Schubert: Der Zwerg, D771 (Collin)

The early death of Wolfgang Anheisser (1929-1974) following an accident on stage in a New Year’s performance at the Cologne Opera tragically ended one of the most promising German baritone careers. This 2-CD set is taken from the small number of recordings that he made with his friend and producer Heinz Gietz.

It includes a full disc of ballads by Carl Loewe, and songs by Mendelssohn, Adolf Jensen, Anton Rubinstein, Hugo Wolf, and Hans Pfitzner. In addition the collection features several of Schubert’s most popular lieder, Erlkönig amongst them, as well as Schumann’s Belsazar, Die beiden Grenadiere and others.

Gérard Souzay was one of the really great singers of the 20th century and was admired for his sense of style and musicality. His Lieder interpretations are considered as legendary. This is one of the few recordings of Souzay available on the international market and was recorded when the singer was in his prime in 1960.

The Swedish soprano Camilla Tilling here performs songs by Franz Schubert, accompanied by Paul Rivinius.

The disc includes some of Schubert's best-known songs, such as the carefree An Silvia, the serene Litanei, and the first Suleika song.

The programme features great changes in emotion: from the portrayals of the joy and despair of young love in Bei dir allein! and Lied des Florio, to the Gothic drama of Der Zwerg and the despondency of Totengräbers Heimweh.

As well as having a highly successful opera career, Camilla Tilling has made a name for herself in concert and in recital. Her previous recording for BIS – the Strauss recital Rote Rosen (BISSACD1709) – was met with great critical acclaim.

Gérard Souzay (1918–2004) was born into a musical family – his father was a cellist, and his two brothers and his sister all singers. Souzay chose to study philosophy at university, and it was only after a meeting with Pierre Bernac in Paris in 1942 that he was persuaded to enter the Paris Conservatoire to study singing. He entered the concert circuit shortly after the end of the Second World War, and soon displayed the qualities that would make him one of the great voices of the 20th century – a love of words and a superb technique that combined a fine tone with a natural gift for expression.

His obituaries in 2004 all commented on the qualities of his voice, and were full of epithets such as ‘warm’, ‘lyrical’, ‘supple’, ‘sensual’ and ‘vibrant’. He was keen not to be pigeonholed as a singer of French repertoire, and this 2 CD set vividly illustrates his mastery of Schubert’s lieder. The coupling of the composer’s freshest and most immediately appealing song-cycle, Die schöne Müllerin, with a generous selection of other, universally known lieder, is sure to have wide appeal beyond historical enthusiasts: the recordings are in excellent stereo.

New booklet notes by Lieder authority Richard Stokes.

‘Souzay’s interpretation makes a less virile figure of the miller’s apprentice than either of the others and perhaps, because of this, makes more credible the girl’s jilting of him for the black-bearded hunter (I’m sure his beard was black!), but there is plenty of passion in his singing and a smooth treatment of the two-note quaver groups. The climactic ends of the verses “Dein ist mein Herz”, etc. ring out as well in “Ungeduld” as in “Mein!”, and at all times one is aware of a carefully thought-out presentation, an expressive treatment of the words and a sensitive response to the changing moods. The many strophic songs have plenty of nuance, and Souzay holds the interest through the five verses of “Des Baches Wiegenlied”.’ Gramophone, June 1965

Johannes Maria Kränzle has been a member of the Frankfurt Opera since 1998. Iin 2010 he will make his debut at La Scala Milan and the Berlin State Opera. Songs are an important part of his artistic work and here he takes us on a short journey through the history of the romantic ballad.