Robert & Clara Schumann Lieder
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Robert Schumann, Clara (Josephine) Schumann
Label: Decca
Magazine Review Date: 6/1997
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 72
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 452 898-2DH
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Myrthen, Movement: No. 1, Widmung (wds. Rückert) |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Myrthen, Movement: No. 3, Der Nussbaum (wds. Mosen) |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Myrthen, Movement: No. 7, Die Lotosblume (wds. Heine) |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Myrthen, Movement: No. 9, Lied der Suleika (wds. Goethe) |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| (3) Lieder, Movement: Er ist gekommen |
Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| (3) Lieder, Movement: Liebst du um Schönheit |
Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| (Das) Veilchen |
Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Loreley |
Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Mein Stern |
Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Frauenliebe und -leben |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| (6) Lieder |
Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Clara (Josephine) Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Liederkreis, Movement: No. 3, Waldesgespräch |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Liederkreis, Movement: No. 5, Mondnacht |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Lieder-Album für die Jugend, Movement: No. 23, Er ist's (wds. Mörike) |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Lieder-Album für die Jugend, Movement: No. 28, Mignon (wds. Goethe) |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Lieder und Gesänge II, Movement: No. 1, Sehnsucht (wds. Geibel) |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
| Minnespiel, Movement: No. 4, Mein schöner Stern! (T) |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Barbara Bonney, Soprano Robert Schumann, Composer Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano |
Author: Alan Blyth
Barbara Bonney’s recital of the Schumanns’ songs is prefaced, in the booklet-note, with a little feminist homily from the singer defending the reputation of Clara as woman and artist. Clara hardly needs that kind of defence nowadays, witness recent CDs by Skovhus and Stutzmann, plus several others not reviewed in these pages; her songs are far from patronized, let alone neglected. Yet, for all the advocacy of these singers, her inspiration remains for me intermittent, though thoroughly conventional songs are occasionally leavened by notably individual ones, such as, here, her very last and unpublished song, Loreley, which vividly conjures up that dangerous creature, particularly in the hectic piano part, evocatively played by Ashkenazy. Indeed it seems that Heine most inspired her, as “Sie liebten sich beide” from her Op. 13 provoked a setting of economically intense meaning, to which Bonney finely responds.
At the centre of the soprano’s choice of Robert’s setting is, of course, the Frauenliebe cycle. With what seems like a new-found vibrancy in her tone, she makes appealing the girl infatuated with her man, so aptly characterized in the opening songs. There’s a real sense of anticipated bliss in the third and fifth songs, but the sixth, “Susser Freund”, is somewhat flaccid and in the final song, of desolation after the loved one’s death, the effect is emotionally a shade muted.
Comparisons, perhaps unfair, with Seefried’s utter spontaneity in her ideal reading, or with Popp’s sadly deleted reading (Eurodisc, 1/82), are unflattering to Bonney’s more dry-eyed approach. Isokoski actually sings the cycle more naturally. Bonney takes an unwanted breath in the opening lines of the final song and does the same at the start of the third verse of “Waldesgesprach” from the Op. 39 Liederkreis. She follows that with beautifully crafted “Mondnacht” and, right at the end of her programme, she sings that late and elevating song,Mein schoner Stern! and Schumann’s underrated version of the much-set “Kennst du das Land?” (Mignon) with the soaring conviction sometimes absent earlier. The Myrthen songs at the start, especially the right sense of expectancy in Der Nussbaum, are sensitively done.
The partnership with Ashkenazy is always positive, the recording is admirable and, in spite of my few strictures, the final impression is of a justly popular artist on excellent form.'
At the centre of the soprano’s choice of Robert’s setting is, of course, the
Comparisons, perhaps unfair, with Seefried’s utter spontaneity in her ideal reading, or with Popp’s sadly deleted reading (Eurodisc, 1/82), are unflattering to Bonney’s more dry-eyed approach. Isokoski actually sings the cycle more naturally. Bonney takes an unwanted breath in the opening lines of the final song and does the same at the start of the third verse of “Waldesgesprach” from the Op. 39 Liederkreis. She follows that with beautifully crafted “Mondnacht” and, right at the end of her programme, she sings that late and elevating song,
The partnership with Ashkenazy is always positive, the recording is admirable and, in spite of my few strictures, the final impression is of a justly popular artist on excellent form.'
Robert & Clara Schumann Lieder
Explore the world’s largest classical music catalogue on Apple Music Classical.
Included with an Apple Music subscription. Download now.
Gramophone Digital Club
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £8.75 / month
Subscribe
Gramophone Full Club
- Print Edition
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £11.00 / month
Subscribe
If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.