe ever recorded by a baritone , including those by Fishcer-Dieskau. Blyth had started to veer eceentically in his old age, finding sudden outbreaks of genius around too many corners, and I don't think a very fine singer like Christien Gerhaher benefitted from such hyperbole (he didn't break into great prominence, in any case). Yet the virtues of his Schumann recital are self-evident. Gerhaher has a gorgeous voice, a light baritone with a tenor-like extension at the top that is thrilling when called upon.
He is poetic and sensitive, tending toward quiet inwardness -- reflective melancholy and tender regret are two strong suits. He's clearly dedicated to lieder, a dying art in Germany, and aims for the highest standards as set by Schwarzkopf, F-D, Thomas Quasthoff, Peter Pears, Janet Baker, etc. To judge by these performances, Gerhaher has a good chance of fulfilling his ambition. His precise intonation and excellent enunciaiton are also admirable.
Drawbacks? The voice per se is a bit generic in personality -- you can't immediately pick it out the way you can with the greatest lieder singers. Gerhaher's style conveys authority but isn't at the peak occupied by Hampson and Quasthoff. Finally, and this isn't Gerhaher's fault, Gerold Huber proves to be an unimaginative accompanist, one who passively follows the singer, a bad choice given Schumann's important piano parts, many of which can stand on their own, particularly in Dichterliebe. If he can find a worthy accompanist, Gerhaher has enormous promise as a leading light among current lieder specialists."