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Liederkreis, Op. 24
Dichterliebe, Op.48 Belsazar, Op. 57 Abends am Strand, Op.45/3 Die beiden Grenadiere, Op.49/1 Dein Angesicht, Op.127/2 Lehn deine Wang, Op.142/2 Es leuchtet meine Leibe, Op.127/3 Mein Wagen rollet langsam, Op.142/4
IAN BOSTRIDGE tenor |
[68:54] full-price
by Ng Yeuk Fan
Where required, Bostridge (left) can easily soar above the piano at forte too. Though vocal forces are readily at his command, his voice is
undoubtedly a lieder voice. Any foray into opera should be limited to
light lyrical roles. Even Mozart can be too taxing for this voice. One
can hear some tightness as the register ascends above high G in the tenor
range; full dexterity and openness is not available readily at his command
in this upper register; nor is his lowest registers quite relaxed nor
resonant enough (Track 15).
Bostridge's mezza voce, the floated half-voice for those suspended sweet and high notes is not quite there yet. A
very slight edge works both for and against his lieder voice. All in all,
other than the misgivings in the lowest and highest registers, few tenors
can compete with this golden voice of lieder.
But it is all too natural - that greatness in vocal achievement must be
patiently awaited. Like any other instrument, the human voice takes its
time to mature... just as a violin seasons with repeated playing, the
human voice too, needs maturation; but few singers achieve success before 20
(unlike the prodigies in piano and violin arena) and most singers reach
their vocal peak only in their early 40s. Bostridge's voice is one worth
waiting for.
Clearly then, the program featured here fits his present voice as a round
peg would in a round hole. Bostridge presents a tantalizing program of
all Schumann songs - The complete Liederkreis, Op.24; the complete
Dichterlieber ("Poet's Love") Op.48 and a selection of seven bits and pieces, all of which are set to poems by Heinrich Heine.
This program of Schumann songs is about love. An element of unrequited
love and its destructive force runs through both the major cycles featured
here. It is described that Schumann scored these songs just a few months
before his marriage to Clara Wieck, when the two have been living quite
apart from each other.
It is no wonder than that Schumann chose to set
the poems of Heine, several which reflect strong unrequited tensions.
Schumann, whose life met with sufficient emotional turmoil to land his
last years in an asylum, writes with a full blown romantic style that is
characterised by warmly lyric and colourful melodies with a wide range of
emotional expression. His songs are notable for their inspired setting of
words to music and for the equal partnering of the piano with the vocal
line. Hear Track 25, Das ist ein Floten und Geigen from his Dicterliebe - one of his most famous works.
Ian Bostridge, clearly an intelligent reader, gives a well-studied account
of these art songs full of subtly inflected nuances and vocal colouring.
One does not feel any lack of spontaneity in these readings. There is
some hint that Bostridge could be taking more liberties with the voice
here than in his Hyperion recording. Some unorthodox gliss between two
notes are heard here and there; a liberty permitted only to the best among
established singers such as Schwarzkopf and Angeles. Scholars may decry
them as less than artistic; here Bostridge is clearly enjoying himself.
Intonation problems are virtually non-existent while execution can hardly
be faulted.
Julius Drake is sensitive to the needs of Bostridge's voice. Apart from
rare moments which could have benefited from better communication between
the two, Drakes playing is clean and efficient. One hoped however, for
more flair from the accompanist. There is some lack of imagination and
personality in this accompaniment. Though both are accomplished
musicians, one feels that there is some shortage of synergistic
inspiration between the two that would have propelled this recording into
a sure award-winner.
This recording by EMI is clear and well-focused, with the piano and voice well-balanced. The voice is well-positioned with respect to the piano.
With the exception of being a bit on the dry side, revealing the edge in
Bostridge's voice, there is little to complain about in this EMI effort.
Program notes are sufficient and the new photo of Bostridge is
considerably more tastefully done compared to Hyperion's.
One cannot seem to get enough of Bostridge.
His is a voice full of freshness. I first noticed his beautiful voice in
his rosetted Hyperion recording of Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin, a
collaboration with Dietrich Fischer Dieskau as the reader and Graham
Johnson at the piano. I was attracted by his sweet, youthful voice.
Immediately very refreshing and very pleasantly so - the voice of Ian
Bostridge.
The Lied, a native style of Germany, means simply "song". They were
popularised in the nineteenth century in part due to the German Romantic
movement, with its tremendous wealth of lyric poetry by such greats as
Goethe, Heine, Schiller, Morike and Ruckert. German composers such as
Schumann, Schubert, Wolf, Brahms and Mahler all made significant
contributions to the genre.
There are too many fine examples that can be mentioned. For sampling
purposes, I would suggest the following tracks, a full display of
Bostridge's artistry is collected therein.
In Singapore, this CD is available at or can be ordered from Sing Discs (Raffles City), Tower (Pacific Plaza & Suntec City), HMV (The Heeren) and Borders (Wheelock Place).
Ng Yeuk Fan smiles with music as would love and lovers combined, or fire and
gunpowder combust when kissed.
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