Sunday 4 January 2009

Christine Schäfer: Winterreise

Christine Schäfer: Winterreise. With Eric Schneider (piano). Released 2006. Further information here.

Being a high, lyric soprano, Christine Schäfers 2006 recording of this baritone/mezzo or lower standard fare is most courageous. Not the least since her interpretation is entirely compelling. Christine Schäfer´s approach to Winterreise is cool, clear and unsentimental applying an an almost vibrato-less tone truly evocative of the cool winter. Not the taditional lyric-emotional tragedy, but the contemporary relevant and insightful portrait of someone, who choses to leave society. Simplistic, naked honesty is perhaps what ultimately makes Christine Schäfer´s rendition so compelling.

Christine Schäfer: Gute nacht (song nr. 1 - audio only):


The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

5

Posted on YouTube by hillevifan

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for giving this one a notice. I'd got a bit tired of the Pears and also of the Dietrich way with Winterreise; this one brings it back alive again, and yes you're right, it sounds contemporary kind of.

musicfiend76 said...

I'll second the thanks for giving this recording some press. It's a very, very different way with the songs - almost ironic, cabaret-like - and it might be my favorite recording of this song-cycle.

curzon said...

This was the recording of choice on CD review this morning. I shall have to buy it.

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