# Winterreise & Die schöne Müllerin



## flamencosketches

These two great song cycles of Franz Schubert have been well served on record over the past 100 years. What are your favorite recordings of them?

I’m listening to the Goerne/Eschenbach Winterreise now and really enjoying it. May have to get the CD.


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## NLAdriaan

I guess there will be other threads on these beautiful songcycles. But it is always worthwile to revisit such good music. I would also like to add Schwanengesang, the collection of last songs by Schubert.

For Winterreise, I like to listen to the just deceased Peter Schreier with Sviatoslav Richter, who recorded the cycle at the re-opening of the Semperoper in Dresden in 1985:








For the Winterreise and Swan songs, I also love DFD with Brendel, also recorded in the same period. Some say that DFD already pad passed his prime, but I love the seniority of his interpretation and the excellent playing of Brendel.

For Die Schone Mullerin I always loved Ernst Haefliger with Jorg Ewald Dahler on Hammerflugel.

From the more recent recordings I recently got to know Werner Gura as a great Lied singer.


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## Art Rock

For Winterreise, Fischer Dieskau is a must for me. 
For Die schöne Müllerin, either Fischer Dieskau, Protschka or Schreier.

Schwanengesang does not work for me as a cycle, it's a collection of songs that could also be replaced by other choices from his vast repertoire in a recital.


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## Granate

Only know Winterreise. The Peter Mattei is a feat in the discography



















Lively and playing because of Pollini (I'm not used to piano playing at all)










Another live performance excellent for piano playing and tenor singing. Don't know what else to say.


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## howlingfantods

For Winterreise, I'm most fond of Hotter/Moore, Kaufmann/Deutsch, Mattei/Nilsson.

I don't listen to Schone Mullerin as much, but when I do, it's usually Wunderlich/Giesen.


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## Kiki

My recent favourite WInterreise is from Christoph Prégardien. Subtle but nonetheless heartfelt. Both the fortepainso version and the chamber version are excellent. I'm looking at getting his version with Michael Gees as well, but am still pondering to get the blu-ray or the DXD download.

















Otherwise my all-time favourite is Olaf Bär/Geoffrey Parsons. Dark and colourful.

I also like all the usual suspects, DFD, Hotter/Moore, Schreier/Schiff, Bostridge/Adès, Maltman/Johnson etc.

--

My all-time favourite Müllerin is again Olaf Bär/Geoffrey Parsons. Simply great story telling.

Another that runs close is Wolfgang Holzmair/Jörg Demu. Holzmair is the lad himself!

Ian Bostridge/Graham Johnson is interesting not only for a refreshingly young Bostridge but also it has DFD reciting the "missing" poems (if anyone cares).

Otherwise, I also like Maltman/Johnson, Gerhaher/Huber, Schreier/Schiff, to name a few.


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## elgar's ghost

I have DF-D, with Gerald Moore on _Die schöne Müllerin_ and Jörg Demus on _Winterreise_. Apart from certain symphonic cycles I'm not in the habit of collecting different recordings of the same work so these have always sufficed, but I am tempted to buy the cycles performed by a female vocalist just to get a different angle. Has anyone heard the recordings by Nathalie Stutzman?


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## Bourdon

Fritz Wunderlich










and the many recordings with Dieskay,EMI & DGG


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## wkasimer

For Winterreise, I have quite a few "favorites":

Anders/Raucheisen
Hüsch/Müller
Hagegard/Schuback
Pears/Britten
Pregardien/Staier
Schreier/Richter
Güra/Berner
Hynninen/Gothoni (the first recording on Fuga, which has never been digitized commercially)
Mattei/Nilsson
Van Dam/Baldwin
Hotter/Werba
Hotter/Raucheisen

In addition to Mattei's recording, which is currently my favorite baritone version, I've been enjoying recent recordings by Matthew Rose, Daniel Behle, and Günther Groissböck.

My list of faves of Die Schöne Müllerin is a little shorter:

Schiotz/Moore
Pregardien/Staier
Partridge/Partridge
Schreier (all of them)
Bär/Parsons


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## AeolianStrains

Art Rock said:


> For Winterreise, Fischer Dieskau is a must for me.


Which one? There are several! For me, my go-to is the 1972 recording with Gerald Moore (the second such recording together).


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## CnC Bartok

Art Rock said:


> For Winterreise, Fischer Dieskau is a must for me.
> For Die schöne Müllerin, either Fischer Dieskau, Protschka or Schreier.
> 
> Schwanengesang does not work for me as a cycle, it's a collection of songs that could also be replaced by other choices from his vast repertoire in a recital.


Indeed, which DFD recording? For me it's either the one with Jorg Demus, or - despite the voice showing some signs of age - the one he did later in his career with Alfred Brendel. There's an intangible intimacy in them, which isn't quite there in the Moore one I have as well.

Love Schreier as well, btw! And I know girlies shouldn't do this song cycle, in the same way as they don't understand Debussy :devil: but I find something incredibly wonderful in Brigitte Fassbaender's recording, on EMI.

Delighted to see Ian and Jennifer Partridge manage one mention for Die schone Mullerin. (Post No.9) They are my favourites there as well!


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## Art Rock

CnC Bartok said:


> Indeed, which DFD recording? For me it's either the one with Jorg Demus, or - despite the voice showing some signs of age - the one he did later in his career with Alfred Brendel. There's an intangible intimacy in them, which isn't quite there in the Moore one I have as well.


That would be my ranking as well. I'd give the nod to the DFD/Brendel CD, but I'm biased because that was the version I heard first, and loved.


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## SixFootScowl

I have a fistfull of Winterreise in all voices, but my all time favorite is Brigitte Fassbaender.

EDIT: Now that I am at my computer that has the music stash, here are my Winterreise sets by singer:

Matthew Rose, bass

Jonas Kaufmann, tenor

Nathalie Stutzmann, contralto (awesome one too!)

Brigitte Fassbaender, mezzo

Lois Marshall, mezzo

Christine Schafer, soprano


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## flamencosketches

CnC Bartok said:


> Indeed, which DFD recording? For me it's either the one with Jorg Demus, or - despite the voice showing some signs of age - the one he did later in his career with Alfred Brendel. There's an intangible intimacy in them, which isn't quite there in the Moore one I have as well.
> 
> Love Schreier as well, btw! And I know *girlies shouldn't do this song cycle, in the same way as they don't understand Debussy *:devil: but I find something incredibly wonderful in Brigitte Fassbaender's recording, on EMI.
> 
> Delighted to see Ian and Jennifer Partridge manage one mention for Die schone Mullerin. (Post No.9) They are my favourites there as well!


:lol: I miss Paul. Honestly, though, in this case it's at least a little different; the songs are clearly from the perspective of a man, no? Anyway, if a female singer can pull it off, more power to them!

Did Fritz Wunderlich ever record Winterreise? His Schöne Müllerin is indeed beautiful. I too find myself lost WRT DFD's recordings of the Winterreise, I definitely should get at least one of them, but I don't know which - I was leaning toward the one w/ Demus on DG.


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## Josquin13

In choosing a recording, first, you have to decide whether you prefer these two song cycles sung by a tenor or baritone, or perhaps a lightish baritone or darker baritone? The original key for both cycles is written for a tenor, and not a baritone. Yet Schubert initiated and maintained a close professional relationship and friendship with the Austrian baritone, Johann Michael Vogl, and is known to have written songs with Vogl in mind, such as Der Erlkönig, and performed Die Schöne Mullerin with Vogl, too--presumably with the songs transposed down; although Vogl is thought to have been a light baritone. Vogl also performed the complete Winterreise after Schubert's death. So, there is some precedent or justification for a baritone singing these two cycles; albeit a tenuous one, considering that Schubert's original key was undoubtedly his intention and first choice for both cycles. In other words, Schubert didn't compose these cycles with Vogl's baritone voice in mind, but rather for a tenor, despite that he had no problem performing Die Schöne Müllerin with his friend, whose artistry he admired.

Personally, I prefer Die Schöne Müllerin to be sung in Schubert's original key, and I don't think it works very well when sung by a baritone, even by a baritone that I like in this music (such as Olaf Bär). I also prefer Winterreisse to be sung by a tenor, as well, but am less strict about it. I'll listen to a baritone, if the quality of singing warrants it. Nevertheless, I do prefer lighter baritones to bass baritones in Schubert's song cycles, no matter how remarkable the latter's artistry may be--because I find that the necessary transpositions down in key tend to bring the cycle into another world, interpretatively, from Schubert's original vision of this music. Therefore, I'm not as much a fan of bass-baritone Matthias Goerne in this music, for example, as others may be.

There is also the question of whether to opt for a recording that offers a period fortepiano, or a modern piano? Personally, I can find a fortepiano to be very illuminating in both cycles, especially if matched with a fine tenor voice.

The recordings in each category below have been put in a general order of preference, listed from first to last, and are the best performances that I've heard over the years:

A) Winterreise, D. 911:

I. Tenor:

1. Versions performed on a period piano:

--Christoph Prégardien, Andreas Staier (fortepiano), Teldec: 



.
--Werner Gürer, Christoph Berner (fortepiano), Harmonia Mundi: 



--Jan Kobow, Christopher Hammer (Viennese fortepiano "Hammerflugel, c. 1810), Atma: 




2. Versions performed on a modern piano:

--Peter Schreier, Sviatoslav Richter, live performance in Dresden, Philips: 



--Daniel Behle, Oliver Schnyder, Sony--This release offers both the original version for tenor and piano, and a piano trio arrangement of the cycle performed by Behle and the Oliver Schnyder Trio, which is fascinating, since at times the strings can bring out the wintry sound effects in the score more noticeably than a piano does (it can remind me a little bit of Sibelius): 



--Christoph Prégardien, Michael Gees, Challenge Classics: 



--Wolfgang Holzmair, Andras Haefliger, Capriccio: 



--Peter Schreier, Andras Schiff, Decca: 




I've not heard the entire recording by tenor Jonas Kauffmann & pianist Helmut Deutsch, but based on what I did listen to, Kauffmann's singing sounds too emotionally charged and overdone to me (he's almost operatic), & not for regular listening: 



.

3. Historical choice:

--Peter Anders (tenor), Günther Weissenborn, Tahra 1948, mono (or DG): 




II. Baritone:

1. Performed on a modern piano:

--Olaf Bär, Geoffrey Parsons, EMI: 



https://www.amazon.com/Die-Schone-M...ar+schubert+emi&qid=1578766837&s=music&sr=1-5
--Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore, EMI: I prefer Fischer-Dieskau's two classic early EMI recordings with pianist Gerald Moore: the mono one from 1955: https://www.amazon.com/Winterreise/dp/B00006I0DH/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8, and the stereo recording from 1962--which is my first choice overall for DFD: https://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Winterreise/dp/B0001HAH8W/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8, to both his DG recording with Moore, and the later Philips recording with Alfred Brendel--although I enjoyed both Moore and Brendel's piano playing on these recordings:

Stereo, 1962: 




However, I've not heard Fischer-Dieskau's 1965 Winterreise with pianist Jörg Demus, on DG, which gets strong reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Win...4144KPXSXHH&psc=1&refRID=A0NZ9E2WX4144KPXSXHH
--Gerard Finley, Julius Drake, Hyperion: 



--Peter Mattei, David Nilsson, BIS--Mattei is excellent, but he has a rich, deep voice, & despite his remarkable artistry, Mattei's singing is slightly too dark for my tastes in this cycle. Though, for others, he may be a first choice.
--Christian Gerhaher, Gerald Huber, RCA--I've not actually heard this cycle, but would like to, as I've liked Gerhaher in Schubert & Schumann. I see that it's on You Tube: 



. Nor have I heard bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff's well regarded recording, either.

2. Historical choices (baritones):

--Hans Hotter, Gerald Moore, EMI, 1954: 



--Hans Hotter, Michael Raucheisen, DG 1943: 



--Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore: EMI, Mono 1955: 




B) Die Schöne Müllerin:

Not surprisingly, my choices are all tenors:

1. On a modern piano:

--Gérard Souzay, Dalton Baldwin, Philips Festivo: Not everyone's going to agree with my 1st choice of a French tenor, Gerard Souzay, over the German tenor, Fritz Wunderlich on his legendary DG recording, but I slightly prefer Souzay due to Dalton Baldwin's more imaginative piano accompaniment, in comparison to Hubert Giesen's: 



. But I must admit that Souzay's recording is the first I heard and imprinted on during the LP era. Nevertheless, I still like the interpretations better.
--Fritz Wunderlich, Hubert Giesen, DG 1965: 



, & an earlier mono version from 1957, with pianist Kurt Heinz Stolze, on Sony & RCA: https://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Die...rlich+schubert&qid=1578765079&s=music&sr=1-30, which some collectors prefer to Wunderlich's more famous 1965 DG recording; as well as another 1964 Stuttgart recording with Giesen, on the Hänssler label (remastered from the original SWR tapes), which I've not heard: https://www.amazon.com/Fritz-Wunder...erlich+schubert&qid=1578764859&s=music&sr=1-3.

https://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Die...erlich+schubert&qid=1578764859&s=music&sr=1-1

--Werner Güra, Jan Schultz, Harmonia Mundi--among Schubert tenors of the digital era, I don't think you can do much better than Gura's fine account: 



--Peter Schreier, Andras Schiff, Decca: 



--Wolfgang Holzmair, Imogen Cooper: 



--Josef Protschka, Helmut Deutsch, Capriccio: 




But I've not heard Christoph Prégardien & Michael Gees, on Challenge Classics.

2. On a period piano:

--Jan Kobow, Kristian Bezuidenhout (fortepiano), Atma: 




Although I've not heard the following two recordings, which are likely worthwhile:

--Daniel Behle, Sveinung Bjelland (fortepiano), Capriccio.
--Christoph Prégardien, Andras Staier (fortepiano), Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.


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## AeolianStrains

Well, look who's now acquiring the Fassbaender Winterreise. My thanks to you, CnC and Fritz.


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## wkasimer

An excellent survey from Josquin13!



Josquin13 said:


> A) Die Winterreise, D. 911:


The pedant in me must correct this; the cycle was published as "Winterreise", without the definite article. It's surprising how many commercial recordings mislabel the cycle.



> 3. Historical choice:
> 
> --Peter Anders (tenor), Günther Weissenborn, Tahra 1948, mono (or DG):


There are actually two recordings with Peter Anders. The first, with Michael Raucheisen, was recorded in 1945, a few months before the end of the war; it's been issued by DG, Myto, and Tahra. Most recently, it's appeared on Acanta, and is currently at Berkshire Record Outlet for $2.99. There's also a recording with Weissenborn from 1948 which may be easier to find; it's been issued on a variety of budget labels. Both are excellent (there's a great deal to be said for a young, healthy tenor voice in this cycle), although neither pianist is first-rate.


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## DavidA

I have several versions of this marvellous song cycle but certainly this one gets to the heart of the matter more than any other. Absolutely mesmeric, coughs and all.


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## Josquin13

WKasimer writes, "The pedant in me must correct this; the cycle was published as "Winterreise", without the definite article. It's surprising how many commercial recordings mislabel the cycle."

Yes, that's how I originally had it, but then I saw "Die Winterreise" on one or two of the recordings that I linked to, and thought I'd made a mistake!... so thanks for correcting me. (It's like when people refer to Handel's "Messiah" as "The Messiah"--though fortunately I've not yet seen that on a record cover.) I'll make the appropriate changes to my post.

Thanks also for clarifying that there are actually two recordings by Peter Anders. I have the Tahra disc. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't that a well regarded recording back on the old Amazon forum? I seem to recall people writing favorably about Anders' Schubert singing.


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## Ras

> Partridge/Partridge





CnC Bartok said:


> Delighted to see Ian and Jennifer Partridge manage one mention for Die schone Mullerin. (Post No.9) They are my favourites there as well!


For a moment I thought it was some genius who handled the piano part while singing!!! :lol:


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## Josquin13

Partridge/Partridge--is that the Partridge family? 

Seriously, you all have me curious about Ian Partridge's Schubert now, as I've liked him in various song cycles by British composers--such as Vaughan Williams, Bax, & Britten, and in early music, but have never heard his Schubert ...


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## CnC Bartok

Josquin13 said:


> Partridge/Partridge--is that the Partridge family?
> 
> Seriously, you all have me curious about Ian Partridge's Schubert now, as I've liked him in various song cycles by British composers--such as Vaughan Williams, Bax, & Britten, and in early music, but have never heard his Schubert ...


He formed a renowned vocal-piano duo with his sister Jennifer Partridge, with whom he performed over 430 recitals over 52 years. On one occasion in Syria, the hall was sold out, until the audience discovered the performers were not The Partridge Family.

From Wikipedia. Made me laugh......his/their Schumann is pretty good too, btw.


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## Kiki

^^

I have one BBC Magazine CD of the Partridges performing Schumann's Op. 39 Liederkreis. I like their subtleness very much. No overwhelming heart-on-sleeve stuff from the likes of DFD (not that that's a bad thing though). Unfortunately they seem to have left us precious few records (?).

Talking about the DFD/Brendel Winterreise. The aging voice may not have displayed the intensity of his earlier recordings, certainly not the Barenboim/80 or the Moore/71, which are the only three of his six hundred recordings of Winterreise that I have, but the Brendel does produce a more weathered feel to the music which I also like very much.

I forgot this - Prégardien junior's chamber version, arranged by Hans Zender, officially a "composed interpretation" which goes a bit beyond being an arrangement. Only after listening to it did I realise how much the album cover makes sense... It's quite sensational, and it almost makes Prégardien senior's chamber version sound old-fashioned. I love the accordion in Prégardien senior's version for its melancholy by the way.


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## NLAdriaan

In general, I find the musical partnership interesting in 'Lieder' recordings. Brendel, Richter, Sawallisch and Schiff add a lot to their recordings with DFD and Schreier. 

In addition to the Schubert cycles, discussed here, I also love the musical partnership in the Liederkreis and Dichterliebe cycles by Schumann, as recorded by DFD/Brendel. Schumann's piano parts even more allow the pianist to join in the storytelling and it resulted in this very special Philips recording. Listen to the instrumental poetic epilogue of Dichterliebe, as played by Brendel after the overly romantic dramatic song 'Die alten, bosen Lieder', to me one of the moments of true consolation in classical music recordings.


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## Mandryka

Here's a good song from Winterreise


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## Mandryka

flamencosketches said:


> These two great song cycles of Franz Schubert have been well served on record over the past 100 years. What are your favorite recordings of them?
> 
> I'm listening to the Goerne/Eschenbach Winterreise now and really enjoying it. May have to get the CD.


Goerne is very polished and professional, and that's one way of approaching the music. But there's not much angst.

One of my favourites is Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten. Or let me put that another way. I listened to it this afternoon for the first time in about five years, and I thought it was excellent despite the strangeness of Pears' voice.

When Schreier died I listened to the recording with Richter and I thought that was excellent too.


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## Mandryka

wkasimer said:


> For Winterreise, I have quite a few "favorites":
> 
> Anders/Raucheisen
> Hüsch/Müller
> Hagegard/Schuback
> Pears/Britten
> Pregardien/Staier
> Schreier/Richter
> Güra/Berner
> Hynninen/Gothoni (the first recording on Fuga, which has never been digitized commercially)
> Mattei/Nilsson
> Van Dam/Baldwin
> Hotter/Werba
> Hotter/Raucheisen
> 
> In addition to Mattei's recording, which is currently my favorite baritone version, I've been enjoying recent recordings by Matthew Rose, Daniel Behle, and Günther Groissböck.
> 
> My list of faves of Die Schöne Müllerin is a little shorter:
> 
> Schiotz/Moore
> Pregardien/Staier
> Partridge/Partridge
> Schreier (all of them)
> Bär/Parsons


I can let you have a good transfer of the first Hynninen if you want.


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## flamencosketches

Mandryka said:


> Goerne is very polished and professional, and that's one way of approaching the music. But there's not much angst.
> 
> One of my favourites is Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten. Or let me put that another way. I listened to it this afternoon for the first time in about five years, and I thought it was excellent despite the strangeness of Pears' voice.
> 
> When Schreier died I listened to the recording with Richter and I thought that was excellent too.


I was just listening to Pears singing Schumann's Liederkreis with Murray Perahia, and frankly I couldn't get into it, his voice was just too strange, kind of nasally. I think I will check out that Schreier/Richter though.


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## DavidA

Josquin13 said:


> Partridge/Partridge--is that the Partridge family?
> 
> Seriously, you all have me curious about Ian Partridge's Schubert now, as I've liked him in various song cycles by British composers--such as Vaughan Williams, Bax, & Britten, and in early music, but have never heard his Schubert ...


I have the Mullerin and it is good straightforward singing if you like it that way


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## DavidA

flamencosketches said:


> I was just listening to Pears singing Schumann's Liederkreis with Murray Perahia, and frankly I couldn't get into it, his voice was just too strange, kind of nasally. I think I will check out that Schreier/Richter though.


I learned Wintereisse from Pears / Britten but coming back to it couldn't get over the strangeness of his voice.


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## howlingfantods

Josquin13 said:


> B) Die Schöne Müllerin:
> 
> Not surprisingly, my choices are all tenors:
> 
> 1. On a modern piano:
> 
> --Gérard Souzay, Dalton Baldwin, Philips Festivo: Not everyone's going to agree with my 1st choice of a French tenor, Gerard Souzay, over the German tenor, Fritz Wunderlich on his legendary DG recording, but I slightly prefer Souzay due to Dalton Baldwin's more imaginative piano accompaniment, in comparison to Hubert Giesen's:
> 
> 
> 
> . But I must admit that Souzay's recording is the first I heard and imprinted on during the LP era. Nevertheless, I still like the interpretations better.


Souzay is a light baritone, so you're more unpredictable than you think! His most notable roles for the stage were Golaud, Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva, etc, although he did start his studies as a tenor before switching to baritone.

I've not heard his Mullerin, but he has a wonderful Schumann lieder disc also with Dalton Baldwin including one of my favorite performances of Dichterliebe.


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## Mandryka

Well personally I love the sound of bleating goats - mais à chacun ses goûts.


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## flamencosketches

To veer off topic for a moment, I just ordered the other day Benjamin Britten's Serenade, the Decca disc w/ the composer conducting and Pears singing, on the (likely correct) presumption that it was a definitive performance. But I'm having second thoughts now. Ah well, Britten ain't Schumann, and perhaps Pears' "bleating goat" voice (Mandryka's words, not mine, Pears fans!) makes more sense in this repertoire than it does in German Lieder.

I listened to maybe 5 songs off the Schreier/Richter Winterreise. I think this may be the one for me. I am going to try and find a copy, along with (probably) the DFD/Demus.


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## wkasimer

flamencosketches said:


> To veer off topic for a moment, I just ordered the other day Benjamin Britten's Serenade, the Decca disc w/ the composer conducting and Pears singing, on the (likely correct) presumption that it was a definitive performance.


You might want to try one of Pears' earlier recordings of the Serenade, when his voice was in somewhat better shape - still an idiosyncratic sound, but a more youthful sound:


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## wkasimer

Kiki said:


> ^^
> 
> I have one BBC Magazine CD of the Partridges performing Schumann's Op. 39 Liederkreis. I like their subtleness very much. No overwhelming heart-on-sleeve stuff from the likes of DFD (not that that's a bad thing though). Unfortunately they seem to have left us precious few records (?).


If you want to hear Ian Partridge, there's no shortage of recordings, although most of them are of non-mainstream repertoire. He did record Winterreise with Richard Burnett (on fortepiano):









There's also a lovely CD of well-known Schubert songs with his sister:


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## Mandryka

flamencosketches said:


> To veer off topic for a moment, I just ordered the other day Benjamin Britten's Serenade, the Decca disc w/ the composer conducting and Pears singing, on the (likely correct) presumption that it was a definitive performance. But I'm having second thoughts now. Ah well, Britten ain't Schumann, and perhaps Pears' "bleating goat" voice (Mandryka's words, not mine, Pears fans!) makes more sense in this repertoire than it does in German Lieder.
> 
> I listened to maybe 5 songs off the Schreier/Richter Winterreise. I think this may be the one for me. I am going to try and find a copy, along with (probably) the DFD/Demus.


 Pears is very good for the poetry, for his way to make the words sound meaningful.

It's nice to play Britten's Illuminations with Pears in front of a French people, and watch their face when they hear his accent.


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## DavidA

wkasimer said:


> You might want to try one of Pears' earlier recordings of the Serenade, when his voice was in somewhat better shape - still an idiosyncratic sound, but a more youthful sound:
> 
> View attachment 128922
> 
> 
> View attachment 128923


Fabulous here and of course suited to Britten's music


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## wkasimer

Mandryka said:


> Pears is very good for the poetry, for his way to make the words sound meaningful.


And Britten's superb playing doesn't hurt, either.


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## Barbebleu

Mandryka said:


> Here's a good song from Winterreise


I've always loved this particular recording. Plunket Greene has a very appealing way with this. I believe he was almost seventy when he recorded this. It sounds most apposite.


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## Kiki

Cracking, and heartbreaking. Totally exceeded my expectation. Thumbs up!


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## Allegro Con Brio

I think that Schreier/Richter captures the haunting, numbing atmosphere of the cycle better than any recording I've heard, but here's a Winterreise I've been sampling lately and finding very convincing. You're not likely to find any voice that sounds anything like it; it has a character all its own, like an old man looking back on his youthful wanderings rather than the youthful angst we often hear:


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## Marcos

This version of Winterreise with guitar works rather well. The duo have also recorded a studio version.


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## Rogerx

Not the very best gut I am very careful with this disc .


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## Barbebleu

Rogerx said:


> Not the very best gut I am very careful with this disc .


In the words of Yoda - Hard to find is this!


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## wkasimer

Marcos said:


> This version of Winterreise with guitar works rather well. The duo have also recorded a studio version.


I listened to some of the studio version. Between Lichdi's very slender vocal resources and the guitar accompaniment, this is a very "pretty" Winterreise, and for me, Winterreise is anything but pretty.


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## SixFootScowl

Rogerx said:


> Not the very best gut I am very careful with this disc .


I had no idea what that is, so looked it up to find out it is Winterreise.


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## Kiki

I have the Vickers/Parsons. Not exactly my favourite, but it certainly has cast a lasting impression. It is at times very depressive, but at times heroic as well. Heavy stuff it certainly is. And his aesthetic is, um, rather unique.


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