Frederic Chiu’s performances of these magical transcriptions are certainly personal, indeed sometimes irreverent, and he boldly challenges conventional notions of how these pieces should ‘sing’. Listen to the first track, Die Forelle (in Liszt’s less familiar but no less inventive second version), where both the melodic line and the accompaniment are needlessly agitated and turbulent, belying the song’s essential charm. I have never heard the vocal line played with such a staccato effect. A major factor is Chiu’s reluctance to be generous with the sustaining pedal, but perhaps more off-putting is his steadfast refusal to cultivate a legato line, pedalled or not. In Liszt’s versions these pieces are transformed into great piano works, it’s true, but their vocal source is vital to understanding their poetry; sadly, these performances hardly resemble the aesthetic of Schubert Lieder, and respond insufficiently to the narrative of, or literary inspiration behind, each song.
In the more assertive songs, including “Die Stadt” and “Der Atlas”, Chiu manages to achieve a sense of drama. Occasionally he does sustain the melodic line, even if he is reluctant to project it fully: in the famous “Standchen” (probably the most successful track) he at last brings out a singing quality, particularly in the tenor register of the second stanza. This makes the lack of warmth, of lyrical poise and tonal beauty elsewhere, all the more disappointing. “Aufenthalt” is horribly brash, with the same brittle attack and choppy vocal line I find hard to understand in Die Forelle. The recorded sound is faithful, if slightly lacking in resonance.
The more I listened to this disc, the more strongly I felt its shortcomings, and the more I was puzzled and frustrated by Chiu’s approach; I found myself returning to Bolet’s selection of song transcriptions with renewed appreciation of its lyricism and opulent singing voice. I suggest that, if possible, you sample before you buy.'