Gramophone Song Award 2024: Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
A sensitive reading from Konstantin Krimmel and Daniel Heide
In his moving booklet note to his recording of Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin, Konstantin Krimmel reflects on the high male suicide rate in Germany and men’s reticence in seeking help for depression. It makes for stark reading, but sets a context for the German-Romanian baritone’s introspective account of this song-cycle. There’s already an air of resignation over our tender poet as he sets out on his journey which will end up with the young man drowning himself in the brook.
Krimmel’s a natural storyteller, and there’s great depth to his reading
Krimmel’s warm baritone is lighter than I recall from a fine recital of Loewe and Mahler at the Oxford Lieder festival some years ago. In his original review, Hugo Shirley hears ‘a hint of a hazy tang in the timbre’, which particularly suits the more reflective songs. Krimmel’s a natural storyteller, and there’s great depth to his reading. He is willing to treat the melodic line with freedom – the repeated questions at the end of ‘Pause’ wander from the score, ornamented to devastating effect as the poet wonders if the sighing of the green ribbon hanging on the wall is a prologue to new songs. Changes of mood signalling our protagonist’s inner state of mind are well managed, though even in the darkest despair there is a sense of calm acceptance.
Krimmel is matched by Daniel Heide’s sensitive, responsive playing (this is Heide’s second recent recording of the cycle, both of them outstanding). Alpha provides superb sound to capture this sensitive performance (recorded during the Schubertiade in Hohenems). Mark Pullinger
The Recording
Schubert Die schöne Müllerin, D795
Konstantin Krimmel bar Daniel Heide pf
Alpha (10/23)
Producer Martin Frommen
Read the review | Buy or stream on Presto Music
Runners-up
Beydts Mélodies and Songs
Cyrille Dubois ten Tristan Raës pf
Aparté (4/24)
Read the review | Buy or stream on Presto Music
‘But I like to sing …’
Carolyn Sampson sop Joseph Middleton pf
BIS (12/23)
Read the review | Buy or stream on Presto Music
Explore all of this year's Gramophone Award winners in the 2024 Awards issue – out now. Never miss an issue – subscribe today
