Search - Measha Brueggergosman, Franz Welser-Most, Cleveland Orchestra :: Wagner: Wesendonck Lieder / Orchestral Music

This Dynamic Duo Knocks It Out of the Park

B. Shutes | Sharpsville, PA United States | 08/02/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First, let me disclose that I have been a patron of The Cleveland Orchestra for a decade and am a great fan of Ms. Brueggergosman's.



Now that that's out of the way, let me tell you how excitingly good this CD is. After the very poorly recorded Beethoven Symphony 9 of a couple years ago, I really feared that the marriage of The Cleveland Orchestra and Deutsche Grammophon was not one made in heaven. The bass notes were muddy, sections of the disc sounded muffled, and the vocalists were poorly miked.



My fears, for now anyway, have been allayed on this second collaboration of TCO and DG during the Franz Welser-Most era.



So much of the music of Richard Wagner is very well known in both classical and popular circles, but I'd never heard a rendition of the Wesendonck-Lieder before now. Ms. Brueggergosman's voice sparkles on the five lieder, especially in the "Schmerzen" song. Her soulful tone begs you to read the lyrics if you're not familiar with them. She's truly an artist who is not afraid to be in touch with the composer's intentions. She understands Wagner, it seems, on a fundamental level and shines when singing his songs.



On the tracks without Ms. Brueggergosman, The Cleveland Orchestra makes the playing sound effortless and exciting. You know "The Ride of the Valyries" as well as I do if you're looking at this disc. But an excellently-played version is enough to get anyone's blood pumping. This track doesn't disappoint. The other pieces, especially the Rienzi overture, are thrillingly played.



I'll be the first to admit that I've been a Welser-Most skeptic and critic for much of the last eight years. On this disc, however, the whole machine seems to be firing on all proverbial cylinders.



You won't be sorry adding this disc to your collection. The famed "Szell Sound" of The Cleveland Orchestra's past might be gone, the playing on this disc is exhilarating and precise. It's a wonderful modern recording that sounds marvelous."