TOSCANINI COLLECTION VOL 15 -

This is a very sprightly Trout. The first movement, a true Allegro vivace, gives a joyful feeling of onward momentum, but poised and well in control so there's no sense of undue hurry. The lively yet easygoing style persists in the Scherzo and finale. The quintet's bright textures suit the clear, picturesque sounds of period instruments admirably: I especially enjoyed the light, seemingly effortless brilliance of the piano's upper register — the third variation in the fourth movement shows this off to perfection — and the way the characteristic 68 Gramophone February 1999 sonorities of the lower strings emerge so clearly. But there are some disappointments; Schubert's many pianissimos rarely sound soft or mysterious enough, and I felt often that the string phrasing should move further away from classical elegance towards romantic breadth. In the two slower movements particularly, the best modern instrumental versions, such as those led by Brendel and Curzon, achieve a more intense expression of Schubert's unique lyricism.

Bylsma plays the Arpeggione Sonata on a five-string violoncello piccolo. The result is wonderfully convincing; the light, reedy tone, often with minimal vibrato, is very appealing, and the high-register passages sound entirely natural and unforced. Immerseel's Viennese-action instrument, too, is especially evocative and sweet-toned here. The Notturno, however, despite some fine playing, slightly misfires, missing the mystery and excitement of La Gaia Scienza (also on period instruments), or the tranquillity and grandeur of Schiff, Shiokawa and Perenyi (their two-disc set of the piano trios also includes a warmly expressive account of the Arpeggione Sonata).

This well-recorded disc is certainly a recommendation for a period-instrument Trout, and as authentic-sounding an Arpeggione as one is likely to hear.

-- Gramophone [2/1999]

A busy itinerant flute virtuoso must needs resort to transcriptions of non-flute compositions to provide a sufficiently wide solo repertoire. Of the three Schubert works and arranged here by James Galway, only the Trockne Blumen Variations began life as a composition for flute and piano. The variations provide scope for both the flautist and pianist to excel and the result here is very fine. The Arpeggione Sonata has a realtively humdrum accompaniment, but the solo line transcribes beautifully for the flute. The two movements are coded as tracks 1 and 2, which throws out the numbering of the two following works, but this is not indicated on the leaflet. The famous Standchen too reveals Galway at his most musically expressive and will surely please the many fans of his television appearances. Sound quality is excellent, with the flute central but not too forward, and the piano firmly set off to the right.

-- Gramophone

Günter Wand recorded Schubert’s Ninth (officially) three times: in Cologne, with the orchestra of NDR, and finally with the Berlin Philharmonic. All three are excellent: naturally paced, beautifully proportioned between movements in what remains one of the trickiest pieces in the repertoire, and (particularly the latter two performances) splendidly played. The Cologne performance is available as part of Wand’s complete Schubert symphony cycle with that orchestra. The Berlin performance has gotten most of the attention, largely because at the end of his life Wand was given the “privilege” of working with that great orchestra. It also comes in tandem with an equally fine “Unfinished” Symphony at two discs for the price of one. This has left the NDR recording out in the cold, relatively speaking, which is a pity because it’s the best of the three.

You can hear the difference pretty clearly in the two sound clips comparing the end of the first movement in both performances. The Berlin outing is distinctly heavier, more “Brucknerian,” the strings playing with an excess of legato, the brass sonorities blended rather than distinct. The NDR version, by contrast, is a touch livelier, more sharp rhythmically, with trumpets and trombones adding individual tone colors to the general tutti. Ultimately it comes down to questions of taste. In my opinion, the Berlin sonority gives too much prominence to the strings, and despite exquisite solo playing by individual wind players (the oboe in the second movement, for instance), the general impression is more soft-edged and less true to Schubert’s idiosyncratic scoring. The NDR musicians are hardly inferior, and on this occasion they simply turn in a more colorful performance of this particular work. The sonics are excellent in all three of Wand’s performances, but if you can find it the NDR version is the one you should add to your collection.

--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

SCHUBERT: AUF DEM STROM, DER H

SCHUBERT: SYMPHONY NO 5, ROSAM

SCHUBERT: SYMPHONY NO 5, ETC

A cleanly executed reading of classical proportions. Intelligently conceived, too—Slatkin does vary the tempos in the first movement, but not arbitrarily: there is no accelerando from the moderately slow introduction to the brisk Allegro, but the second subject is more relaxed so that the piu moto of the coda is related to the initial Allegro as is the allargando that Slatkin makes for the final majestic statement of the opening horn call to its appearance at the outset of the movement. This all adds interest without undermining the basic 'walking' pulse. Mackerras's (Virgin Classics) single speed here does, I fear, make for rhythmic monotony.

There is some rapt string playing of the Andante's second subject and when this theme returns after the climax with radiant new colours in the woodwind and garlands of flowing semiquavers on second violins and violas, Slatkin is almost alone in noticing that Schubert asks for the string counterpoint to be louder the second time around (bars 286-98). Norrington (EMI) does too, but with his period strings the effect is, I think, less beguiling.

The finale has a tremendous energetic spin. At Slatkin's headlong tempo there is little room for geniality, but the security of the strings at this speed is breathtaking, and the triple forte climaxes in the coda are powerfully placed.

-- Jonathan Swain, Gramophone [6/1990]

SCHUBERT: SYMPHONIES NOS 1 & 2

Hagegard and Ax allow Schubert to speak for himself in sensible, moderate speeds and discreet phrasing, coming perhaps closer to a truly Schubertian ideal than more celebrated interpreters of this work.

With the galaxy of distinguished versions by the baritones and their equally distinguished pianists listed above, forgetting for a moment tenor readings, is there room for yet another? When it is as rewarding as this one, the answer is a decided 'Yes'. I have admired Hagegard in Lieder ever since he announced his considerable credentials in the field almost 20 years ago in London's Wigmore Hall. Based largely in the US, he has returned here too infrequently but always to his audiences' pleasure.

This disc tells us just why. Simply as a voice his is perhaps superior to that of any of those singers listed above. It is, paradoxically, a light yet heroic sound, typically Swedish in timbre, flexible throughout its range and—relevant to the work in hand—tenor-like in tone. Its owner uses it with marked attention to vocal verities, never disturbing a sure legato, placing his words firmly and naturally on it.

The eager youth of the early songs is unerringly enacted, perhaps without quite the sense of vulnerability suggested by Holzmair and some tenor interpreters, although by the same token he suggests an appropriately open-air, fresh youth, and one wholly obsessed by the mill girl as the hushed singing of the couplet beginning "Du blondes Küpfchen" in "Morgengruss" and the confident élan of "Mein!" convey. When sorrow, jealousy and eventually heartbreak enter the lad's life, Hagegard projects these with as much conviction yet without a hint of exaggeration or sentimentality. He, and the sensitive but never obtrusive Ax, allow Schubert to speak for himself in sensible, moderate speeds and discreet phrasing: in the context of frequent repetitions, this has undoubted advantages. Holzmair and Demus, Schmidt and Jansen do much the same. I would find it hard to choose among these three versions if I wanted a straightforward reading, but at present I feel that the sheerly beautiful sound of Hagegard's voice places him marginally in front. Bar, Souzay and, most of all, Fischer-Dieskau peer deeper into the songs and the youth's psychology—but I'm not sure that Hagegard and his partner may not come closer to a truly Schubertian ideal, as do some tenor versions, their merits often discussed here.

The recording is ideally balanced. The only regret is that it has taken almost eight years for this version to appear here.

-- Gramophone [2/1995]

Classical Music

Classical Music

WINTERREISE

Classical Music

ARNOLD SCHOENBERG / Schubert: Complete Secular Choral Works (7CD) - A voyage of discovery through a lesser-known area of Schubert's rich and prolific output, this collection comprises seven themed CDs: Transience; Love; Eternity; Heroism; Nature; Celebrations, and Circle of Friends. "Each disc has it's share of the treasures," wrote Gramophone, "The Arnold Schoenberg Choir is a fine body of musicians... they show a virtually unflawed beauty and opulence of tone." Vocal soloists include Ruth Ziesak, Angelika Kirchschlager, Christoph Pr�gardien and Robert Holl, and among the featured pianists are Andr�s Schiff and Andreas Staier. This complete edition of Schubert's secular choral works won major prizes in Germany, France, Belgium and Japan on it's first release in 1997. WARNER CLASSICS