Hyperion’s Schumann song series has already produced some profoundly satisfying discs‚ but none quite to equal the pleasures found on this‚ the seventh volume. Its centrepiece‚ Myrthen – the cycle of love songs celebrating the union of Clara and Robert – is framed by eight duets to form a wonderfully balanced offering‚ and one that could hardly be surpassed in execution‚ through the understanding and skills of the three participants. If one has to be singled out for particular praise‚ it must be Dorothea Röschmann‚ who has put herself in the front rank of Lieder interpreters. In tones at once fresh‚ warm and communicative‚ she sings all her contributions with an ideal balance between word and note. To such a familiar and lovely song as ‘Der Nussbaum’ she brings a heartfelt sense of anticipated pleasure that bears comparison with any of the heap of noted performances from the past‚ occasional vibrato used to arresting effect‚ as in all her readings. The equally famous ‘Lotosblume’ is done with all the feeling but not too much of it to do justice to Heine’s poem and its classic setting. ‘Lied der Suleika’ has its intensity underlined by the palpitating intimacy of her singing. In complete contrast‚ ‘The Highland Widow’‚ one of several Burns settings‚ benefits from her urgent declamation. Another Burns setting‚ ‘Highland Lullaby’‚ is even more affecting. Not to be outdone‚ Bostridge presents deeply considered accounts of all his songs‚ combining his silvery‚ lightly tremulous tone with his customary feeling for words‚ most notably in the song ‘Aus den hebräischen Gesängen’ and the two Venetian Songs‚ settings in translation of Thomas Moore‚ finding mystery in the first‚ seductive charm in the second. Even better is his sensitive enactment of the marvellous setting of Heine‚ ‘Was will die einsame Träne’‚ which must appeal even to his detractors for its complete understanding of the idiom‚ and of the popular ‘Du bist wie eine Blume’‚ where his half­voice is skilfully deployed. Johnson‚ who is in his most alert and empathetic form at the piano throughout‚ comments in his customarily perceptive annotations that ‘the music has the stately pace of prayer‚ but it is also tremulous with sublimated eroticism’. While the estimable Chandos version is not eclipsed‚ it must take second place to this new one. In the two sets of duets‚ full of Schumann at his most easeful‚ the voices intertwine effortlessly. Some oldsters will recall the famous‚ endearingly romantic Lehmann/Melchior recordings of some of these: in their more orthodox way‚ Röschmann and Bostridge are just as persuasive. With one of Hyperion’s very best recordings to complement the performances‚ voices nicely forward‚ this disc is definitely one to have.