Schubert: Am See, D746 (Bruchmann)

“Sometimes in the more agitated reveries Goerne seems to be musing with himself rather than singing to an audience. However, cloudy intonation usually vanishes when the songs are calm and gentle. The prayerful ecstasy of Im Abendrot is an absolute wonder. Klage, another nature song, isn’t far behind, each word shaped and pitched with the sort of delicacy” The Times, 8th February 2013 ****

“This is a most interesting and instructive Schubert recital, performed throughout with tact and great musical intelligence” International Record Review, February 2013

“Goerne’s latest Schubert recital, mostly comprised of little-known songs, is one of the baritone’s most accomplished...German baritone animates [Erlkönig] with a wonderful range of voices and inflections: his timbre has lost none of its wraparound warmth and depth but is equally capable of tenurial lightness.” Financial Times, 15th February 2013 ****

“With his dark, nutty baritone and powers of characterisation, he is a near-ideal interpreter of Erlkönig; with the sublime Haefliger as his pianist, he revels in the gentler panoramas, too.” Sunday Times, 24th February 2013

“Though often idiosyncratic, his readings are never less than thoughtful – and his original takes on well-known (and less well-known) songs frequently offer intelligent and bold new insight...Goerne and Haefliger rarely seem to break a sweat, an attitude that can sometimes come over as lack of effort...But their refined style demonstrates its own supreme skill, and there is no shortage of illumination and pleasure to be had” Graham Rogers, bbc.co.uk, 13th February 2013

“His darkly mellow baritone, soft-grained yet with reserves of power, is a perfect instrument for the pantheistic reveries and barcarolles on this new disc...even doubters might have to concede that no singer cares more than Goerne for the beauty and eloquence of Schubert's melodies” Gramophone Magazine, March 2013

“The narrative songs are perhaps the most convincing of all. Erlkönig crackles with excitement: the thrill of the chase rumbles through the piano while Goerne imbues the narrative with passion and intensity, depicting the three characters with admirably individualistic sound colours...It’s a joy that Goerne and Haefliger have given us a recital that shows off so many facets of his artistry in such an admirably skilful way.” MusicWeb International, March 2013

“This is a wonderful recital, in almost all respects. The first thing to grab my attention was the mesmerisinly lovely playing Andreas Haefliger, one of the greatest living pianists...[in Erlkönig] Haefliger's accompaniment is so vivid that I'd enjoy it by itself; Goerne doesn't characterise the three persons as much as many singers, but he still packs a stunning punch...I would rank this among the finest discs I have ever heard.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2013 *****

“Bostridge reveals his expanding mastery in the widest variety of expression, with the subtlest range of tone, and with a deliberate hardening of the characteristically sweet voice in some of the more dramatic songs...In all this Drake is the perfect partner, ranging wide in his tonal palette too” Penguin Guide, 2010 edition ****

'Rarely can one find a recording where every single aspect - repertoire, performance and production - is perfect. This is. Highest imaginable recommendation' (In Tune, Japan)

“The most beautiful soprano voice to emerge in the last decade shows us how affectingly she can scale down from Verdi and lighter Wagner. From Haydn's little prayer, its introduction telling us what kind of hallowed support to expect from pianist Wolfram Rieger, to Beethoven's 'An die Hoffnung' we move into the shadows and back. ...Harteros nobly underlines two very special centres of gravity: Schubert's 'Wehmut', lightened by its vivacious successor, and Brahms's 'Die Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht', inflected with all the luminous and darker tones she is capable of conjuring. An enchanted hour.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2010 *****

“…Brahms's "Von ewiger Liebe" is included as the recital's "title-song" and suits well her sumptuous tone and strong sense of dramatic phrasing. She is especially responsive to Strauss's soprano-flattering lines. The lullaby "Meinem Kinde" is charmingly done, as especially is "Allerseelen", suggesting the manner of the Four Last Songs... Rieger is an eloquent partner in this highly coloured songs.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2009

“The flavour of the songs, composed between 1815 and 1923, is predominantly warm, as if Schubert were enjoying composition as an act of relaxation. [Eisenlohr] shows impressive poise and poetic understanding” Sunday Times